RDCA VII: Blessing of a Chalice and Paten

The final chapter of the RDCA (Dedication of a Church and Altar) provides for the blessing of the vessels used in the celebration and distribution of the Eucharist. First, a brief introduction:

1. The chalice and paten for offering, consecrating, and receiving the bread and wine have as their sole and permanent purpose the celebration of the eucharist and are therefore ‘sacred vessels.’

2. The intention to devote these vessels entirely to the celebration of the eucharist is expressed in the presence of the community through a special blessing, which is preferably to be imparted within Mass.

3. Any priest may bless a chalice and paten, provided they have been made in conformity with the norms given in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal nos. 290-295.

4. If only a chalice or only a paten is to be blessed, the text should be modified accordingly.

There’s not much to delve deeply into the rite itself. The celebration of the Eucharist is preferred above a word service. If the Mass of the day (5) falls in section III, numbers 10-13 on the Table of Liturgical Days, there are some readings which may be inserted into the Liturgy of the Word (6-8): 1 Cor 10:14-22a or 1 Cor 11:23-26; Psalm 16 or 23 (antiphons referring to “cup”); Matthew 20:20-28 (Jesus challenging the disciples: can they drink the cup) or Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 (Last Supper).

The homily (9) and general intercessions (10) follow, then the vessels are brought to the altar and placed there by ministers or members of the community. This antiphon may be sung:

I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.

No psalm is given here; this procession is not imagined to be very long. The blessing prayer (11) follows, with a response “Blessed be God for ever” instead of an Amen. The preparation of the altar and gifts proceeds as usual (12). A slightly altered antiphon is given:

I will take the cup of salvation and offer a sacrifice of praise (alleluia).

This time, with Psalm 116:10-19. The gifts and altar may be incensed (13). An interesting rubric is given:

14. If the circumstances of the celebration permit, it is appropriate that the congregation should receive the blood of Christ from the newly blessed chalice.

The wording here is interesting: that the assembly “should” receive.

I’m aware of the tradition of clergy having their own chalice. This blessing rite seems to locate “possession” with the local community. How can and does that harmonize with traditional practices of the clergy having the chalice reserved to themselves?

The blessing outside of Mass (15-23) is not terribly remarkable. The general intercessions take place after the blessing of the vessels. A sample set of intercessions are provided here, but not for the Mass. That was slightly curious. Not very different from the official form in the 1977/78 rite, here is the 2003 ICEL draft:

Let us humbly make our prayer to the Lord Jesus,
who continues to give himself over to the Church
as the bread of life and cup of salvation, by saying

R. Christ, the bread of heaven, give us eternal life.

Savior of us all,
who obeyed the will of the Father
and drank the cup of suffering for our salvation,
grant that we may be made worthy
to share in the mystery of your death
and to reach the kingdom of heaven. R.

Priest of God Most High,
who are present yet hidden in the sacrament of the altar,
grant that we may discern by faith
what is concealed from our eyes. R.

Good Shepherd,
who gave yourself to your disciples as food and drink,
grant that we who are nourished by you
may be transformed into you. R.

Lamb of God,
who commanded your Church
to celebrate the paschal mystery
under the signs of bread and wine,
grant that the memorial of your passion and resurrection
may be for all the faithful
the summit and source of the spiritual life. R.

Son of God,
who wonderfully satisfy our hunger and thirst for you
by the bread of life and cup of salvation,
grant that we may draw from the mystery of the Eucharist
a love for you and for all people. R.

Two points here. First note they address Christ. And second, this style of petition is similar to what was composed in the funeral rites: a bit wordier than the usual brief petitions we hear on Sundays, and each petition more explicitly addressing God. What do you make of that?

This brings the RDCA to a close. Last comments, anyone?

