This is a small table of wood, marble or other suitable material placed within the sanctuary of a church at the side of the altar. It is covered with a linen cloth. It is used for holding the box containing the unconsecrated wafers, the cruets, the towel to wipe the priest's hands and the finger bowl, (lavabo), also the offertory plate to receive the alms. The word cruet, is derived from the French word, meaning little jug. There is a pair of these vessels usually in glass sometimes with a lip of precious metal. These vessels contain the wine and water.

The Chalice - this is derived from the Latin word Calix meaning cup. It was the vessel used by Jesus for the wine at the institution of the Eucharist and it was supposed to have been an ordinary two-handled cup of the period. Nothing is sure about the vessel used by Christ at the Last Supper, but between the 6th and 7th centuries pilgrims were led to believe that the actual chalice was still in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with the sponge, which was given to Our Saviour on Calvary. The chalice was thought to be made of onyx, later other vessels were venerated as the Chalice used at the Last Supper. One was thought to be hollowed out from an enormous green emerald making a shallow dish.

Early Christian tombstones of the 6th century showed the definite form of chalices. The Gourdon Chalice is housed at the Biblioth�que Nationale Paris and this is 2 handled. There are a further 2 glass vases in the Slade collection at the British Museum, these three items can be dated to about the 6th Century.

At one point two chalices were used, a small one for the celebrant on the altar for consecration and a ministerial one used for the congregation. This had two handles for safety's sake for carrying the Communion wine. At this time a small amount of the consecrated wine from the small chalice was poured from the celebrant's chalice into the ministerial cup. The communicants received the wine through a gold or silver tube or reed - this was called a fistula, pipa or calamis. In 1295 calami were mentioned in the church inventory of St. Paul's Cathedral. The people received the communion standing not kneeling. From the 12th century till the Reformation only the celebrant received the wine. The Reformation brought about the restoration of the chalice to the laity in the Church of England. Since the chalice was rather small it was necessary for it to be enlarged. On many occasions the foot and kop of a pre Reformation chalice was reused and a bigger bowl was soldered on.