Side altars serve as places of deep meditative personal prayer. A side-altar or bye-altar is an altar that is subordinate to the central or high altar in a church. The term is generally applied to altars that are situated in the bay or bays of the nave, transepts, etc. Side-altars may be recessed in a side-chapel, or against a main aisle wall. In St. Mary’s Church, Katukurunda in addition to the main high altar, there are four side altars two in the nave and two in the transepts. They are as follows:
- Bye-altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (left side – nave)
- Bye-altar of St. Joseph the foster father of Jesus (right side – nave)
- Bye-altar of Our Lady of Sorrows (right side – wing)
- Bye-altar of the Risen Lord (left side – wing)
In Modera St. Joseph Vaz Church, there are two bye-altars:
- Bye-altar of St. Joseph Vaz (right side – nave)
- Bye-altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary (left side – nave)
None of these side altars are equipped with the facilities to celebrate Masses nor are they used for this purpose anymore. It is said that at St. Mary’s Church there had been three altars one main altar and two side altars, but the post second Vatican council reforms have led to the dismantling of these altars.