 

RDCA VI: Blessing of an Altar

If you’ve been following this rite with us, some of these considerations have already been addressed in the rites for dedicating a church (RDCA, chapter II) and the dedication of an altar (chapter IV). There is a seven-section introduction for the blessing of an altar, which gives details on the proper distinctions to be made for movable altars:

1. ‘A fixed altar is one so constructed that it is attached to the floor so that it cannot be moved; a movable altar can be transferred from place to place.’ (GIRM 298)

A fixed altar is to be dedicated according to the rite described in chapter four. A movable altar also deserves religious respect because it is a table set aside solely and permanently for the eucharistic banquet. Consequently, before a movable altar is put to use, if it is not dedicated, it should at least be blessed with the following rite. (cf. GIRM 300)

2. A movable altar may be constructed of any solid material that the traditions and culture of different regions determine to be suitable for liturgical use. (cf. GIRM 301)

3. To erect a movable altar what is laid down in the Introduction to chapter four, nos. 6-10, is to be followed, with the necessary modifications. However, it is not permissible to place the relics of saints in the base of a movable altar.

4. It is appropriate that a movable altar be blessed by the bishop of the diocese or by the priest who is rector of the church.

5. A movable altar may be blessed on any day, except Good Friday and Holy Saturday. As far as possible, a day should be chosen when the people can be present in large numbers, especially a Sunday, unless pastoral considerations suggest otherwise.

6. In the rite of blessing a movable altar the Mass is the Mass of the day.

7. The altar should be left bare until the beginning of the liturgy of the eucharist. Hence a cross (if need be), and altar cloth, candles, and everything else necessary to prepare the altar should be on hand at a convenient place in the sanctuary.

The rubrics, texts, and ritual directions contained in the rite itself (8-13) are virtually identical to what we saw in the Blessing of a Church (Chapter V, 20-25).

Comments?

 

RDCA V, 23-28: Blessing a Church, Liturgy of the Eucharist

After the altar is blessed, it is dressed with a cloth and decorated with flowers (V, 23). Candles are lit and used, “if need be, the cross.” The bishop then receives the gifts at the chair (V, 24), and the same antiphons or “appropriate song” as we saw in IV, 57 for the dedication of an altar.

There may be a situation in which the altar was already dedicated, but moved–in this instance (V, 25) incense may be used. Otherwise if the altar was dedicated (IV, 43-56) with just the blessing of the church, then neither gifts nor altar are incensed at this time–it would have already taken place in IV, 53.

If a blessed sacrament chapel is inaugurated (V, 26) then it takes place according to II, 79-82 after communion. The blessing (V, 27) is the same as in the dedication of a church, II, 84 or the dedication of a church in use, III, 39. Finally, the deacon dismisses the people (V, 28).

This completes the Mass for the blessing of a church. Before we move on to blessing an altar, chalice, and paten, any comments? Looks like just five more posts in this series.

 

RDCA V, 20-22: Blessing of the Altar

The opening prayer cites, “Lord, bless this church …” and so today’s sections 20-22 address in text the Blessing of the Altar. But also a little bit more.

20. Then the bishop goes to bless the altar. Meanwhile the following antiphon is sung.

May the children of the Church be like olive branches around the table of the Lord (alleluia).

Another appropriate song may be sung.

My sense is that the rite here is a little frayed. The bishop moves to the altar: this is certainly an important “procession” or movement. But even without a psalm (the suggested 128th) it seems like a lot to add. After inviting the people to pray, the blessing is a good bit shorter than what we saw in II, 62 or IV, 48:

Blessed are you, Lord our God,
who accepted the sacrifice of Christ,
offered on the altar of the cross
for the salvation of the world.

Now with a Father’s love,
you call upon your people to celebrate his memory
by coming to gether at his table.

May this altar,
which we have built for your holy mysteries,
be the center of our praise and thanksgiving.

May it be the table
at which we break the bread which gives us life
and drink the cup which makes us one.

May it be the fountain
of the unfailing waters of salvation.

Here may we draw close to Christ,
the living stone,
and, in him, grow into a holy temple.

Here may our lives of holiness
become a pleasing sacrifice to your glory.

R. Blessed be God for ever.

When one looks carefully at these prayers, one understands the preference for stonework in an altar. A stone altar functions as that source of the fountain of life. A temporary, movable table just doesn’t have the gravitas.

