Crucifix At The Centre of The Altar

Dear Parishioners, friends and family in Christ,

The centrality of the Crucifix in the celebration of Mass was more evident, and firmly observed in the past. That was a time when the priests and the faithful faced the Crucifix, which was placed in the centre above the altar.
 
In the present custom of celebrating the Eucharist with the priest "facing the people", often the crucifix is located to the side of the altar, thus losing its central position.
 
In his book, Spirit of the Liturgy, Pope Benedict XVI stresses the importance of placing the altar Crucifix in the centre of the altar. He proposes that "Where a direct common turning toward the east is not possible, the cross can serve as the interior 'east'. The significance of 'facing the east' is drawn from the fact that the east is the direction of sunrise, and is the symbol of light dispelling darkness and evil, and is the liturgical symbolism of the Lord's resurrection.
 
Pope Benedict says that even during the celebration with the priest "facing the people," the Crucifix should maintain its central position, and that it would be impossible to think that the depiction of the Crucified Lord could in any way be a source of disturbance (this is with reference to complaints by some people directly to the Pope that because of the positioning of the altar Crucifix people could no longer clearly see his face when celebrating the Mass. The Pope's response was: "Could Christ ever get in the way? Since when do we stare at each other's eyes when we pray? Don't we look to God?").

Yours in Christ!

Fr. Peter Jae Choi