The development of the tabernacle : after the council of Trent in Baroque churches in Malta : late 16th - 18th centuries

Abstract

This Dissertation attempts to study the development of the Tabernacle of the Blessed Sacrament, from its beginning in the desert till present day. The aim is to investigate and determine how the Tabernacle evolved and what caused it to find itself taking on such a number of different shapes and sizes over the course of time. What transpired away from Malta's of vital importance: the development which occurred away from these shores managed to determine the fate of the Tabernacle as styles are known to differ from one place to another The Study was primarily concerned with the Tabernacle in Baroque churches of the sixteenth century till the late eighteenth, due to the significant changes implemented by the Council of Trent. However it was soon established that one could not ignore the Rook Cut and Post Muslim churches. These had to be investigated, in order to attempt to discover, the typos of reservation these early churches adopted, and to see whether they followed a pattern. One must keep in mind that in order to understand the future one must remember the past. Whether the Holy Eucharist was conserved and preserved in a permanent way is not entirely clear, however at this period in time this arrangement may have been practised only on a small scale. Some elaborate Tabernacles of the Baroque Age which were the result of the Council of Trent were also investigated. Finally this research wishes to determine whether further developments are still being earned out towards the development of the Tabernacle, the most precious dwelling place of Christ and if so what would be the result of these changes. Possibly the answer may not be clear at this time and the result may go both ways, either for the better or for the worse both in aesthetic and religious terms.