A Book About the Altar

Here’s an excellent, informative book about the altar:

The Liturgical Altar, by Geoffrey Webb

The first edition of this book was published in 1933, the second in 1939. The title page also gives a date of 1949. The book is in its second printing by Romanitas Press (2010 and 2014).

The “Reprint Preface” on page 1 of the book notes that it is hoped that the book will

…further the understanding – and thereby hopefully the implementation – of the Church’s symbolism, prescriptions, traditions and liturgical spirit in regards to the correct building, vesting and decorating of the center of Catholic life: the altar.

This book is also valuable in resenting ideas for how to erect a decorous altar that fulfills all of the Church’s liturgical laws, while not exhausting the parish coffers. Accordingly, the tongue-in-cheek subtitle of this book could easily be: How to Attain a Proper Altar, Cheaply.

The book has a wealth of information about the history of the Catholic altar, though the illustrations are regrettably few and far between (understandably, though, given the original date of publication).

 
We will be examining more of the contents of the book on later posts.