These photos were taken on Holy Saturday in the Vatican Basilica.
The spawn altar had been used for twenty-eight years in St. Peter's Basilica (its lumber mensa having been "dedicated" instead of "consecrated" in 1980, with no altar stone/relics).
It was Card. Mario Nasalli Rocca di Corneliano who dedicated it.
So nice to have new leadership under a new pontificate and go BXVI!
15 comments:
What a piece of crap the "spawn" altar is. Now it's consigned to the shadows. Look at the film of dust on top of it!!! LOL !!!
It doesn't say much for JP II, that he'd allow the old traditional "Altar of the Chair" (which actually only dated from the early 1930's), to be wripped out of the wall and the entire area ruined with the hideous "Vatican II" altar.
JP II was good in a few ways, but he had absolutly no interest in the things that really matter in the Church...especially the Holy Mass.
From what I read, Card. Nasalli Roca was a corrupt Vatican liberal "paper-pusher" who got promoted only because of his name (a very noble Italian family), and his uncle was also a Cardinal. It was the equally corrupt Paul VI who appointed him.
Of course we know about the infamous Card. Virgilio Noe, nd Piero Marini (both liturgical barbarians who ordered the destruction).
From what I read, Noe is now quite ill, and Marini is relegated to the shadows.
As far as Marini (Piero) goes, may be languish there till his retirement....which isn't too long from now.(75)
Thanks be to God! I was ordained a deacon a that ugly old altar. My only question- why's it still hanging around in the Basilica?
Heh. "Spawn altar".
Funny.
...so the altar at top is the new altar?
Good description...Spawn was what I thought of after first seeing this hideous mensa!
Wow, it's literally collecting dust! Now all they need is to shove the new-new Altar of the Chair up against the wall, where the old one was.
Was this hunk of scrap just sitting in the basilica?
Fantastic site! I traveled Rome in 1999 and cannot wait for the day when I can return. I feel like I only covered a tenth of the city when I was there!
This is a 100% improvement. Now, shall we go for 200% and put it back in it's old position facing ad apsidum?
John,
Where is the Spawn "Altar" tucked away at these days?
Hey you got to post more often...
Well here is a nice one. Following up from your post on the Via Crucis.
http://miamiheralds.blogspot.com/2009/04/easter-triduum-triduo-pascual-2009.html
It appears to be behind the organ case on the Gospel side, but I may be wrong. In the Chapel with the famous sculpture with the skeleton hand (death?) reaching up from below.
"...that he'd allow the old traditional "Altar of the Chair" (which actually only dated from the early 1930's)..."
That is a legend, maybe launched by the Noe-Marini circle. There is no single draft of the cattedra by Master Bernini where there is no altar.
by the way there is now a fabolous book about the various altars of Bernini. The author also strongly laments the destruction of the said altar, which destroyed the unique concept of Bernini:
http://www.imhof-verlag.de/skulptur/die-altaere-des-gian-lorenzo-bernini.htm
I wonder what's written on the dust on the altar... Perhaps, "Long Live Pope Benedict XVI!"
Unfortunately on the two occasions when I was fortunate enough to attend Mass at St Peter's, that ghastly relic of the 1970s was in use. I look forward to returning to the Papal Basilica and seeing something appropriate to the dignity and beauty of this pre-eminent House of God.
Tim
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