A sanctuary lamp, altar lamp, or eternal flame is a light that shines before the altar of sanctuaries in many denominations of Jewish and Christian places of worship. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth ^[1] Prescribed in Exodus 27:20-22 of the Hebrew Bible, this icon has taken on different meanings in each of the religions that have adopted it. Exodus ( Greek: έξοδος eksodos = "departure" is the second book of the Jewish Torah and of the Christian Old Testament. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic The passage, which refers to prescriptions for the Temple in Jerusalem, states:

In Jewish tradition

A ner tamid hanging over the ark in a synagogue

Contemporary blown glass and bronze ner tamid (eternal flame) by artist David Ascalon

In Judaism, the sanctuary lamp is known by its Hebrew name, ner tamid (נר תמיד), which is usually translated as "eternal flame" or "eternal light. V02p111001 Aronjpg|thumb|150px| Modena, Italy ( 1505)]]V02p109001 Aron A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of David Ascalon is a contemporary sculptor and Stained glass artist and co-founder of Ascalon Studios. " Hanging or standing in front of the ark in every Jewish synagogue, it is meant to represent the menorah of the Temple in Jerusalem as well as the continuously burning fire on the altar of burnt offerings in front of the Temple. V02p111001 Aronjpg|thumb|150px| Modena, Italy ( 1505)]]V02p109001 Aron A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Pekiin tabletjpg|thumb|right|151px| Second Temple period stone tablet from a Synagogue in Peki'in, Israel. Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name An altar is any structure upon which Sacrifices or other offerings are made for religious purposes or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place ^[2] It also symbolizes God's eternal presence, and is therefore never extinguished. They are also intended to draw parallels between God and fire, or light, which is emphasized throughout the book of Exodus in the Torah. term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to

In a Reform-Jewish congregation, it is often used to symbolize the light released from the shards of the receptacles that God used to create light and goodness. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently subjected to vandalism and the insertion of personal opinions

These lights are never allowed to dim or go out, and in the case of electric problems, often alternate emergency energy sources are used to prevent it from diminishing.

Though once fueled by oil, most today are electric lights. The ner tamid at Temple Sinai in Worcester, MA is solar powered, symbolizing that synagogue's commitment to reducing dependencies on non-renewable resources.

In Christian tradition

A sanctuary lamp in a Roman Catholic Church

Christian churches often have at least one lamp continually burning before the tabernacle, not only as an ornament of the altar, but for the purpose of worship. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal in the Catholic Church, for instance, states (in 316): "In accordance with traditional custom, near the tabernacle a special lamp, fueled by oil or wax, should be kept alight to indicate and honour the presence of Christ. The Roman Missal ((Missale Romanum is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite " The sanctuary lamp is placed before the tabernacle or aumbry in Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Anglican churches as a sign that the Blessed Sacrament is reserved or stored. A Tabernacle is the fixed locked box in which in some Christian churches the Eucharist is "reserved" (stored In medieval times an aumbry was a cabinet in the wall of a Christian church or in the Sacristy which was used to store chalices and other vessels and which was used also for The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Old Catholic and Anglican In Christian practice during the Liturgy of the Eucharist the elements of Bread and Wine become the Body and Blood It is also used in Lutheran churches to represent the presence of God. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther The sanctuary lamp may also be seen in Eastern Orthodox Churches. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Other Christian denominations burn the lamp to show that the light of Christ always burns in a sin-darkened world. List of Christian denominations (or Denominations self-identified as Christian) ordered by historical and doctrinal relationships Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed "

Such sanctuary or tabernacle lamps are often coloured red, though this is not prescribed by law. This serves to distinguish this light from other votive lights within the church. A votive candle is a small typically white or beeswax yellow Candle, originally intended to be burnt as a Votive offering in a religious Ceremony In the Catholic Church, though red is often used, a white lamp is considered by most liturgists to be more appropriate. The use of multiple lights, always in uneven numbers, i. e. three, five, seven, or more, in place of a single lamp has now become rarer, though it is still seen in some older Catholic churches and in eastern Christian churches. The lamp may be suspended by a rope or chain over the tabernacle or near the entry of the sanctuary, or it may be affixed to a wall; it is also sometimes placed on a ledge beside the tabernacle or on an individual stand placed on the floor, as seen in the image of St Martin's church, Kortrijk, Belgium in the article Church tabernacle. A Tabernacle is the fixed locked box in which in some Christian churches the Eucharist is "reserved" (stored Oil lamps or candles may be used.

Secular references to the Sanctuary lamp

In the United States, the Boy Scout Jewish religious emblem, a medal earned by scouts for meeting certain requirements of religious activity and education, is called the Ner Tamid. ^[3]

There is a song by Matisyahu called "Aish Tamid" (or eternal flame) that appears on his albums Shake off the Dust... Arise (2004) and Live at Stubb's (2005). Matisyahu (born Matthew Paul Miller, June 30 1979) is an American Reggae musician Shake Off the Dust Arise is Matisyahu's debut album and was released October 28 2004 by JDub Records. Live at Stubb's is a live Album by Matisyahu. It was recorded live at Stubb's in Austin Texas on February 19, 2005

References

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia "Altar Lamp"