Tabernacle
Definition
A small box or tabernacle made of precious metal (silver or gold), permanently placed upon the Holy Table inside the altar, in which the Holy Communion (consecrated bread and wine) reserved for the sick or emergencies is kept; a liturgical tabernacle. In Orthodox church architecture and ritual, this object possesses maximum sacred value.
Bilingual Equivalents
- Tabernacle
- Pyx
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Neuter noun, with regular plural variations for liturgical or ceremonial objects. |
| Formation | Ecclesiastical neologistic borrowing from ancient/liturgical Greek 'artophorion', composed of 'artos' (bread) and 'phorein' (to bear). |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [ar.to.ˈfor] |
| Source | Lexicon of Ecclesiastical Artifacts, Eastern Orthodox Liturgies, and Canonical Rites |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: Preotul a deschis cu mare grijă acest artofor argintat pentru a lua părticelele destinate împărtășirii bolnavului.
EN: The priest carefully opened this silvered tabernacle to take the portions intended for communing the sick patient.
RO: Fiecare artofor așezat pe Sfânta Masă are adesea forma unei mici biserici în miniatură, împodobită cu filigran.
EN: Every tabernacle placed upon the Holy Table often has the shape of a miniature church, adorned with filigree.
RO: În timpul sfințirii bisericii, episcopul a binecuvântat noul artofor destinat păstrării sfintele taine.
EN: During the consecration of the church, the bishop blessed the new tabernacle intended for keeping the holy sacraments.
Idioms & Phrases
Artofor de argint / Silver tabernacle / silver pyx
RO: Caseta de cult prelucrată manual din metal prețios, folosită pentru protejarea sfintelor daruri împotriva degradării.
EN: The cult box handcrafted from precious metal, used to protect the holy gifts against environmental degradation.
Sfințirea unui artofor / Consecration of a tabernacle
RO: Ritual special oficiat de arhiereu prin care chivotul este uns cu Sfântul Mir și dedicat exclusiv utilizării la altar.
EN: A special ritual performed by the bishop whereby the tabernacle is anointed with Holy Chrism and dedicated exclusively to altar use.
Artofor de călătorie / Pocket pyx / viaticum tabernacle
RO: Cutie liturgică de dimensiuni foarte mici pe care preotul o poartă asupra sa atunci când merge să împărtășească credincioșii la casele lor.
EN: A very small liturgical box that the priest carries with him when going to commune the faithful at their homes.
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