Can you please explain the importance of the sanctuary and the other principal parts of the church, and their meaning with reference to the sacredness of the worship of God?
The sanctuary is the most important part of a Catholic church, since it is where the altar is situated and the sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated. The very name sanctuary, which comes from the Latin word for holy, tells us that it is the holy part of the church.
The whole church, of course, is holy, since it is the house of God, and so we bless ourselves with holy water on entering. It is in the church where we attend sacred ceremonies like Mass and the sacraments, we pray, we attend Benediction and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, etc.
Within the church, the sanctuary is the holy place, much as the Holy of Holies in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem was the holiest part of the temple. It was separated by a curtain and only the high priest entered it once a year, on the feast of Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. In the first temple, built by Solomon, the only items there were the Ark of the Covenant containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod and some of the manna. It was truly a sacred space.
The sanctuary is to be clearly separated and marked off from the rest of the church. The General Instruction on the Roman Missal says of it: “The sanctuary is the place where the altar stands, where the word of God is proclaimed, and where the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers exercise their offices. It should suitably be marked off from the body of the church either by its being somewhat elevated or by a particular structure and ornamentation. It should, however, be large enough to allow the Eucharist to be celebrated properly and easily seen” (n. 295).
Before the Second Vatican Council, which ended in 1965, the sanctuary in practically all churches was marked off from the rest of the church by the altar rails, where the people received Communion. In addition, as it usually is today, it was raised above the floor of the church by one or more steps. Naturally, it was in a prominent place, so that all could see the Mass being celebrated.
In addition to the altar, the lectern where the word of God is proclaimed is also in the sanctuary. The holiness of God’s word and its importance in the celebration of the liturgy have always meant that the lectern is situated in the sanctuary itself. Given the importance, and holiness, of the ministry of the Word, it is important that readers be well trained and properly dressed for their role.
And, naturally, the chair for the priest, and those of the concelebrants and other ministers, are also in the sanctuary. Since the Second Vatican Council, the chair for the priest, who acts in the person of Christ, has usually been more dignified and well appointed.
If the sanctuary is a sacred space, the tabernacle is the most sacred, since it is where Our Lord, the Son of God, is present sacramentally. While the tabernacle is in the sanctuary in most churches, it may also be in a Blessed Sacrament chapel in another part of the church. The tabernacle and its surrounds are usually richly decorated, as is befitting the dwelling place of God. It is before the tabernacle where the faithful go to pray outside of Mass, to entrust their intentions to God.
In recent years, more and more parishes have introduced Eucharistic adoration, where the Blessed Sacrament is displayed for the veneration of the faithful. In some places the adoration is perpetual, throughout the day and night. Eucharistic adoration is a sign that a parish is truly alive, growing in love for God through prayer. Over the years, Eucharistic adoration, and especially perpetual adoration, has also been a seedbed of vocations in the Church.
Since the whole church is the house of God and a sacred space, it is a place where silence should prevail, so that the faithful can recollect themselves in prayer. From the time they enter the church until they leave, they should refrain from unnecessary talking, except for the prayers they say in the Mass or other ceremony. And, as in years gone by, the people should be well dressed for the worship of God. The expression “your Sunday best” came from the clothes they wore in church.
