Visit two local Christian churches. Using pictures and/or diagrams describe and explain the main features of the buildings and their furnishings.

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In order to take photographs and gain knowledge of features and furnishings in Christian churches, I made visits to St. Cuthbert’s church (RC) and St. Barnaba’s church (C of E).

Visit two local Christian churches.  Using pictures and/or diagrams describe and explain the main features of the buildings and their furnishings.

A church building is nothing more than a meeting place for people who share common beliefs to practice worship as a community.  At first glance, a church’s interior may appear to be nothing more than an ornately decorated building, but each and every feature and furnishing holds special significance in the Mass, and may also aid worship.  Christianity revolves very much around symbolism and so key features may be placed in very specific locations within the building to remind us of certain Christian beliefs.  Basically, everything in a church building has a practical purpose during Mass, or some sort of religious symbolism attached to it, or both.  Both the RC and C of E churches I visited have much in common, although there are definite differences between them in terms of their features, and their significance in the Mass.

The altar is a large table at which the bread and wine are consecrated during Mass.  It is usually made of wood or stone.  In Church of England, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox churches, it is always the main focal point, and is usually located in front of the east-facing wall in the sanctuary.  In both churches that I visited, the altars were located in this position.  All Christian churches have altars, although they may also be referred to as ‘communion tables’.  There are always two altar candles at either side of the altar.

The crucifix shows a figure of Christ, whereas a cross does not (the two are often confused).  It is usually made of wood or metal and can be virtually any size.  It represents the cross that Jesus died on.  In a Roman Catholic church, the crucifix is found above or near the altar, as it was in St. Cuthbert’s.  This reminds the congregation of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross.

   

The lectern is a reading desk, from which readings are given during a Mass.  A Bible or Lectionary is often found placed there in preparation for the day’s readings.  The priest will sometimes deliver his sermon from the lectern, and in some RC churches there may even be a second lectern parallel to it, from which the laity may read.  Lecterns are almost always found in Christian churches, although they may not always hold the same importance in the service, depending on the specific denomination.  In Protestant Churches, the lectern will have an eagle carved into it, and will usually be made of golden metal.  This was the case for the lectern in St. Barnaba’s.  The lectern is always found in front of the altar at one side.  In St. Cuthbert’s church, the lectern was located to the left hand side in front of the altar, whilst in St. Barnaba’s; it was to the right hand side.  In St. Cuthbert’s, the lectern doubles up as a pulpit and looks very similar to the pulpit found in St. Barnaba’s, although it is primarily a lectern.  This is the case in many RC churches.

A stand-alone pulpit is found only in Church of England churches, such as Anglican, Baptist and Methodist denominations.  It is a platform, often stone, from which the priest delivers his sermon to the congregation.  The pulpit is found in front of the altar to the left-hand side in Anglican churches (as it was in St. Barnaba’s), although usually takes a more central position behind the altar in Baptist and Methodist churches.

The tabernacle (which comes from the Hebrew word for ‘tent’) is simply a container for the Blessed Sacrament, which is the consecrated bread also known as the Body of Christ or the Eucharist.  It is often made of metal, and in Roman Catholic churches, it is usually found to one side of the altar or in a side chapel.  Tabernacles also occur in some Eastern Orthodox churches.  If the tabernacle contains consecrated elements, a continuously burning red light called a sanctuary lamp will be nearby to signal this.  The tabernacle can be either external, or built into the wall.  It is from the tabernacle that Holy Communion will be taken to the sick.  St. Cuthbert’s church has an external tabernacle on a podium up against the east-facing wall at the back of the sanctuary.

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The sanctuary lamp is a continuously burning red or white candle to signal when the tabernacle contains consecrated elements i.e. the Blessed Sacrament.  Sanctuary lamps are only found in Roman Catholic churches, as other denominations do not see the need for a tabernacle.  The sanctuary lamp is always found at the back end of the church, in the sanctuary, behind the altar.  St. Cuthbert’s sanctuary lamp is located here.

Confessional boxes, or confessionals, are basically small box shaped rooms in which people may receive the sacrament of Reconciliation by confessing their sins to the priest and asking for ...

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