| Sacrarium
 The sacrarium is a special sink found in the sacristy of most
Catholic churches Unlike an
ordinary sink the drain opens into a pipe that bypasses the sewer and
runs straight down into the earth. The
basin often hides beneath a hinged cover.
The sacrarium provides for the proper disposal of sacred substances.
Most notably, after Mass the vessels which held the Body and
Blood of Christ are rinsed and cleansed there.
In this way any remaining particles of communion are washed into
the earth. The sacrarium has
also been used for the disposal of other substances: old baptismal
water, leftover ashes, and last year's holy oils.
There was a time in history when the leftover consecrated wine
was poured down the sacrarium, but today the Blood of Christ is consumed
by the faithful, not discarded.
If the consecrated wine is ever spilled during the Mass, it is to be
cleaned up with care. Accidents
happen, and the instructions for Mass offer this procedure: The area
should be washed, and the water poured down the sacrarium.
The presence of the sacrarium shows our reverent care for holy things.
When materials designated for a sacred purpose have completed
their service, we honor them even in their disposal.
By returning our sacred substances to the earth beneath the
church building, we honor them, the ground over which we worship, and
the God who created them and consecrated them to nourish our faith.
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