Christian Significance

The altar is where the central act of the Eucharist, ( meaning thanksgiving), or Holy Communion, takes place. Bread and wine are placed on the altar in silver containers. The priest prays over them, ( called the consecration) and the congregation joins in with words which remind us of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The bread and wine are then shared among those who wish to receive them as a symbol of their joining with God through the actions of Jesus. At St. Helen’s, we use a moveable Communion table for the act of consecration, so that everyone can see what is happening. The bread and wine are then brought here to the high altar, or the side altar in the Lady Chapel, to be given out, so that people can kneel if they wish to. This is regarded by many Christians as the most holy part of their worship, and takes place here every week.

In the past, the consecration would have taken place at the easternmost end of the church, because it is the direction that the sun rises. It would have happened behind a screen, and out of sight of most of the congregation. This part of the church is called the sanctuary, meaning the specially holy place.

Do you have somewhere that you go to that feels especially holy to you?

How often do you go there?

While you are in the chancel, take time to look at the ceiling. This was painted as part of the Victorian restoration of the church to look like the restorers imagined a Medieval ceiling would have. It was extensively cleaned and regilded in 2008. There are traces of real Medieval painting on some of the pillars.

Can you see the animal painted in the centre of the ceiling? Can you guess why it is there? Clue: It is directly above the altar.

Historical

The Central Altar is Jacobean (c.1640) and came from Lamer House.

The Lady Chapel is so named in honour of Our Lord’s mother, Mary. It is also known as the Brocket chapel as it contains the tomb of Sir John and Margaret Brocket whose life sized alabaster figures lie on top of the tomb. The window over the altar shows Mary presenting Jesus, the two-year-old boy, to the wise men and the main window depicts episodes in the story of Joseph, although his famous coat is nowhere to be seen.

The chancel ceiling was cleaned in 2008, revealing its glorious colours and intricate patterns. The pale blue you see was originally much darker, then as now appearing open to the sky and reminding us how God is accessible to us through his Son. On the ceiling near the east window is a figure symbolising Jesus, the Lamb of God—Agnus Dei. 

…when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’

1 Corinthians 11.24–25