Christian contemplative practice has a long history of using simple altar setups to support silent prayer, lectio divina, and centering prayer. The forms vary across traditions, but the principles are coherent. This piece is for Christians and others drawing on Christian contemplative practice who want a clear approach to setting up a home altar.
The traditions involved
Christian contemplative practice today draws on several distinct streams:
- The Desert Fathers and Mothers of the fourth century, who developed the practice of constant prayer in solitude.
- The Benedictine tradition with its emphasis on lectio divina and the rhythm of the liturgical hours.
- The Carmelite mystics, including Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, whose apophatic approach favors imageless contemplation.
- The Cloud of Unknowing tradition and modern centering prayer movement (Thomas Keating and others).
- The Orthodox hesychast tradition, with the Jesus Prayer and the use of icons.
Each has its own approach to imagery, place, and form. A home altar can draw on one or several depending on your tradition.
Two basic approaches: cataphatic and apophatic
Christian altar setups divide into two broad approaches.
Cataphatic: the way of images
Uses icons, statues, the cross, candles, and other imagery to direct attention toward God through the senses. The Orthodox icon corner is the clearest expression of this approach. The altar is rich with images and the practitioner contemplates with the eyes as much as the mind.
Apophatic: the way of unknowing
Strips away images and concepts in favor of imageless attention to God as beyond all representation. The altar in this approach may be very sparse: a single candle, a simple cross, perhaps a Bible. The Carmelite and Cloud of Unknowing traditions tend in this direction.
Most home altars combine elements of both. You can have icons present without staring at them throughout prayer; you can have a sparse altar without rejecting images entirely.
Core altar elements
A Christian contemplative altar typically includes:
- A cross or crucifix. The visual heart of the altar. May be simple or elaborate depending on tradition.
- A candle. Lit during prayer. The Paschal candle tradition and the broader Christian symbolism of light make this central.
- A Bible or a breviary (book of hours). Held or open during prayer. Some practitioners keep a small lectionary or psalter on the altar.
- An icon if appropriate to your tradition. Icons of Christ, the Virgin, or a particular saint with whom you have a relationship.
- A clean cloth. The altar surface is traditionally covered with a clean linen cloth, particularly during prayer.
This is sufficient. Additional elements (holy water, blessed objects, prayer ropes, rosaries) can be added if they have a real role in your practice.
The altar table itself
A Christian contemplative altar table can be quite plain. A solid wood table without strong cultural styling works well. Oak, ash, or walnut in a restrained form. The altar's job is to support attention to God; it should not draw attention to itself as a piece of design.
Height depends on your prayer posture. Many Christian contemplative practitioners pray seated in a chair, so a sitting-height table (50 to 70 cm) is common. Others kneel or stand for prayer, which calls for different heights. Centering prayer is typically done seated in a chair with an upright posture.
Our altar tables are built in solid hardwood at our Kostopil workshop. Eugene Oliynyk has built altar pieces for practitioners across traditions, including Christian contemplatives.
Placement in the home
A Christian altar at home traditionally faces east, toward the rising sun and Jerusalem. This is not strictly required, but many practitioners maintain this orientation. The altar should be in a quiet part of the home, away from the television and from active social areas.
An icon corner in the Orthodox tradition is usually in the main room of the house, in a position visible from much of the room. This integrates prayer with daily life. A more secluded contemplative altar may be in a study, bedroom, or dedicated prayer room.
Lectio divina at the altar
Lectio divina (sacred reading) traditionally involves slow reading of a short Scripture passage, followed by meditation, prayer, and contemplation. The altar provides the structure: you sit at the altar, the Bible is open, the candle is lit.
The practice does not require elaborate preparation. Five minutes of lectio divina with one verse of the Gospels, done daily at the altar, builds a real relationship with the text and with the practice.
Centering prayer at the altar
Centering prayer typically uses a single sacred word held in silence as the practitioner returns again and again from thoughts to the word. The altar setup for centering prayer is usually quite sparse: a candle, perhaps a simple cross or icon.
The minimalism of centering prayer suits the apophatic strand of Christian contemplative practice. A busy altar can become a distraction; a simple one supports the imageless attention the practice cultivates.
The icon corner: a particular form
The Orthodox icon corner deserves separate mention. It is not exactly an altar in the Western contemplative sense; it is a corner of the home where icons are displayed and prayer happens. The icons are venerated rather than just observed; the corner includes specific elements (a vigil lamp, holy water, a Gospel book) and the prayer practice involves bows, the sign of the cross, and verbal prayer aloud or whispered.
If you are setting up an Orthodox icon corner, the form is traditional and specific. Consult resources from within the tradition rather than improvising. The corner is typically in the eastern or northeastern corner of the main room.
What to avoid
- Mixing Christian iconography with other traditions casually. If you have a serious multi-tradition practice, see our separate article on multi-tradition altars. Casual mixing can be disrespectful to both Christianity and the other tradition.
- Sentimental or kitsch religious imagery. Cheap plastic statues, mass-produced inspirational quotes on plaques, and other devotional kitsch undercut the contemplative seriousness of the altar.
- Letting the altar become a display shelf. An altar that accumulates objects without prayer happening becomes a stale exhibit. Daily use keeps it alive.
The wider Christian context
Christian contemplative practice has been recovering vigor in the last fifty years, after centuries during which it was largely confined to monastic settings. Books by Thomas Merton, Thomas Keating, Cynthia Bourgeault, Martin Laird, and others have made the practice accessible to lay Christians. A home altar supports this recovery.
Many Christian contemplatives also draw on the practice of silent sitting more broadly, learning from Buddhist meditation traditions while remaining within Christian framing. The altar can hold this complexity if it is approached with clarity. Read about our workshop. Solid wood altars built to last support the long contemplative work that Christian practice has always required.