| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| Re. Use of Menorah | Steven | Sunday, June 29, 2008 |
Question: Dear Mr. Slavek, I read with interest your comments in response to Martha's question, in which you said you have never seen reference to a menorah displayed in a Catholic church. I know that the London Oratory church (Brompton Oratory) here in the UK has a pair or Menorahs which form part of the permanent sanctuary furniture - these are 19th. Century copies of the Jerusalem Temple Menorah, as depicted on the Arch of Titus (being looted by the Romans following the sack of the city in 70 A.D.). An image of the Menorah in the church can be found here:- http://www.londonbyclick.com/imgallery/london_oratory/DSCN9527.jpg As you will see they stand just inside the altar rails, to either sid of the sanctuary. I have always understood these menorah to be related to symbolise the relationship between the New Covenant (embodied in the Blessed Sacrament) and the Old Covenant of the Jewish Law. There also appears to be a resemblance between a traditionally-sited tabernacle on the High Altar of a church and the ark in a synagogue (which contains the Torah scrolls) - presumably this is another example of the same symbolism. Is it possible that the multiple-branched candlesticks sometimes used to flank the Monstrance at Benediction are also desended from the Menorah? It does sound, however, that Martha's pastor may be displaying his menorah in an inppropriate way, and causing confusion and offence in the process. I hope this is of interest. Yours in Christ, Steven. |
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| Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek
Dear Steven, Thank you for the comments and reference. I'm sorry that I should have been more clear, what I had meant to say that I have never seen the menorah referenced in liturgical documents rather than actually inside a church itself. I have never heard of any relation between altar candlesticks and the menorah so I looked in the Catholic Encyclopedia. There was no entry for menorah, and none of the articles on candles and candlesticks mentioned the menorah, including the article on the history of the candlestick at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03248a.htm Mr. Slavek Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers. (b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks. (c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively. |
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