Two-tiered altar with gilded carvings for the niche in the altar

“Gold on the carving of the altar sacrificial table like the reflection of candles burning here during each Liturgy”

The sacrificial table, or proscomidia table, stands in the altar, where the priest performs the proscomidia: the preparation of bread and wine for the Divine Liturgy. This sacrificial table is a special variant for altars with a niche in the wall: the back part of the product is made in the form of a pedestal that fits into the niche. The product is handmade from alder and, unlike the basic model, is decorated with gilding: the twisted columns, openwork carvings, friezes, and the crest under the cross are gilded. The brown body makes the golden details particularly expressive.

Product Description

The sacrificial table has two tiers. The lower tier forms the base with a working countertop for the proscomidia. Its facade is filled with an openwork carved panel with acanthus ornamentation and a rosette with a cross in the center, gilded against the background of the brown body. Above the countertop is the upper tier: a cabinet with two openwork doors, in the center of which is highlighted a gilded medallion with a cross. Behind the doors opens a spacious interior for storing liturgical items.

Both tiers are framed with gilded twisted columns with capitals and rosettes on the pedestals, and gilded carved friezes run under the countertop and above the cabinet. The composition is completed by a tall superstructure with lush acanthus ornamentation, crowned with an eight-pointed cross. Since the product is built into a niche, the dimensions of the pedestal and the entire structure are coordinated to the specific room.

Who it suits and who it doesn't

Technical Specifications

Advantages of the Material

• Lightness of the high construction. Alder is lighter than oak, so the two-tiered sacrificial table with a superstructure is easier to deliver, lift, and install in the niche.
• Purity of the openwork. Uniform wood allows for cutting thin acanthus curls of the doors, panels, and crest without chipping.
• Good base for gilding. The even dense surface of the alder after priming holds the gilding well on the complex relief.
• Stability of shape. Properly dried alder is less prone to deformation, so the cabinet doors close tightly over time.

Workshop Traditions

The sacrificial table is made by the masters of the creative workshop of sacred products PIVTORAK & COMPANY in the city of Kosiv, Ivano-Frankivsk region. The arrangement of the sacrificial table in the niche of the altar wall has a long tradition in church architecture, and the workshop creates such products for the specific space of each church. The carving, from the twisted columns to the cross on the crest, is done by hand, and the gilding is applied in such a way as to emphasize the relief without hiding the beauty of the wood.

Care

• Before installation, ensure that the walls of the niche are dry, as moisture from the masonry harms the wood and gilding
• Maintain stable humidity in the altar without sharp temperature fluctuations so that the doors open freely
• Keep the product away from heating appliances and direct sunlight
• Clean gilded elements only with a dry soft cloth or soft brush, without water and cleaning agents
• Wipe brown surfaces with a dry or slightly damp cloth and immediately dry them
• Do not use abrasives, solvents, or aggressive household chemicals

“The best place for an item is what is created specifically for it”

📞 +380678018040
✉️ ivanvakh@gmail.com

The colors and shades of the wood and gilding in the photographs may differ slightly from the actual ones due to lighting conditions during shooting and the settings of your device's screen.