„We will anoint this altar and with that we will mark that God picks up a center in this beautiful, ancient parish church of st. Blaise so that eucharist can be regularly celebrated on it. We are also anointed to be an altar for God, so that we can, as brothers and sisters, offer with our lives spiritual sacrifice that's pleasant to God“, said His Eminence Josip Cardinal Bozanić, archbishop of Zagreb, in his mass celebration on February 1, when he dedicated the new altar and ambo in newly renovated parish church of st. Blaise in Zagreb.
The celebration has gathered many st. Blaise parishioners, and also the artists who participated in forming the liturgical space. With His Eminence Josip Cardinal Bozanić, there were ten other priests in concelebration, among which was also the dean and local priest msgr. Zvonimir Sekelj. In his greeting, msgr. Sekelj emphasized the significance of that day and altar anointing in which the culture of spirit was built in througt the idea of architect Viktor Kovačić and realization of architecht Željko Kovačić.
The ceremony of the altar anointing after the Ministry of the Word began with singing the Litany of saints and was continued with depositing the relics of blessed Alojzije Stepinac into the altar. Then His Eminence Cardinal Bozanić anointed the altar with chrism and incensed it. With the words of the prayer of dedication, the stone altar became the center of the community gathering and the omen of Christ, a place of intimate communion and peace, a well of church unity and brotherhood. The parishioners then covered and prepared the altar on which, for the first time, celebration of the eucharist was continued.
Reflecting on the Sunday readings and reasoning the rite of the dedication of the altar, His Eminence Cardinal Bozanić said that the altar must have the central position in the church. We gather around it, we come to it and we begin from it, fed to live like Christians. We wouldn't be Christians, and we wouldn't be Christ's if there was no altar; by the altar we become what we are, said His Eminence expressing the joy for having an opportunity to anoint the altar in the year when the parish of st. Blaise marks a hundred years of it's existance.
Newly anointed altar is a part of comprehensive work of renovation of the altar space in st. Blasie parish which started in June 2014. considering that inside of the church was never finished.
Ivan Tašev
Photos: Jure and Vlado Badrov
