Continuity

I though that I would add further to the previous posts on the form of the liturgy in the Benedictine era, by showing an old and recent pic of the Altar of the Chair in St peters Basilica in Rome. In the early 1990's the Papal Master of Ceremonies had the original Altar attached to the shrine of the chair of St Peter ripped out, presumably as a post Vatican II reordering. I have an open mind about it as in the old Papal High Masses it was covered over anyway for the Papal Throne. Now that the freestanding bronze Altar has had more dignity with the six tall candlesticks, there does appear architecturally a better sense of continuity between the older baroque liturgy and the toned down newer one. Here are the two pics:

before (that is John XXIII presiding)

and after (taken just today)

I know this will generate some comment. Frankly Ilike either whihc betrays my sympathies to both forms of the Roman Rite.