A MAGNIFICENT ALTAR.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 150, 25 June 1904, Page 13

A MAGNIFICENT ALTAR.

Interesting details about the building of tho Roman Catholic Cathedral at Westminster are given in the London Magazino. Tho enormous rood, or crucitix, hangs from Iho arch dividing tho sanctuary from tho nave. It is no l«--s than 30ft in* height. It is of Byzantino form, and upon it is painted a colowul figure of Christ, while- on tho reverse side- appears a figuro of Our Lady. To allow for tho foreshortening, which is inevitable, from tho groat height at which the roof is suspended, tho iigures had to be painted out of proportion; so that, as viewed ftom tho nave, they appear perfectly natural. The high altar consists of one. solid block of grey granite, from Cornwall, weighing twelvo tons. It is €2ft long and 4ft. wide, and has been left unpolished. Three weeks wore taken to convey jt up tho church to its present position. Tho Archiepiscopal throne was presented by tho bishops of England. It is an exact copy, on a smaller scale, of the Popo'fl throne in tho church of St. John Laleran, at Rome, and is composed of pure white marble, inlaid with onyx and mosaix, and adorned with heraldic bearing*.