Number 21 concludes with the rubric for the bishop to incense the altar, then be incensed at the chair. Following that, “ministers … incense the people and the main body of the church.”

Number 22 indicates that if the altar will be dedicated (IV, 48) the Creed is said, but the general intercessions are not, following RDCA IV, 43-58.

But if the altar is to be neither blessed nor consecrated (for example, because an altar already blessed or dedicated has been transferred to the new church), after the general intercessions the Mass proceeds as in no. 23 below.

Thoughts or comments on any of this?

 

 

RDCA V, 8-19: Blessing a Church, Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word

The outline for the first two parts of the Mass for blessing a church:

Introductory Rites

• Entrance into the Church
•          Greeting
• Blessing and Sprinkling of Water
• Hymn: Gloria
• Opening Prayer

The entrance is a simple one, the third form of chapter II. There is no reverencing the altar; the bishop goes right to the chair (V, 8). The Sprinkling Rite (10-13) always follows. The Gloria (14) is omitted if this blessing rite takes place during Advent or Lent.

Liturgy of the Word

• First Reading
• Responsorial Psalm
• Second Reading
• Gospel Acclamation
• Gospel
• Homily
• [Profession of Faith)

The readings may be taken from the church dedication rites, or from the liturgy of the day (16). No lights or incense at the proclamation of the Gospel (17). The homily (18), creed, and general intercessions (19) follow. So the blessing of the Church will take place at the juncture between the liturgies of Word and Eucharist.

 

RDCA V, 1-7: Blessing of a Church, Introduction

What differentiates between a church dedication and a blessing? Today’s post will cover it. Chapter V of the RDCA addresses the rite for blessing a church. The introduction is fairly brief and we’ll cover it today. The rites themselves should take three posts and cover sections 8 through 28 of this chapter.

1. Since sacred edifices, that is, churches, are permanently set aside for the celebration of the divine mysteries, it is right for them to receive a dedication to God. This is done according to the rite in chapters two and three for dedicating a church, a rite impressive for its striking ceremonies and symbols.

Oratories, chapels, or other sacred edifices set aside only temporarily for divine worship because of special conditions, more properly receive a blessing, according to the rite described below.

Doubtless, there are situations that fall into the gray area. Ultimately, the bishop would be part of the discernment here, since you can’t have a dedication (ordinarily) without one.

For a church blessing, it is still important to form the people:

2. As to the structure of the liturgy, the choice of a titular, and the pastoral preparation of the people, what is said in the Introduction to chapter two, nos. 4-5, 7, 20, is to be followed, with the necessary modifications.

The bishop presides, or, may delegate a presbyter:

A church or an oratory is blessed by the bishop of the diocese or by a priest delegated by him.

A Sunday is preferred:

3. A church or an oratory may be blessed on any day, apart from the Easter triduum. As far as possible a day should be chosen when the people can be present in large numbers, especially a Sunday, unless pastoral considerations suggest otherwise.

I suppose a religious community might make a case for a day other than Sunday.

4. On days mentioned in the Table of Liturgical Days, nos. 1-4, the Mass is the Mass of the day; but on other days the Mass is either the Mass of the day or the Mass of the titular of the church or oratory.

5. For the rite of the blessing of a church or an oratory all things needed for the celebration of Mass are prepared. But even though it may have already been blessed or dedicated, the altar should be left bare until the beginning of the liturgy of the eucharis!. In a suitable place in the sanctuary the following also should be prepared:

• container of water to be blessed and sprinkler;
• censer, incense boat and spoon;
• The Roman Pontifical;
• altar cross, unless there is already a cross in the sanctuary, or the cross that is carried in the entrance procession is to be placed near the altar;
• altar cloth, candles, candlesticks, and flowers, if opportune.

6. When at the same time as the church is blessed the altar is to be consecrated, all those things should be prepared that are listed in chapter four, no. 27 and no. 29, if relics of the saints are to be deposited beneath the altar.

