Sanctuary
The heart of the church, where Mass is offered three times a day. The altar was given in 1878 by Lord Bute, who donated the then very large sum of £1000 for the purpose. In 1966 it was moved forward and shortened somewhat, but it remains an impressive block of black veined marble. Behind the altar is the tabernacle, which is also part of the original furnishing of the church and once stood on the High Altar. Around the tabernacle is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the church, the reredos, crowded with statues of saints and angels, and reminding us of the unity of the Church on earth with the Church in heaven. The fine crucifix dates from the early days of the church; it is now sited in the throne where the monstrance used to be placed for Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The marble and alabaster altar rails are another surviving original feature. The stonework and paintwork on the sanctuary were restored in 2008 as part of the "Reaffirmation and Renewal" Campaign.
Photo by Br Lawrence Lew, OP.