That's the Pope's altar for an outdoor Mass in Germany?

This is the altar at the Islinger field near Regensburg where Pope Benedict will celebrate Mass on Tuesday, September 12th. A central stone obelisk with two odd-looking chrome "flanges":

The view from the reverse angle doesn't make me feel any better:

Yuck. I know there's a rule somewhere that the altars for outdoor Papal Masses have to be ugly, but what purpose do those chrome monstrosities really serve, aesthetic or otherwise?

[photos: REUTERS/Michael Dalder (GERMANY)]