The Tabernacle Stand

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Until May of 2017, the Tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament at Saint Helena’s Parish rested on a table. Fr. Pedro designed a stand inspired in the tabernacle altar found at the private chapel of the priests of the Congregation of Saint Michael the Archangel, in the Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo in the Province of Foggia, Italy.

The top of the Stand rests on two harps each one with three strings. The stand and its shape as a music instrument, represents the continuous call to worship God joyfully.* The two harps are in reference to Jesus’ dual nature as true God and true man, which is known in Christian teaching as the Hypostatic Union, and whose Presence is believe by Catholics to be Real with His body, soul and divinity in the consecrated forms of bread and wine. The three strings are a referenced to the most Holy Trinity. There are shafts of wheat and grapes carved in low and high relief, in reference to the gifts brought to the Altar at every Mass.

The Stand was built by Dr. Richard Nutts, who with great joy and enthusiasm offered this work of his hands as carpenter and artisan...

*There are plenty of biblical verses that call for a joyful worship of God: Psalm 33:3, Psalm 43, 4; Psalm 47:1; Psalm 84: 1 -2; Psalm 98:4; Psalm 100: 1-2.