altar stonen.
/ˈɔːltə stəʊn/, /ˈɒltə stəʊn/, U.S. /ˈɔltər ˌstoʊn/, /ˈɑltər ˌstoʊn/ 1. A stone forming part of or constituting an altar; esp. the slab forming the flat top or table of an altar.
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society > faith > artefacts > division of building (general) > altar > parts of altar > [noun] > top
altar stonec1350
altar slab1787
mensa1848
c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham Poems (1902) 128 (MED) Þou hest ygladed symeon Wyþ þyne swete offrynge In þe temple atte auter ston.
a1450 (?a1300) Richard Coer de Lyon (Caius) (1810) l. 41 At Cantyrbury at the awter-ston, Wher many myraclys are i-don.
1566 in E. Peacock Eng. Church Furnit. (1866) 37 The aulter stones—Broken in peces by the aboue named church wardens.
1665 J. Webb Vindic. Stone-Heng Restored 16 In like manner, this Doctor fomenteth, saying; The one stumbles upon an Alter-stone..over which the other leaped clearly.
1815 W. Scott Lord of Isles ii. xxiv. 68 Murder done Even on the sacred altar-stone!
1870 W. C. Bryant tr. Homer Iliad I. ii. 50 A frightful serpent From beneath the altar-stone Came swiftly gliding.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. 556 Two shafts of light fall on the smokepalled altarstone.
2001 B. Greensfelder et al. Belize, Guatemala & Yucatán (ed. 4) 28/1 Round ‘altar-stones’ set in the plaza in front of the pyramids.
2. spec. In the Roman Catholic Church: a consecrated portable slab of marble or stone, typically containing a relic, which may be placed on or inserted into a larger altar or table, or can be used by a priest when Mass is said somewhere other than a church. Cf. superaltar n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > artefacts > division of building (general) > altar > [noun] > portable
altar stone1440
itinerary1631
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 20 Awterstone: Superaltare.
a1500 (?a1390) J. Mirk Serm. Parish Priests (Harl.) in Speculum (1936) 11 227 The allterston betokyns Cristis body.
1583 J. Foxe Actes & Monuments (ed. 4) I. 1178 To carry about with them an aultar stone whereby they might haue a Priest to say them Masse, or other diuine seruice, where they would.
1696 M. Geddes Church-Hist. Ethiopia 328 They have also taken Money for Holy Orders and having Consecrated Salt Stones for Altar Stones, have afterwards sold them.
1718 J. Wright tr. W. Dugdale Monasticon Anglicanum III. 284/2 Two Altar Stones of red Marble, adorned with Silver, one of which stands on Four Silver Feet, and the other without Feet.
1844 A. W. Pugin Gloss. Eccl. Ornament 53 A waxed cloth fixed over a consecrated altar-stone to protect it from desecration.
1879 H. Foley Rec. Eng. Prov. S.J. IV. 34 An altar-stone is said to have been found concealed in one of the angle turrets [of the house].
1897 Catholic Dict. (ed. 5) 238/1 The consecration endures till the altar-stone is broken or the seal of relics broken.
1917 J. F. Sullivan Externals Catholic Church iv. xviii. 109 A missionary priest must carry this altar-stone with him when one is not kept in the place wherein Mass is to be said.
1961 L. Eisenhofer & J. Lechner Liturgy Rom. Rite v. i. 120 The sidepieces (latera, columellae) supporting the altar-stone, must be made of natural stone.
2008 J. R. Dichtl Frontiers of Faith iv. 93 A priest carrying a portable altar stone was the moveable church, visiting distant communities of Catholics a few times a year.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2012; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.c1350