What is the Aumbry?

“Everliving God, who strengthened your apostle Thomas with firm and certain faith in your Son's resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in your sight; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.”

Collect for the Feast Day of St. Thomas The Apostle, Book of Common Prayer 237

The Collect for the feast day of St. Thomas reminds us to be without doubt and believe in Jesus Christ. For some, going through a difficult time may be easier said than done. Wouldn’t it be helpful to have that constant reminder that God is with us? Well, in one way we do, through the Aumbry and Sanctuary candle.

Have you ever noticed the cabinet hanging on the wall in the west-side Chapel, to the right side of the Altar and wondered what it is? The cabinet is called an Aumbry. It is a beautiful piece made from quarter-sawn Appalachian white oak, that has been hand-chiseled by Amish and Mennonite woodcarvers from Pennsylvania ^[1]. Included in the beautiful wood carving of the cabinet is a cross, a trefoil, or a design of three rounded lobes like a clover leaf that signifies the Christian Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and is adorned with four “crockets.” A crocket is an ornament usually in the form of curved and bent foliage used on the edge of a gable or spire^[2].

The Aumbry holds the reserved consecrated or “blessed” wafers, wine, oil stock rings with Chrism or Healing Oil that are readily available in the event a member of the Clergy is asked to perform communion at a home or hospital. The reserved elements remind us of God’s presence.

Above the Aumbry is the Sanctuary Candle or Lamp. It is lit and kept burning with oil or beeswax whenever there are any blessed items in the Aumbry to signify God’s presence in the building^[3]. You may notice on Good Friday that the Aumbry has been emptied and the Sanctuary Candle extinguished.

The next time you are in Church and you are looking for reassurance, look to the right of the Altar. You’ll see the hand-carved Aumbry that holds the reserved sacrament and the Sanctuary Candle, both constant reminders that God is ever present in our daily lives and never leaves us.

[1] Lee Adcock Hunnell, "Reaching up to God The Story of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church" (Library of Congress #2006905846) page 45

[2] Merriam-Webster https://www.meriam-webster.com.

[3] Paticia S. Klein, "Worship Without Words-The Signs and Symbols of our Faith" (Brewster, Massachusetts: Paraclete Press, 2000) pages 19-20