News Update: glimpsing the new Tabernacle
Dear Friends and Benefactors,
It has been a long time since we have sent you news from the Immaculata. After all of the hard work on the part of many to finish the project on time and prepare for the consecration, along with summer absences, a much-needed break was taken in our work and communications. Moving forward, we will continue to keep you informed about any major updates on the Immaculata so that you can continue to be a part of this work which you so generously supported and took an interest in.
Also, we still fully intend to live-stream Sunday Masses from the Immaculata for your benefit. Our video system for doing so is nearing completion and we will announce those live-streams as soon as we can.
For now, please see the update on our main altar tabernacle which was just installed a few days ago. It is a true house of gold and House of God.
Our ambries were also installed, one in the sanctuary and one in the baptistery, which are the sacred housings for the holy oils used in so many of the sacraments. After the Blessed Sacrament, the holy oils are the most precious and sacred objects stored in a church and deserve to be given prominent but protected places.
— Fr. Patrick Rutledge
News Update ….
The Tabernacle for the Immaculata’s main altar was finally installed on October 23rd.
This task was one of the biggest efforts taken on by our St. Luke’s Artisan Guild. Spanning ten months, the project involved the collaboration of over thirty different people, including four of our parish companies: Holston Creek Welding, Andax, Perry Electric, and especially K.G. Moats and Sons. The tabernacle is housed in over 1,000 pounds of solid marble on top of the altar. The creation process started with the door of the tabernacle being designed and carved in clay to be scanned into a digital file for casting in brass and gold plated. This beautiful entryway shows Our Lady seated in majesty and flanked by patron saints as she points above herself to the Lamb of God, whose dwelling place she was. Below her are the words “Ianua Coeli” – Door of Heaven - the most apt of her titles here on the door of the tabernacle. The door is opened by a high-security key decorated with a chain of gold and lapis lazuli beads to match the altar, and fitted with a bronze carving of the Immaculate Heart pierced by the seven swords of her sorrows. The heavy, brass and gold door opens effortlessly with the movement of the key, by means of an extremely well-engineered system of gears and supports. Inside, the tabernacle is lined with burnished gold panels, laser etched with the words “Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth” – Holy holy holy, Lord God of Hosts, along with the church’s Immaculata Marian monogram, all trimmed with watered silk and precious gemstones. The Blessed Sacrament rests on a 20” plate that rotates for accessibility; it can hold six large ciboria for our biggest ceremonies.
We are very grateful to everyone who helped with the project, a work that will remain almost entirely hidden to all except our Blessed Lord in the tabernacle. It was a long process that took much perseverance, but it of course was worth every bit, for it was just like the work needed in each of our souls, to become and remain a fitting dwelling place for our Lord.
