empty. The modern Copts do not put their relics under the altar, but keep them sewn up in what look like bolsters about the church, mostly under the pictures of the saints. The altar has a sunk space on its table into which a wooden board is let. This board is consecrated separately; it corresponds to the Byzantine antimension, and is in fact a portable altar.[1] In case of necessity it may be used on a common table for the holy liturgy. At least over the high altar there is always a ciborium — a cupola of wood on four columns. The altar is consecrated with chrism in an elaborate rite. It is covered all over with a cloth of silk or cotton, dyed any colour and brocaded or embroidered. At least during the liturgy there must be a second cloth over this. On the altar stand two candles only, though others may stand around, and lamps often hang from the ciborium. No cross stands on the altar; but a small hand cross, used for blessing, lies on it, with the gospel-book and vessels used in the liturgy. In the haikal stands a reading-desk, and by it a large candlestick, from which the thurible sometimes hangs. The desk is often a very beautiful specimen of wood-carving and inlaid mother-of-pearl.[2] It has a cupboard underneath, in which the books are kept. The baptistery with the font (a large basin not unlike ours) forms a side-chapel, which may be placed almost anywhere, leading out from the body of the church. In the church hang crowns, which support many candles and a number of lamps. As in most Eastern churches, a common ornament is real or artificial ostrich eggs hanging from the roof. Strange as they seem to us, these eggs form a very decorative feature. Often other churches open out from the main church, each having its complete arrangement of choir, haikal and three altars. So a large Coptic church is often a labyrinth of strange, dark chambers. The Copts once had church bells; some belfries and even a few bells still remain. But the Moslem law forbade their use; so for many centuries they have used a Semantron (a wooden board or metal plate struck
- ↑ So the Coptic altar is the exact reverse of our wooden altare portatile. This is a wooden frame supporting an altar-stone; they have a stone frame supporting a wooden board.
- ↑ In Mr. Butler's book (op. cit. ii. 66-67) may be seen illustrations of the reading-desk and candlestick in the Patriarchal church (itself a dull modern building) at Cairo.
