The Celebration Altar: Colours set the tone

Since the Second Vatican CouncilA large meeting of ecclesiastical office holders, mainly bishops, presided by the pope, to make decisions concerning faith, church customs, etc. A council is usually named after the place where it was held. Examples: the Council of Trent [1645-1653] and the Second Vatican Council [1962-1965], which is also the last council for the time being. (1962-1965), church buildings have been conceived as (preferably) oriented around a single central altarThe altar is the central piece of furniture used in the Eucharist. Originally, an altar used to be a sacrificial table. This fits in with the theological view that Jesus sacrificed himself, through his death on the cross, to redeem mankind, as symbolically depicted in the painting “The Adoration of the Lamb” by the Van Eyck brothers. In modern times the altar is often described as “the table of the Lord”. Here the altar refers to the table at which Jesus and his disciples were seated at the institution of the Eucharist during the Last Supper. Just as Jesus and his disciples did then, the priest and the faithful gather around this table with bread and wine., symbolizing the one church community converging around Christ. On St Andrew’s stylish ‘festive table’, elegant antependia or ‘veils’ alternate in accordance with the colours of the liturgical year. Several complete sets of such textiles (which may include a priest’s chasubleSleeveless coloured garment worn by the priest above the alb and the stole during mass., a veilHeadgear worn by female religious. Until the Second Vatican Council, all nuns wore wimples, which covered the entire hair and neck. Nowadays, the veil is usually worn on the hair. for the chaliceGilded metal cup, usually on a base, which the priest uses for the wine during the Eucharist., a purse and sometimes even Marial robes) originate from 18^th-century Late Baroque.

The colour for ‘ordinary’ time is green. As such, the panels of the crossingThe central point of a church with a cruciform floor plan. The crossing is the intersection between the longitudinal axis [the choir and the nave] and the transverse axis [the transept]. altar – originally from a resting altar used during processions have been painted green. The front panel features a heart, while the back panel features an anchor; the third theological virtue of faith, meanwhile, is symbolized by a consecratedIn the Roman Catholic Church, the moment when, during the Eucharist, the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus, the so-called transubstantiation, by the pronouncement of the sacramental words. hostA portion of bread made of unleavened wheat flour that, according to Roman Catholic belief, becomes the body of Christ during the Eucharist. – either set in the monstranceA decorated glass holder on a base, in which a consecrated host can be placed for worship. In general, there are two types of monstrances: the ray monstrance and the tower monstrance, with the name referring to the shape of the object. The tower monstrance is very similar to the reliquary, which was very popular before the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament became widespread. on the ‘resting altar’ at the time, or in today’s EucharisticThis is the ritual that is the kernel of Mass, recalling what Jesus did the day before he died on the cross. On the evening of that day, Jesus celebrated the Jewish Passover with his disciples. After the meal, he took bread, broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat. This is my body.” Then he took the cup of wine, gave it to his disciples and said, “Drink from this. This is my blood.” Then Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” During the Eucharist, the priest repeats these words while breaking bread [in the form of a host] and holding up the chalice with wine. Through the connection between the broken bread and the “broken” Jesus on the cross, Jesus becomes tangibly present. At the same time, this event reminds us of the mission of every Christian: to be “broken bread” from which others can live. celebration.

During periods of preparation and quiet, such as the AdventPreparation period for Christmas. This period begins on the 4 Sunday before Christmas. preparation time before ChristmasThe feast commemorating the birth of Jesus. It is always celebrated on December 25. and particularly during the austere period of LentThis is the period of preparation for Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Saturday before Easter. Without the six Sundays of Lent, there are 40 days in which Christians are expected to live more austerely. The last week of Lent is called Holy Week. before EasterThe feast that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus on the 3 day after his death on the cross. This means that Jesus lives on despite his death. This feast is celebrated on the 1 Sunday after the 1 full moon of spring., decorations are removed as much as possible and the liturgical colour is purple. At such times, three giant purple canvases shield the main altar from view.

The most precious antependia are intended for the grand, festive times of Christmas and Easter, when the main colour is golden yellow. One of these antependia was made of Chinese silk (with matching design), and has been embroidered with birds, insects and other animals. The most precious High Baroque antependiumLiterally: “something hanging in front”. An ornament placed in front of the altar and usually covering it completely. An antependium can be made of various materials: silver (as in Antwerp cathedral), wood but also textiles. In the latter case it is sometimes adapted to the liturgical colours. stems from the church of St Philip, in the former Spanish South Castle. The entire silver drape field has been decorated with relief embroidery: curling acanthus scrolls in gold wire sprouting into horns of plenty, richly laden with all kinds of fruit in multi-coloured silk. The antependium’s central motive is a baroque chalice set in high relief, embroidered around a (wooden) core in gold wire.

PentecostThe feast, 50 days after Easter, which celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit. This refers to the story from the Acts of the Apostles in which, after the death of Jesus, the disciples experience how the Holy Spirit shows itself in the form of flaming tongues. As a result, they come out of their seclusion and begin to preach in the languages of their hearers. In fact, this is how the beginning of the Church is celebrated., which celebrates the disciples’ first rediscovery of their fervour to proclaim the message of Jesus, is symbolized by the colour red – as are the feast days of the martyrs, whose blood was shed. Thus, the warm red antependia that were so elegantly embroidered during the 18^th century simultaneously symbolize the church’s martyred patron saintThis is a title that the Church bestows on a deceased person who has lived a particularly righteous and faithful life. In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church, saints may be venerated (not worshipped). Several saints are also martyrs. Andrew.  

Mary is seen as pure and ‘full of grace’; accordingly, she is celebrated in combinations of blue and white. Black – customary for funerals before the Second Vatican Council – is often beautifully combined with golden yellow (for the cross, the ribbons and the seams of chasubles), symbolizing heavenly joy, even during mourning and sadness.

Decorating this monumental church proved to be dangerous at times: note the fatal accident at the main altar of beadle Joseph De Strycker in 1928.