7. For the Mass of the blessing of a church the vestments are white or some festive color. The following should be prepared:

• for the bishop: alb, stole, chasuble, mitre, pastoral staff;
• for a priest: the vestments for celebrating Mass;
• for the concelebrating priests: the vestments for concelebrating Mass;
• for the deacons: albs, stoles, and dalmatics;
• for other ministers: albs or other lawfully approved dress.

Other comments? This seems fairly straightforward. Do you know of churches that have been blessed but should have been dedicated instead?

 

RDCA IV, 57-64: Liturgy of the Eucharist

The rite gives two possible antiphons “(w)hile the gifts are being brought.”

From the sermon on the mount:

If you are bringing your gift to the altar, and there you remember that your neighbor has something against you, leave your gift in front of the altar; go at once and make peace with your neighbor, and then come back and offer your gift, alleluia.

Or:

Moses consecrated the altar to the Lord and offered sacrifices and burnt offerings; he made an evening sacrifice of sweet fragrance to the Lord God in the sight of the children of Israel.

No psalms given with these; just the antiphons.

As with the dedication of the Church in II, 73, the bishop kisses the altar after the gifts are prepared and Mass continues in the usual way (IV, 58). The prayer over the gifts (59) is different from the one used for the church dedication in II, 74. The preface is different as well (60).

Two communion antiphons are given in IV, 61 to be used with Psalm 128. One is the same as in II, 78, and this one, liftted from Psalm 84 in fact, differs:

Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest wherein she places her young: near to your altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God.

The Mass concludes with a different Prayer after Communion (62), Blessing (63), and Dismissal (64).

The Mass for the Dedication of an Altar is not just a variant of the Mass for the Dedication of the Church. Its texts, mainly antiphons, psalms, and prayers, are a unique offering. The Church has foreseen an altar’s dedication as not just an important moment demanding the bishop’s attention, but a distinctive ritual when celebrated apart from the dedication of a building for worship.

Thoughts?

 

RDCA IV, 49-56: Anointing, Incensing, Lighting

After the dedication prayer, the altar is anointed (49). Two possible psalms accompany this action (50-51): the 45th outside of the Easter season (updated to verses 1-8 in the 2003 draft), and the 118th (with verses 1, 16-18, 21-27), for any day between the Triduum and Pentecost. When the bishop is done (52) he returns to the chair, sits, washes hands, and removes the gremial.

The altar is then incensed (53) in one of two ways: a brazier or a heap of incense is placed on the altar. The bishop lights these. The 2003 translation makes interesting note next of the bishop lighting “some” thuribles (note the plural). The altar is incensed, presumably as the bishop makes a circuit, though this is not designated. He returns to the chair, where he is incensed. Then a minister incenses the people. Psalm 138 (with verses 1-6)or “another appropriate liturgical song” is sung.

The altar is then wiped, then covered with a cloth (54). The candles at the altar are lit by the deacon (55). The designated antiphon (56) is:

With you, O Lord, is the fountain of life; and in your light we shall see light.

The ritual does not attribute the psalm, but it is the 36th.

 

RDCA IV, 40-48: Word and Dedication

The rest of the rite for the dedication of an altar consists of the Liturgy of the Word (40-42) followed by the extended rituals of dedication and anointings. I won’t belabor the particulars until we get to the dedication prayer, which has not yet appeared in these rites. Please refer to the commentary on RDCA Chapter II, if you wish.

Prayer of Dedication and the Anointings

• Invitation to Prayer (43)
• Litany of the Saints and its concluding prayer (44-46)
• Depositing of the Relics (47)
• Prayer of Dedication (48)

This is where the chapter IV rite deviates from chapter II, giving an extended prayer. Here, I will depart from the approved rite and provide the 2003 draft translation, which will give you a sense of the text (and spare me from typing out or scanning and editing the prayer currently in use):

We glorify you, Lord, and we bless you,
for by the ineffable sacrament of your love,
you have decreed that the mystery of the altar,
with its many foreshadowings ended,
should be brought to completion in Christ.

