Lighting the Altar Les Dancey September 2022
The chancel in Box Church (courtesy Carol Payne)
I had to smile when I saw the photo of the altar of Box Church with its six candles. During Rev Lendon Bell’s time there as vicar and maybe beforehand, the altar was low church with only two candles. When Rev Tom Selwyn-Smith came, he stuck another four candles on the altar but the powers to be soon made him take them off.
The issue of candles on the church altar was one of the great divisions during the years of the English Reformation. It was part of the debate about trans-substantiation (conversion of wine and bread into the actual blood and body of Christ) and the significance of the altar in the chancel or its replacement by a communion table brought in specifically for the sacrament. Box's stone altar was replaced by a communion table in 1548 and the present altar installed in 1896.[1]
After the English Civil War, the argument devolved to the number of candles on the altar – two candles signifying that Christ was both man and God or seven candles used for Mass in Roman Catholic services to highlight the crucifix above the altar.
After the English Civil War, the argument devolved to the number of candles on the altar – two candles signifying that Christ was both man and God or seven candles used for Mass in Roman Catholic services to highlight the crucifix above the altar.