pdavis Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 You can go around and around talking about different topics. The fact remains, the statue of the Infant of Prague is placed "above" the very small cross at the altar of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. I have NEVER seen a statue placed above a cross or crucifix at the altar of any Catholic church in the United States, because a statue should never be placed above the cross or crucifix at the altar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Wednesday Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I haven't noticed any crucifixes disappearing, myself. I recall that in the 80s at my home parish, they used "resurrection Jesus" crucifixes, I guess actually showing the crucifixion was just too "scary" for people at the time or something. But they've since been replaced with traditional ones. For the most part anywhere I've been to mass (including a couple of prominent churches in the UK that provide the EF mass) uses crucifixes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdavis Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Ash Wednesday, Thank you for your post. I was hoping that the crucifix was not disappearing from the altar of the Catholic Church, whether in the US or in Europe. I also noticed the appearance of the resurrected Jesus crucifix, and agree with you regarding the reason. Have a great day... Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 You can go around and around talking about different topics. The fact remains, the statue of the Infant of Prague is placed "above" the very small cross at the altar of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. I have NEVER seen a statue placed above a cross or crucifix at the altar of any Catholic church in the United States, because a statue should never be placed above the cross or crucifix at the altar. Most Catholic churches in the US are borderline iconoclastic, so I am not surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 You can go around and around talking about different topics. The fact remains, the statue of the Infant of Prague is placed "above" the very small cross at the altar of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. I have NEVER seen a statue placed above a cross or crucifix at the altar of any Catholic church in the United States, because a statue should never be placed above the cross or crucifix at the altar. I am surprised that you have never seen this, because I have seen it many times. I went to Mass this morning at a church with such an arrangement and am a short drive from several others. I know of no reason to think that there is a rule against placing a statue above the crucifix at the altar. Here is a picture of such an altar although it may be too small to make out the relevant details: I am sorry that some posters have seemed impatient with you. However, I can understand how they may have grown frustrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdavis Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Perigrina, Thank you for your insightful response to my question. You and very few others have responded correctly to my question if anyone has noticed changes in the altars. Thank you for the picture of the altar. it does seem similar to the other. It appears to me that the altars are changing. I believe in high reverence to the crucifix with the image of our crucified Christ who suffered for our sins. I am an old-timer from traditional times, and I was taught, and am used to the reverence of the crucifix at the altar with no statues placed above the cross or crucifix at the altar. The nuns in Catholic school also emphasized the reverence to the crucifix, especially on Good Friday, as they said "all Catholics should be reminded of the extreme suffering Christ suffered for our sins." Thank you! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Perigrina, Thank you for your insightful response to my question. You and very few others have responded correctly to my question if anyone has noticed changes in the altars. Thank you for the picture of the altar. it does seem similar to the other. It appears to me that the altars are changing. I believe in high reverence to the crucifix with the image of our crucified Christ who suffered for our sins. I am an old-timer from traditional times, and I was taught, and am used to the reverence of the crucifix at the altar with no statues placed above the cross or crucifix at the altar. The nuns in Catholic school also emphasized the reverence to the crucifix, especially on Good Friday, as they said "all Catholics should be reminded of the extreme suffering Christ suffered for our sins." Thank you! Paul In my personal experience, the churches with a statue above the crucifix were built in the 1800s. However, I have little experience of church design in Europe. Ironically, your concern with placement of statues is reflected by the Second Vatican Council document Sacrosanctum Concilium: 125. The practice of placing sacred images in churches so that they may be venerated by the faithful is to be maintained. Nevertheless their number should be moderate and their relative positions should reflect right order. For otherwise they may create confusion among the Christian people and foster devotion of doubtful orthodoxy. So apparently the more traditional practice is placing statues above the crucifix, and the idea that the crucifix should be the highest object is relatively modern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie-Therese Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Paul, I understand that your sentiments come from a very pure place of desiring that Our Lord be shown the utmost deference, as well He always should. I've been in few churches in the US (due to lack of occasion) and have not yet seen the crucifix in any lesser position, though obviously through the years and various styles of decor, it has assumed several different places in differing churches. I say that if you encounter something on a church altar which gives you concern, pray to God and offer your concern and discomfort as reparation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdavis Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Marie-Therese, Very well said, that is exactly how I feel! Our Lord should be shown the utmost deference. My concern is great, to see anything else placed above the crucifix at a Catholic church altar, and seeing anything else does cause concern and discomfort. I have prayed to God, and will continue to pray to God. Thank You!! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 What about an arrangement like the following, in which there is an icon of the crucifixion behind and above the altar crucifix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Marie-Therese, Very well said, that is exactly how I feel! Our Lord should be shown the utmost deference. My concern is great, to see anything else placed above the crucifix at a Catholic church altar, and seeing anything else does cause concern and discomfort. I have prayed to God, and will continue to pray to God. Thank You!! Paul In all seriousness, if this issue is going to be destructive to your faith, please PLEASE see a priest or a spiritual director or a counselor or something, please. Don't keep on about it here. We can't help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdavis Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Nihil, That is a picture of a very beautiful altar. This is my personal sentiment, that the utmost deference should be to Our Lord, and in my old-timer's eyes, this shows a very high devotion to Christ on the crucifix. My eyesight is not too good, what are the images in between the candles? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdavis Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Arfink, this is not destructive to my faith. I asked one question about observations on church altars, and you make this kind of a personal statement??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 You just said that seeing the altar arranged in another way causes you concern and discomfort. It's right there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdavis Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Arfink, there is a difference between destructive and being concerned.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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