A tabernacle is the fixed, locked box in which, in some Christian churches, the Eucharist is "reserved" (stored). A less obvious container, set into the wall, is called an aumbry.
Within Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and in some congregations of Anglicanism and Lutheranism, a tabernacle is a box-like vessel for the exclusive reservation of the consecrated Eucharist. It is normally made of metal, stone or wood, is lockable and secured to its altar to prevent the consecrated elements within from being removed without authorization. The "reserved Eucharist" is secured there for distribution at services, for availability to bring Holy Communion to the sick, and, especially in the Western Church, as the center of attention for meditation and prayer. The term "tabernacle" arose for this item as a reference to the Old Testament tabernacle which was the locus of God's presence among the Jewish people - hence, it was formerly required (and is still generally customary) that the tabernacle be covered with a tent-like veil or curtains across its door when the Eucharist is present within.
By way of metaphor, Catholics and Orthodox alike also refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Tabernacle in their devotions (such as the Akathist Hymn or Catholic Litanies to Mary), as she carried within her the body of Christ in her role as Theotokos.
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The following historical information is found, for instance, in the article The casing of the Eucharist by the Secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, who also heads the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Patrimony of the Catholic Church, in 30DAYS, No.6 Year XXIII – June 2005.
In early Christianity, priests and even lay people took bread consecrated at their Eucharistic to their homes, in order to give it to the sick and others unable to attend the celebration. But when the Edict of Milan ended persecution, the practice was established of keeping the Eucharist only in churches and no longer in people’s homes.
The preferred container then had the form of a (usually gold) dove within a (usually silver) tower. There is mention of a gift of these two vessels, both of gold and adorned with 250 white pearls, that the Emperor Constantine gave to Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and of silver towers and golden doves given to particular churches by Pope Innocent I and Pope Hilarius.
The vessels were kept in a place called the "sacrarium" or "pastophorium" away from the central body of the church or were suspended by fine chains from the middle of the canopy (hence called a "ciborium" or bread store) above the altar of the church. Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s 29-metre-high Baroque baldacchino over the main altar in today’s Saint Peter’s Basilica is at present the best-known such structure. Later, simpler vessels replaced to some extent the dove and the tower.
By the thirteenth century, the Eucharist was most often kept in a highly embellished cabinet inserted into the wall to the right or left of the altar. The Sanctuary lamp indicated the Presence of Christ. This was a means of following the decree of the 1215 Fourth Lateran Council requiring that the reserved sacrament be kept in a locked receptacle.
In the late fourteenth century, special stone constructions for the Eucharistic bread began to be built, especially in northern Europe. In German and Netherlands churches of the period, such structures can still be seen: tall towers, known in German as Sakramentshäuser, in Dutch as sacramentstorens, usually placed to the north of the altar and often reaching almost to the ceiling. They were in use until the mid-nineteenth century. As the presence of the sanctuary lamp in the picture to the right shows, some have been returned to their traditional use.
German examples are found in the church of St Laurence in Nuremberg (18.70 metres), the minster of Salem (16 metres), Saints Peter and Paul city church in Weil der Stadt (over 11 metres), the church of Our Lady in Lübeck (9.5 metres), and St Mary's cathedral in Fürstenwalde on the Spree. Belgian churches include St Catherine's in Zuurbemde, St Martin's in Kortrijk, St Peter's and St James's in Leuven, and St Leonard's in Zoutleeuw.
In the early losh century, Bishop Matteo Giberti ordered that, in his diocese of Verona, in Italy, the container case for the consecrated bread should be placed on an altar. The custom spread through northern Italy. Saint Charles Borromeo, who became Archbishop of Milan, Italy in 1560, had the Sacrament moved from the sacristy to an altar (not the main altar) of his cathedral. The edition of the Roman Missal revised and promulgated by Pope Pius V in 1570 (see Tridentine Mass) still did not envisage placing the tabernacle on an altar: it laid down instead that the altar card containing some of the principal prayers of the Mass should rest against a cross placed midway on the altar (Rubricae generales Missalis, XX - De Praeparatione Altaris, et Ornamentorum eius). However, in 1614 Pope Paul V imposed on the churches of his diocese of Rome the rule of putting the tabernacle on some altar. Reaction to Protestantism's denial of the reality and permanence of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist then led to the spread of the placing of the tabernacle even on the high altar, so as to make it more evidently visible. Whether on the main altar of the church or in a special chapel, the tabernacle became more and more large and ornate, to the extent of dominating the altar.
The Catholic Church holds the doctrine of transubstantiation, i.e. that Christ is "truly present, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity," though under the appearance of bread or wine. This presence perdures after the consecration, so that even after Mass is concluded, the Eucharistic elements are still Christ's Body and Blood. A tabernacle serves as a secure place in which to store the Blessed Sacrament for carrying to the sick who cannot participate in Mass, or as a focus for the prayers of those who visit the church.
The renewal of the Roman-rite liturgy following the Second Vatican Council (see Mass of Paul VI) was to highlight the primacy of the Eucharistic celebration itself, more than just a means for providing the permanent Eucharistic presence. The altar, it was decided, should be "truly the centre to which the attention of the whole congregation of the faithful naturally turns".[1] Before Vatican II, Mass was often celebrated directly in front of the tabernacle . Today, most often, the altar for the celebration of Mass stands on its own, and the tabernacle is given its own, usually smaller, altar or it stands nearby on a pedestal or in its own separate chapel. This allows the faithful to focus on the celebration of the Eucharistic action during Mass, but preserves a dignity of place and fosters prayer and meditation outside of Mass by giving the tabernacle its own space.
