Syndicat d'Initiative
de Cerfontaine
de Cerfontaine
End of the 19th century.
M. Hoeken and G. Jansen from Sint-Truiden (the sculptors of most of the church's furniture.)
Their names are engraved on the furniture.
In oak wood.
This oak wood pulpit, currently not in use, is decorated with beautiful wooden sculptures.
These sculptures depict the blessing Christ, surrounded by the 4 Gospels carrying a banderole with an inscription in Latin, translated below (from right to left.)
The pulpit is a religious piece of furniture in which the priest gives the mass. It is placed in an elevated position so that he can be seen and heard clearly by his parishioners, while having an authoritative position towards his assistance.
Pulpits are usually found in churches, in the middle of the nave, along a wall or pillar so they can be securely attached, but there are also rare cases of pulpits built outside.
Pulpits have a straight or spiral staircase, a tub where the priest stands, a canopy serving as a roof, and some can be placed on a pedestal.
In early Christianity, the priest stood behind a lectern to give the mass, but from the 16th century onwards, pulpits in churches were placed in an elevated position.
Since the reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council in 1965, the use of pulpits is no longer mandatory, as the Eucharistic celebrations are held in a more informal manner, without imposing an authority figure.
Furthermore, with the technology of amplifiers and microphones, the priest no longer needs to stand on a pedestal to be heard.
Finally, a third reason to keep pulpits as beautiful pieces of furniture is the desire to protect these often very old pieces of furniture from wear and tear and destruction.