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Rh middle. Unless the church has separate chapels, each with its own choir and sanctuary, this will be the High Altar of the church. All others are counted as side altars.

There are two kinds of altar, the fixed (altare fixum) and portable altar (altare portatile).

A must be of stone and built into the church, so that it cannot be moved. The relics are buried in it. The whole top (the "mensa") of the altar is of stone and joined by stone to the ground ; it is all consecrated as one thing.

In the case of the the only real altar is the. This is a stone in which relics are placed and sealed up. It is comparatively small, perhaps about one foot square or so, and an inch or two thick. Mass is said on this. The altar stone may be placed on a table of any material. It is not fixed to the table. So in many churches there is what looks like a large wooden altar. Really this is only the framework or stand. In the middle (generally sunk into the wood) is the altar stone, which alone is consecrated. The framework may also be of stone. In this way an altar may be built of stone, used as a portable one, having on it the consecrated altar stone, till the whole can be consecrated as a fixed altar. There is no difference in the ceremonies between a fixed and a portable altar.

There should be some kind of canopy over the altar. This may hang from the roof of the church or may stand on columns. It should cover not only the altar, but also the foot-pace, or at least the priest celebrating. The canopy stand- ing on columns is the. It is better that the altar do not stand immediately against the wall of the church ; indeed, at the consecration of an altar the rubrics require that the bishop go round it.

The altar is raised above the floor of the sanctuary by steps. Every altar should be raised at least one step; the