A special dedication at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - The historical St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Apalachicola shared a historical moment Sunday.

After they raised enough donations, the church members christened a new alter. We are told something like this hasn’t happened at this church in 30 years.

Bishop William Wack says this is a special moment for the church and the alter precious to their practice.

“Before we use its important to dedicate consecrate it,” said Bishop Wack. “Everything we do in church and especially o the alter we’ve done to ourselves.”

Bishop Wack says getting an alter ready for mass is an important process. He says using different tools like a white cloth and incense, the alter is then prepared.

“There is a couple of things we do, we invoke the saints, we ask the saints to pray with us because we believe they are aa part of the church as well,” said Wack. “Then there is a long prayer a consecratory prayer over the alter. And then probably the most dramatic part is when we anoint it with the sacred chrisism. The same oil that we use for baptism of babies or adults and confirmation but the bishops it says should smear it on every inch of the alter. Then finally we put the candles around the later and its ready for mass.”

Some of the church members say this is the first and possibly the only time in their lives they get the opportunity to watch this ritual.

“It was very moving very touching um just wow,” said Tina Giovingo, a church member. “It was such a gift for us to hear this today it was beautiful it was what we needed.”

This is a new chapter for this historical place of worship.