Altars from earlier times

For centuries, Catholics have carried pocket shrines, utilizing them for individual devotions and as reminders of their beliefs. These include inch-tall figures, medals, scapulars, small crucifixes, and miniature prayer cards stored in metal or wooden boxes, fabric, or folded leather. They are frequently customized with mentions of patron saints or specific devotions to Jesus, Mary, the Holy Family, or the Holy Spirit.

Troops kept them in their pockets or in carved-out cartridge casings on their belts and relied on them for solace and safety. They have been discovered on Civil War fronts, while others were commonly utilized during World War I, World War II, and various other conflicts over the last half-century. Soldiers brought them to combat zones both domestically and across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

“It provided them solace when they were uncertain about when they could enter a church,” Naja noted. “Separated from their families, they desired something to carry with them during their prayers. It served as a reminder that God is present wherever we find ourselves. I found that concept beautiful and wanted to create one for my family.”

The identity of those who previously possessed the pocket shrines housed at St. Emma Monastery in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, remains a mystery. Mother Mary Anne Noll, the prioress of the Benedictine nuns, theorizes that these shrines may have belonged to the founding sisters who arrived at the nearby St. Vincent Archabbey and College in Latrobe in 1931. Their efforts there aided the motherhouse, Abtei St. Walburga, located in Eichstaett, Germany.

“They would have regarded them as items of reverence,” she stated.

Numerous individuals are dedicated to their patron St. Walburga, and one possesses a small vial that likely contained the oil that seeps from her grave. Another devotion is directed towards her sibling, St. Willibald, who rose to the position of bishop.

The altars are constructed from wood and metal, with some featuring upper screws or segments of chains indicating that they might have been connected to rosaries. A few of them open similar to lockets.

“These, along with the ones carried by soldiers, were the precursors to the contemporary versions that are now found in small plastic holders, as well as the tiny coins that people are currently carrying,” Mother Mary Anne stated.

A time to grow

The one created by Naja takes the form of a cross that may be folded and secured with buttons. Within it are medals designated for each member of the family. The medal of St. Michael belongs to Noah Michael, age 8, while a St. Clare medal is for Isabelle Claire, age 5. For Pia Mary Gabrielle, who is 3, there are medals for St. Pio and the angel Gabriel. Teresa Siena, just 10 months old, is symbolized by St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

“I possess a miraculous medal for 7-year-old Evangeline Grace, as I frequently humor that Mary’s middle name was also Grace,” Naja remarked.

Naja’s medal represents St. Catherine, while her husband bears the medal of St. Dominic, which is his confirmation name upon joining the Church.

She included a Holy Family medal inherited from her father, a piece of a scapular, a Lamb of God pin, a small flame representing the Holy Spirit, and a stone relic from the cave in Italy where St. Michael was seen.

“When I embarked on this project, I never envisioned that we would find ourselves in such a predicament,” Naja stated. “I believed, ‘We’re not warriors. We’re not going anywhere without our church.’ Yet here we are with the churches shut tight. We can’t be in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. We can’t partake in communion or confession. I never could have fathomed a time like this would enter our lives. However, we trust that the Holy Spirit continues to guide us and stir our hearts even amid closed church doors. We believe that this period of separation will deepen our love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.”

Maryann Gogniat Eidemiller writes from Pennsylvania.