A look inside the Holy Altar
Antimension
 In the first centuries of Christianity, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the tombs of the Martyrs and this was celebrated by the Bishop. Later, as the Church expanded and the size of a typical Diocese with it, the Bishops of the early Church began to ordain Priests as their representatives to the growing number of Christian communities. Only with the Bishop's permission could a community and its Priest serve the Liturgy and the same holds true today. One of the vehicles by which these important ancient practices are effected today is a simple piece of cloth, folded within another, and resting always on the Holy Table of every Orthodox church the Antimension.  The Antimension is a rectangular piece of cloth, gold in color, measuring
about 18 by 24 inches, and while on the Holy Table it is folded within
another cloth, red in color, called the Iliton, which represents the
swaddling clothes and the burial shroud of Jesus Christ. Depicted on the top
of the Antimension is an Icon of the Burial of Christ, along with Icons of
the four Evangelists, as well as Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom,
for whom the usual Divine Liturgies are named. Sewn into every Antimension is
an incorruptible relic of a Saint, making real the early liturgical connection
with the Martyrs who died rather than renounce Christ, and whose blood, after
the Blood of Christ, formed the very foundation of the Church.
Printed on every Antimension are the words: By the grace of the All-Holy,
Life-giving Spirit, this Antimension, the Holy Table, is consecrated for the
Offering on it of the Body and Blood of our Lord in the Divine Liturgy. Each
one is signed by the ruling Bishop of the Diocese and placed on the Holy
Table, constituting his permission for the community to exist as an Orthodox
parish and to celebrate the Liturgy. This is so, since true Christianity has
always held that without the Bishop there is no Church and through the Bishop
comes our unity of Faith and Communion which is Orthodoxy.
The word Antimension is a combination of Greek and Latin which means in
place of the table. While Holy Tables were always to have been consecrated
and relics placed inside of them, it was not always possible for the Bishop
to visit each community to do so. For that reason, Bishops consecrated cloths
or boards and sent them to each community to be used in place of the
consecrated Holy Table. This also allowed for portable Holy Tables for
travelers. The use of the Antimension is mandatory, even on Holy Tables which
have been consecrated, and a Priest is not permitted to celebrate the Divine
Liturgy without it. Military Chaplains and Missionaries also use it instead
of the table when serving in remote areas.
 Also placed on the Holy Table are two indispensable items: the Cross and
the Book of the Gospels. The Cross is placed there both as a sign of Christ's
victory over the Devil and of our deliverance. Since the Lamb of God was
slain on the Cross for our salvation, it is especially appropriate that it be
placed upon the Holy Table where the Bloodless Sacrifice is offered on behalf
of all and for all. As it is the Word of God, the Book of the Holy Gospels is
placed on the Holy Table, signifying that God is mystically present. It is
usually richly-adorned and as it is the Book of Life, its Governing may not
be of the skins of dead animals (i.e., leather), but is usually made of
precious metals adorned with jewels. At the center of the cover is usually
represented Christ, with the four Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John at
the four corners.
As the Holy Table represents the sepulcher of the Lord, upon it, at the
rear, is placed the Ark (or Tabernacle), so-called because of its general
shape, within which are placed the Holy Gifts (Reserved Sacrament) used for
the Communion of the sick. Candlesticks are also placed on the Holy Table,
signifying the Light of Christ which illumines the world.
In addition to the above, a natural (not artificial) Sponge is usually
placed beside the Antimension with which to brush off the particles from the
Paten into the Chalice. Also found is a vessel containing the Holy Chrism
used for Chrismation, and also a Sick-Call Kit (the Ciborium) within which
are to be found a small chest for the Holy Gifts, a small Chalice and Spoon,
a small vessel for wine and a sponge to clean the Chalice with. In addition,
a small chest, called the Artophorion is placed on the Holy Table during
Great Lent, within which is placed the consecrated Lamb (s) used for the
Presanctified Liturgy (if the same is not placed in the Tabernacle). Often a
canopy is suspended over the Holy Table, representing the heavens over the
earth, from which is suspended a dove with outstretched wings (the Fix),
representing the Holy Spirit. (In many places, the pre-sanctified Lamb was
placed in the Fix during Great Lent.)
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