Noah, the second father of the human race,
once the waters had receded,
erected an altar to you and offered a sacrifice,
which you, Father, renewing your covenant of love with humankind,
accepted as a fragrant offering. 

Abraham, father of our faith,
clinging with all his heart to your word,
constructed an altar,
so that by not withholding Isaac, his beloved son,
he might be pleasing to you.

Moses too, the mediator of the old Law,
built an altar, which, sprinkling with the blood of a lamb,
would mystically prefigure the altar of the cross. 

All these things, Christ has fulfilled in the paschal mystery:
for by ascending the tree of the cross as priest and victim
he gave himself over to you, Father, as a pure blessing,
by which the sins of the world might be blotted out
and a new and eternal covenant made with you. 

Therefore, Lord, we humbly pray to you:
pour forth your heavenly blessing
upon this altar, built in the house of your Church,
that is may be an altar dedicated for ever
by the sacrifice of Christ,
and stand as the Lord’s table
where your people are refreshed by the divine banquet.
 
Let this stone, cut and shaped, be for us a sign of Christ,
out of whose pierced side flowed blood and water
from which spring the sacraments of the Church. 

Let it be a table of feasting,
to which the guests of Christ may hasten with joy,
so that, casting on you their cares and burdens,
they main gain new vigor of spirit for the onward journey. 

Let it be a place of profound communion and peace with you,
where those who feed on the Body and Blood of your Son
may be filled with his Spirit and grow in your love. 

Let it be a source of the Church’s unity
and of harmony among its members,
so that your faithful, gathered here as one,
may drink from the spirit of mutual charity. 

Let this altar be the center of our praise and thanksgiving,
until we arrive rejoicing at the eternal dwelling place,
where we will offer you the unending sacrifice of praise
together with Christ, the high Priest and living Altar,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

Commentary:

Noah, Abraham, and Moses, but not Abel.

Note the “Let” clauses. They are more insistent in the 1978 translation: make. Still, they provide important formation on what the altar is supposed to be: sign of Christ, table of feasting, place of profound communion and peace, source of unity and harmony, center of praise and thanksgiving.

Please offer more substantive commentary, if you wish. What do you see?

 

RDCA IV, 31-39: Dedicating an Altar, Introductory Rites

This will be a relatively brief post compared to the ground we covered for the church dedication. For an altar’s rite, there is an entrance procession (31) largely as at a usual Mass, or exactly as in the dedication of a church already in use (III, 3) or the simple form for a church dedication (II, 43). If relics are part of the rite (32), then it’s also as before (III, 4) and (II, 44).

Section 33 identifies Psalm 43 for entrance with one of two antiphons:

O God, our shield, look with favor on the face of your anointed; one day within your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere (alleluia).

or

I will go to the altar of God, the God of my joy.

That first antiphon is derived from the 84th. Personally, I think there might be a few better choices than Psalm 43. Either antiphon with Psalm 122 (as long as we’re mixing and matching verses with whole psalms) would work okay for me. And naturally, the option is there for “another appropriate song.”

After the greeting (34), there is a sprinkling rite (35) including the altar (36-37), the Gloria (38), and the opening prayer (39).

 

RDCA IV, 27-30: Requisites for the Dedication of an Altar

Part VI wraps up the introduction to the dedication of an altar. Start with a list:

27. For the celebration of the rite the following should be prepared:

• The Roman Missal;
• The Lectionary;
• The Roman Pontifical;
• the cross and the Book of the Gospels to be carried in the procession;
• container of water to be blessed and sprinkler;
• container with the holy chrism;
• towels for wiping the table of the altar;
• if needed, a waxen linen cloth or waterproof covering of the same size as the altar;
• basin and jug of water, towels, and all that is needed for washing the bishop’s hands;
• linen gremial; brazier for burning incense or aromatic spices;
• or grains of incense and small candles to burn on the altar;
• censer, incense boat and spoon;
• chalice, corporal, purificators, and hand towel;
• bread, wine, and water for the celebration of Mass;
• altar cross, unless there is already a cross in the sanctuary, or the cross that is carried in the entrance procession is to be placed near the altar;
• altar cloth, candles, and candlesticks;
• flowers, if opportune.