The same Instruction lays down that:
Tabernacles have generally been made of metal (such as bronze or brass), or sometimes of heavy wood. They are traditionally lined in white cloth (often silk), and are always securely lockable and generally permanently affixed or bolted to their support. Some Tabernacles are veiled when the Eucharist is present in them. These veils are often of cloth and design similar to the priest's vestments (that is, to create a harmony of design), and are either white (the color of the Eucharist), gold (which may be substituted for white), or of violet, green or red depending on the liturgical color of the day or season.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Holy Mysteries (reserved sacrament) are kept in a tabernacle or ark (Slavonic: Kovtchég) on the altar at all times. The tabernacle is normally wrought of gold, silver, or wood and elaborately decorated. It is often shaped like a miniature church building, and usually has a cross on the top of it. It may be opened using small doors, or a drawer that pulls out. Some churches keep the tabernacle under a glass dome to protect it (and the Holy Mysteries) from dust and changes in humidity.
Orthodox do not have a concept of Eucharistic adoration as a devotion separated from the reception of Holy Communion. But the Holy Mysteries are treated with utmost respect, as they believe in the Real presence of the Body and Blood of Christ. The clergy must be vested whenever they handle the Holy Mysteries. During the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (wherein Communion is received from the reserved Sacrament), when the consecrated Holy Mysteries are brought out during the Great Entrance, everyone makes a full prostration—even the chanters stop singing and prostrate themselves while the entrance is made in silence.
When Orthodox Christians receive Holy Communion, they always receive in both species: the Body and the Blood of Christ. This includes Communion taken to the sick. Therefore, both are reserved in the tabernacle. Every year on Holy Thursday, the reserved Mysteries are renewed. The priest will cut an extra Lamb (host) for that liturgy and after the consecration, just before the clergy receive communion, the priest will take the extra Lamb and carefully pour a little of the Blood of Christ over it. This Lamb will then be cut into very small portions, allowed to dry thoroughly, and be placed in the tabernacle. The deacon (or priest, if there is no deacon) will consume whatever remains of the previous year's reserved sacrament when he performs the ablutions.
Typically, a sanctuary lamp is kept burning in the Holy Place (sanctuary) when the Mysteries are reserved. This may be a separate lamp hanging from the ceiling, or it may be the top lamp of the seven-branch candlestick which sits either on top of the Holy Table or behind it.
A small receptacle called a pyx is used for taking communion to the sick. While designs may differ, this often consists of a metal case with a chain attached so it can be hung around the neck. Inside the case are several compartments. One compartment contains a small box with a tightly-fitting lid into which some of the reserved Holy Mysteries will be placed. There is also a place for a very small chalice, just enough to hold a small amount of wine and a particle of the reserved Mysteries. There will be a small bottle to hold ordinary wine (not consecrated) which is used to soften the particle before it is consumed, a small pair of tweezers with which the priest removes a particle of the Mysteries from the box to place it in the chalice without touching it, and finally a small communion spoon with which to administer Holy Communion. This sick call kit is normally kept on the Holy Table, or sometimes on the Table of Oblation.
Rather than using a kit like the one described above, a priest may use a small chalice with a tight-fitting lid. He pours a little wine into the chalice, places a particle of the reserved Mysteries in the wine, and attaches the lid. He will take the chalice and a communion spoon to administer Holy Communion to the sick..
A smaller tabernacle, sometimes referred to as a pyx, is used during Great Lent. This tends to be a rectangular, gold-plated box, often with a cross on top, with a hinged lid. On Sundays during Great Lent, the priest will consecrate extra Lambs (in the same manner as on Holy Thursday), for use during the Presanctified Liturgy. These Lambs will be kept in the pyx on the Holy Table, or sometimes on the Prothesis (Table of Oblation).
Many Anglican parishes use tabernacles, either fixed on the altar, placed behind or above it, or off to one side. As in Roman Catholic churches, the presence of the reserved sacrament is indicated by a "presence lamp" – an oil or wax-based flame in a clear glass vessel placed close to the tabernacle. Normally, only ciboria and Blessed Sacrament are placed in the tabernacle, although it is not uncommon for the wine or consecrated oils to be placed there as well. When the tabernacle is vacant, it is common practice to leave it open so that the faithful will not inadvertently perform an act of devotion (such as bowing or genuflecting). Tabernacles are customarily lined with, if not constructed from, cedar wood, whose aromatic qualities discourage insect life.
Anglicanism's Articles of Religion forbade the use of reserved sacraments, solemn benediction services, or exaggerated displays of the consecrated host. The nineteenth-century revival of interest in Medieval Catholicism among some Anglicans (the Catholic Revival), particularly in England and North America, however, led to a reinterpretation of the Articles in many places, or the outright denial of them (they have never been considered binding). Among those Anglicans who identify as "Anglo-Catholics," the Protestant Reformation is often considered one episode in church history which no longer defines their faith as Anglicans. Reservation has become commonplace in large parts of the Anglican Communion, and some parishes also perform services of solemn benediction and/or other forms of Eucharistic adoration.