The Ambo is a riased platform which is used to proclaim the word of God. Pope Innocent III quoting from Isiah "Get thee up upon a high mountain, thou that bringest good tidings to Zion, lift up thy voice with strength" (xl:9). Lecturns are used to hold books. Ideally the Gospel should be carried from the altar (the East) to the people (the west), though this isnt always possibly for a variety of reasons. However the symbology of the word of God coming from the East, the direction of the rising sun remains as Jesus is the risen Son, who is the word. In many processions the Gospel is carried North, then South, then West to be read at the Ambo, in the procession never returning East as God's word once given is never broken. His covent once made, remains forever. Here we are led to the words in Matthew's Gospel found in 5: 1,2 "He went up a Mountain- and opening his mouth he taught them".
What is amazing is that all this divine symbology can go on without our being aware of it. I will never look at a Church in the same way again, but isn't that what makes gaining knowledge so exciting?
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