Then we move to vestments:

28. For the Mass of the dedication the vestments are white or of some festive color. The following should be prepared:

• for the bishop: alb, stole, chasuble, mitre, pastoral staff, and pallium, if the bishop has the right to wear one;
• for the concelebrating priests: the vestments for concelebrating Mass;
• for the deacons: albs, stoles, and dalmatics;
• for other ministers: albs or other lawfully approved dress.

If relics are part of the festivities:

29. If relics of the saints are to be placed beneath the altar, the following should be prepared:

a) In the place from which the procession begins:

• a reliquary containing the relics, placed between flowers and lights. But as circumstances dictate, the reliquary may be placed in a suitable part of the sanctuary before the rite begins;
• for the deacons who will carry the relics to be deposited: albs, red stoles, if the relics are those of a martyr, or white in other cases, and, if available, dalmatics.

If the relics are carried by priests, then, in place of dalmatics, chasubles should be prepared. Relics may also be carried by other ministers, vested in albs or other lawfully approved dress.

b) In the sanctuary:

• a small table on which the reliquary is placed during the first part of the dedication rite.

c) In the sacristy:

• a sealant or cement to close the cover of the aperture. In addition, a stonemason should be on hand to close the depository of the relics at the proper time.

One last important piece:

30. It is fitting to observe the custom of enclosing in the reliquary a parchment on which is recorded the day, month, and year of the dedication of the altar, the name of the bishop who celebrated the rite, the titular of the church, and the names of the martyrs or saints whose relics are deposited beneath the altar.

A record of the dedication of the church is to be drawn up in duplicate and signed by the bishop, the rector of the church, and representatives of the local community; one copy is to be kept in the diocesan archives, the other in the archives of the church.

That record-keeping is more important than one might think. How many pastors and liturgists out there have actually seen these records if you weren’t involved in the building project yourself? Other thoughts?

 

RDCA IV, 26: Pastoral Preparation

Part five of chapter IV is brief, just this one numbered section, but I think it gives us a good springboard for discussing within the parish how to prepare people for the celebration:

26. The people are to be informed in good time about the dedication of a new altar and they are to be properly prepared to take an active part in the rite. Accordingly, they should be taught what each rite means and how it is carried out. For the purpose of giving this instruction, use may be made of what has been said earlier about the nature and dignity of an altar and the meaning and import of the rites. In this way the people will be imbued with the rightful love that is owed to the altar.

 

RDCA IV, 24-25: Adaptation of the Rite

As is true of all rites, adaptations are possible at the judgment of the conference of bishops, and others at the judgment of the minister. The fourth section of this chapter details proper adaptations:

Adaptations within the Competence of the Conferences of Bishops

24. The conferences of bishops may adapt this rite, as required, to the character of each region, but in such a way that nothing of its dignity and solemnity is lost.
However, the following are to be respected:

• a) The celebration of Mass with the proper preface and prayer for a dedication must never be omitted.
• b) Rites that have a special meaning and force from liturgical tradition (see no. 22) must be retained, unless weighty reasons stand in the way, but the wording may be suitably adapted if necessary.

With regard to adaptations, the competent ecclesiastical authority is to consult the Holy See and introduce adaptations with its consent. (SC 40)

Adaptations within the Competence of the Ministers

25. It is for the bishop and for those in charge of the celebration of the rite to decide whether to have the depositing of relics of the saints; in so doing, they are to follow what is laid down in no. 11 and they are to take as the decisive consideration the spiritual good of the community and a proper sense of liturgy.

It is for the rector of the church in which the altar is to be dedicated, helped by those who assist him in the pastoral work, to decide and prepare everything concerning the readings, singing, and other pastoral aids to foster the fruitful participation of the people and to ensure a dignified celebration.

