Altar Enthronement (Part two)

How to do the enthronement?

5 children/teens will be chosen to hold an item each using both hands. They proclaim what each item represents as they placed them on the altar.
• The white cloth reminds us of our baptismal promises and of our vocation to holiness in daily life.

• This is the crucifix that reminds us that if we want to follow Jesus we must be willing to embrace our own cross in the power of the Holy Spirit.

• This is our blessed mother Mary who points us to her son Jesus. Mary has been given to us by Jesus as our Mother, to guide us in daily life.

• The Word of God contains the Good News that we listen to every weekend. By listening to the Word we experience Jesus as a living person who encourages and challenges us.

• This is the Light of Christ that overcomes the darkness of our sins and sets us free to become light for others too.



Alternative way of enthronement: The various religious articles are carried in procession and the altar is assembled article by article (without commentary) as a hymn is sung:

1. The Church’s One Foundation (or another appropriate hymn whose theme is the Church.)

The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord
She is His new creation by water and the word
From heav’n He came and sought her to be His holy bride
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died

Elect from every nation
Yet one o’er all the earth
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth
One holy name she blesses
Partake one holy food
And to one hope she presses
With every grace endured


2. A taize chant which highlight the theme of `light’ or `journey’:

Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us!
Let not our doubt or our darkness speak to us.
Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us!
Let me heart always welcome Your love.

Bless the Lord my soul!
And Bless God’s Holy Name.
Bless the Lord my soul!
Who leads me into life!

So there you have it, the steps on how to enthrone the altar at the start of each class. This action takes many many years to be instilled in a child. So each time it is observed, celebrate it with care! God bless!