Fr Rutledge indicated in the update video on the altar that there would be no tester, reredos, or ciborium for the high altar.

As I have said, what is even more remarkable is that most new, large-scale Novus Ordo churches being built today in a classical style include a tester, reredos, or ciborium for their altar, and in this way, even "conservative" NO churches are more traditional from the standpoint of ecclesiastical architecture than the now-mother church of the SSPX.

The arguments elsewhere surrounding this issue have also intrigued me. We are not dealing with emergency circuмstances—having Mass offered in a hotel, warehouse, or home. We are not talking about the many sacrifices of priests and laity to preserve Tradition. We are discussing a $45+ million, multi-year project that involved the full, global coordination, vetting, and approval of the SSPX up to the highest levels of decision making, and for a church that supposedly had every inch of its design discussed and finalized. If this will be a model church, which it has been presented as, then what precisely is it modelling? In what ways does it conform to the Roman tradition, but more importantly, how does it deviate from it? Look at all the PR that self-appointed spokesmen for the SSPX are making on behalf of the altar. "You are ignorant of tradition. We have bigger issues to be concerned about. How much did you donate? Don't go to Mass here at all if you don't like it. De gustibus...". Etc. Stop making a big deal, they all say, of your personal pet peeves.

The altar resembles a NO table, and many laity intuitively recognize it even if they can't articulate why. But they are all being shut down as naysayers and by unhinged emotional histrionics if you take a brief look on social media or even in personal conversations.

And so the frog continues to approach a boil...

The photo you posted here is a N.O. table. The actually altar is wayyyyy back there if you look at the post below.

Fr Rutledge indicated in the update video on the altar that there would be no tester, reredos, or ciborium for the high altar.

As I have said, what is even more remarkable is that most new, large-scale Novus Ordo churches being built today in a classical style include a tester, reredos, or ciborium for their altar, and in this way, even "conservative" NO churches are more traditional from the standpoint of ecclesiastical architecture than the now-mother church of the SSPX.

The arguments elsewhere surrounding this issue have also intrigued me. We are not dealing with emergency circuмstances—having Mass offered in a hotel, warehouse, or home. We are not talking about the many sacrifices of priests and laity to preserve Tradition. We are discussing a $45+ million, multi-year project that involved the full, global coordination, vetting, and approval of the SSPX up to the highest levels of decision making, and for a church that supposedly had every inch of its design discussed and finalized. If this will be a model church, which it has been presented as, then what precisely is it modelling? In what ways does it conform to the Roman tradition, but more importantly, how does it deviate from it? Look at all the PR that self-appointed spokesmen for the SSPX are making on behalf of the altar. "You are ignorant of tradition. We have bigger issues to be concerned about. How much did you donate? Don't go to Mass here at all if you don't like it. De gustibus...". Etc. Stop making a big deal, they all say, of your personal pet peeves.

The altar resembles a NO table, and many laity intuitively recognize it even if they can't articulate why. But they are all being shut down as naysayers and by unhinged emotional histrionics if you take a brief look on social media or even in personal conversations.

And so the frog continues to approach a boil...

Trento, I agree with what you're saying. I meant to say that it seems from all the official SSPX fanfare that the Immaculata is being presented as if it were the new "mother church". Due to the fact that it is now, by far, the largest SSPX church, it will inevitably be seen that way by laity and in any new church project moving forward. Everything will compare itself to the Immaculata as the highest ideal to be achieved.

Even the murals look N.O. with their guitars.

3 Praise him with the sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs.
5 Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia.

The Douay-Rheims Holy Bible, Translated from the Latin Vulgate (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), Ps 150:3–5.

Thank you for posting these pictures AMDGJMJ, they are interesting and instructive.