In the Liturgiam Autneticam regime, it’s not likely that 24b would pass muster, but it does indicate a time when the needs of the community were considered as a greater good than the particular wording of the prayers. As we’ve seen in all the rites, adaptations are not made for the sake of the ministers, but by the ministers for the people in judgment of what will bear greater fruit in the celebration of the rites.

 

RDCA IV, 23: Celebration of the Eucharist

A “closest harmony” concludes the Mass, according to saintly tradition:

23. After the altar has been prepared, the bishop celebrates the eucharist, the principal and the most ancient part of the whole rite,(See Pope Vigilius, Epistula ad Profuturum Episcopum 4: PL 84, 832) because the celebration of the eucharist is in the closest harmony with the rite of the dedication of an altar:
For the celebration of the eucharistic sacrifice achieves the end for which the altar was erected and expresses this end by particularly clear signs.

Furthermore, the eucharist, which sanctifies the hearts of those who receive it, in a sense consecrates the altar, as the ancient Fathers of the Church often assert: ‘This altar should be an object of awe: by nature it is stone, but it is made holy when it receives the body of Christ.’ (John Chrysostom, Homilia 20 in 2 Cor 3: PG 61, 540)

Finally, the bond closely connecting the dedication of an altar with the celebration of the eucharist is likewise evident from the fact that the Mass for the dedication has its own preface, which is a central part of the rite itself.

Thoughts?

 

RDCA IV, 20-22: Relics and Dedication Rites

After the homily the rites particular to this liturgy take place, all pretty much in parallel to the dedication of a full church. Relics first:

20. If it is to take place, the relics of martyrs or other saints are placed beneath the altar after the Litany of the Saints. The rite is meant to signify that all who have been baptized in the death of Christ, especially those who have shed their blood for the Lord, share in Christ’s passion (see no. 5).

Then the Prayer of Dedication follows:

21. The celebration of the eucharist is the most important and the one necessary rite for the dedication of an altar. Nevertheless, in accordance with the universal tradition of the Church in both East and West, a special prayer of dedication is also said. This prayer is a sign of the intention to dedicate the altar to the Lord for all times and a petition for his blessing.

The meaning of these rites:

22. The rites of anointing, incensing, covering, and lighting the altar express in visible signs several aspects of the invisible work that the Lord accomplishes through the Church in its celebration of the divine mysteries, especially the eucharist.

• a) Anointing of the altar: The anointing with chrism makes the altar a symbol of Christ, who, before all others, is and is called ‘The Anointed One’; for the Father anointed him with the Holy Spirit and constituted him the High Priest so that on the altar of his body he might offer the sacrifice of his life for the salvation of all.
• b) Incense is burned on the altar to signify that Christ’s sacrifice, there perpetuated in mystery, ascends to God as an odour of sweetness, and also to signify that the people’s prayers rise up pleasing and acceptable, reaching the throne of God.(See Rev 8:3-4: An angel ‘who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. A large quantity of incense was given to him to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that stood in front of the throne; and so from the angel’s hand the smoke of the incense went up in the presence of God and with it the prayers of the saints.’)
• c) The covering of the altar indicates that the Christian altar is the altar of the eucharistic sacrifice and the table of the Lord; around it priests and people, by one and the same rite but with a difference of function, celebrate the memorial of Christ’s death and resurrection and partake of his supper. For this reason the altar is prepared as the table of the sacrificial banquet and adorned as for a feast. Thus the dressing of the altarc1early signifies that it is the Lord’s table at which all God’s people joyously meet to be refreshed with divine food, namely, the body and blood of Christ sacrificed.
• d) The lighting of the altar teaches us that Christ is ‘a light to enlighten the nations’;(Luke 2:32) his brightness shines out in the Church and through it in the whole human family.

These Scriptural connections are important, not only for their homiletic value. One should keep in mind that preaching an altar dedication is not likely to be great if the address is crammed full of Scripture. A community does need to hear of these connections and be formed by them both before and after the dedication liturgy. Note the combination of sacrifice and meal. Note also the importance of the role of the laity: the priestly mission of the baptized as well as the evangelical project to “the whole human family.”