bishops. The supports or base, however, can be made of any material. §2. A movable altar can be constructed of any solid material suitable for liturgical use. With regard to relics of saints, it says: Canon 1237 §2. The ancient tradition of placing relics of martyrs or other saints under a fixed altar is to be preserved, according to the norms given in the liturgical books. The norms in The Order of Dedication of a Church and an Altar are: The tradition of the Roman Liturgy of placing relics of Martyrs or of other Saints under the altar is fittingly to be retained. Nevertheless, the following should be noted: a) Relics for deposition should be of such a size that they can be recognized as parts of human bodies. Hence, enclosing excessively small relics of one or several Saints is to be avoided. b) The greatest care must be taken to determine whether relics intended for deposition are authentic. It is better for an altar to be dedicated without relics than to have relics of doubtful authenticity deposited under it. c) A reliquary must not be placed on the altar or in the table of the altar but under the table of the altar, in a manner suitable to the design of the altar. The Order of Dedication of a Church and an Altar also states: [I]t is not permissible to place the relics of Saints in the base of a movable altar. See also Altar Stone (Stonehenge) Antimension Tabot Thabilitho Notes References External links Catholic liturgy Eucharistic objects Christian religious objects Altars