tabernaculum
Tabernacle
The locked, often ornate box in a church where the consecrated hosts are reserved, marked by a lamp that burns whenever the Blessed Sacrament is inside.
a tent
The tent in which God dwelt among Israel in the desert was called the tabernacle. The Church gives the same name to the place where the Eucharist is reserved after Mass, so that Christ can be brought to the sick and adored outside of Mass. A sanctuary lamp burns beside it whenever the Blessed Sacrament is present, and the faithful genuflect toward it when passing before it. The Catechism directs that it be placed in a most worthy place with the greatest honour.
Councils
Where the Church settled or debated this. Follow a council to read our article on it, or the decrees themselves.
- 1545–1563Council of Trentthe decrees
Sources checked 29 September 2026