Re: Re: reorganisation and destruction of irish catholic churches

And here is another exampòe of the application of the classical disposition of a sanctuary. This time it is Sant’Appolinare in Classe in Ravenna which was consecrated in 549. Bear in mind, that many of the prescriptions that are lay down in the current liturgical books derive from contexts such as this. After all, returning the liturgy to its pristine sources was one of the objectives of the liturgical renewal of the Second Vatican Council.

You will notice here that although the floor of the sanctuary is already quite high, the Altar is again raised on a praedella of sevral steps which will allow for the priest’s ascending to the Altar. Unless you know this background, you cannot properly understand how liturgical law thinks and operates.