Last Maundy Thursday, my church stripped its altar, but on Good Friday they put the black paraments and altar cloth on it. I thought, "Do that and the whole stripping of the altar becomes pointless. Why take the elements off if you're going to put them back the next day anyway?" It's odd because normally the altar remains stripped bare through the Easter Vigil; the way it's supposed to be.
Last Maundy Thursday, my church stripped its altar, but on Good Friday they put the black paraments and altar cloth on it. I thought, "Do that and the whole stripping of the altar becomes pointless. Why take the elements off if you're going to put them back the next day anyway?" It's odd because normally the altar remains stripped bare through the Easter Vigil; the way it's supposed to be.
rswan5 2 years ago
@rswan5 it says in the rite of distribution , roman pontifical, there AT ALL TIMES should be one cloth on the altar with dist. of communion.
rcortese211 1 year ago
@rcortese211 Well, there wasn't communion at the Good Friday service.
BTW, I'm a lutheran.
rswan5 1 year ago
@rswan5 LOL because the Altar Guild found black frontals in a drawer when they reorganized the sacristy.
varsitynj 10 months ago
In my church, the Alter is stripped in silence, and in almost complete dark.... interesting to see the difference in congregations.
DaddyMedic 2 years ago
I am Episcopalian. The stripping of the altar while Psalm 22 is chanted is one of the most dramatic events of the church year.
Nothing is more haunting, profound and desolate than this part of Maundy Thurday.
901cleo 2 years ago
I totally agree! Very emotional & moving too.
josey165 2 years ago
this is very dramatic
SNL918 3 years ago