Altar vs. Tabernacle — What's the Difference?

The focal point in many religious ceremonies.

A portable sanctuary in the Hebrew Bible.

Symbolizes a meeting place between humans and the divine.

In Catholicism, a receptacle for the Eucharist.

A sacred table or platform for religious sacrifices.

A sacred chest or box in religious contexts.

Used for offerings to deities in various cultures.

Houses the Ark of the Covenant or Eucharist.

A place for prayer and reflection.

Symbolizes God’s dwelling among His people.

An altar is a structure with an upper surface for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches and other places of worship.

According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tabernacle (Hebrew: מִשְׁכַּן‎, mishkān, meaning "residence" or "dwelling place"), also known as the Tent of the Congregation (אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵד֩ ’ōhel mō‘êḏ, also Tent of Meeting, etc.), was the portable earthly dwelling place of Yahweh (the God of Israel) used by the Israelites from the Exodus until the conquest of Canaan. Moses was instructed at Mount Sinai to construct and transport the tabernacle with the Israelites on their journey through the wilderness and their subsequent conquest of the Promised Land.

An elevated place or structure before which religious ceremonies may be enacted or upon which sacrifices may be offered.

Often Tabernacle(Bible) The portable sanctuary in which the Jews housed the Ark of the Covenant during their years in the desert.

A structure, typically a table, before which the divine offices are recited and upon which the Eucharist is celebrated in Christian churches.

Often Tabernacle A case or box on a church altar containing the consecrated host and wine of the Eucharist.

A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.

A place of worship.

(informal) A raised area around an altar in a church; the sanctuary.

A niche for a statue or relic.

(figurative) Any (real or notional) place where something is worshipped or sacrificed to.

(Nautical) A boxlike support in which the heel of a mast is stepped.

A raised structure (as a square or oblong erection of stone or wood) on which sacrifices are offered or incense burned to a deity.

Any temporary dwelling; a hut, tent, or booth.

In the Christian church, a construction of stone, wood, or other material for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist; the communion table.

(Bible) The portable tent used before the construction of the temple, where the shekinah (presence of God) was believed to dwell.

The table in Christian churches where communion is given

(by extension) The Jewish Temple at Jerusalem (as continuing the functions of the earlier tabernacle).

A raised structure on which gifts or sacrifices to a god are made

Any portable shrine used in heathen or idolatrous worship.

A sukkah, the booth or 'tabernacle' used during the Jewish Feast of Sukkot.

(Roman Catholicism) A small ornamented cupboard or box used for the reserved sacrament of the Eucharist, normally located in an especially prominent place in a church.

A temporary place of worship, especially a tent, for a tent meeting, as with a venue for revival meetings.

(by extension) Any house of worship, especially a Mormon church.

(figuratively) Any abode or dwelling place, or especially the human body as the temporary dwelling place of the soul, or life.

(nautical) A hinged device allowing for the easy folding of a mast 90 degrees from perpendicular, as for transporting the boat on a trailer, or passing under a bridge.

(intransitive) To dwell; to abide for a time.

A slightly built or temporary habitation; especially, a tent.

A portable structure of wooden framework covered with curtains, which was carried through the wilderness in the Israelitish exodus, as a place of sacrifice and worship.

Hence, the Jewish temple; sometimes, any other place for worship.

Figuratively: The human body, as the temporary abode of the soul.

Any small cell, or like place, in which some holy or precious things was deposited or kept.

The ornamental receptacle for the pyx, or for the consecrated elements, whether a part of a building or movable.

A boxlike step for a mast with the after side open, so that the mast can be lowered to pass under bridges, etc.

A niche for the image of a saint, or for any sacred painting or sculpture.

Hence, a work of art of sacred subject, having a partially architectural character, as a solid frame resting on a bracket, or the like.

A tryptich for sacred imagery.

A seat or stall in a choir, with its canopy.

To dwell or reside for a time; to be temporary housed.

The Mormon temple

(Judaism) a portable sanctuary in which the Jews carried the Ark of the Covenant on their exodus

(Judaism) the place of worship for a Jewish congregation

A tabernacle is a dwelling place for the divine, originally a portable sanctuary in Judaism, now also used to house the Eucharist in Christianity.

Altars are found in many religions worldwide, but tabernacles are specific to Judaism and Christianity.

An altar is a sacred structure used for sacrifices, offerings, and worship in various religious traditions.

No, the altar is used for the celebration of the Eucharist and other sacraments, while the tabernacle stores the consecrated Eucharist and symbolizes God's presence.

Originally, tabernacles were portable in the context of the Hebrew Bible, but in modern churches, they are usually fixed.

Altars are used for making offerings and conducting sacrifices, while tabernacles house something sacred and represent God's presence.

Altars serve as a focal point for worship, connecting the earthly realm with the divine through rituals and offerings.

The design, use, and significance of altars can vary widely across different religious traditions and cultures.

In Christianity, the presence of the consecrated Eucharist within the tabernacle signifies God’s presence.

In weddings, especially Christian ones, the altar serves as a sacred space where couples exchange vows in the presence of God.

Access to the altar and tabernacle is usually restricted to clergy and authorized persons during religious services.

The placement symbolizes the sanctity of the Eucharist and its central role in Christian worship.

Altars can be made of stone, wood, or other materials, while tabernacles are often made of wood or metal and may be adorned with precious materials.