Roman Sacrament Altars 2023

Many thanks to Fr Michael Baggot for sharing with us these pictures of some of the Sacrament Altar in various churches in Rome, where the tradition is still very much alive of honoring Our Lord on the night of Passion by decorating them as beautifully as possible. 

Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini

Saint Agnese in the Piazza Navona

San Luigi dei Francesi

Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Santa Caterina della Rota

The Martyrs’ Chapel at the Venerable English College

St Brigid in Piazza Farnese

Sant’ Andrea della Valle

This photo by another friend was taken at the church of the Pontifical Russian College, which is dedicated to St Anthony the Abbot. At Orthros of Good Friday in the Byzantine Rite, which is very often anticipated to the evening of Holy Thursday, Twelve Gospel readings (and a great many other things) are inserted into the normal order of the ceremony, and are read from this stand. For Vespers, a large solid table is set up on the platform, and at the end, the burial shroud of Christ is carried down from the altar and placed upon it.