Below are included some close up images to give a taste of the quality of the vestments, probably coming from Lyon where many tailors were located, or possibly from a convent in the area where nuns also made vestments. The mid-nineteenth century style is lovely. The quality surpasses all expectations. The saint passed away in 1859 at age 73 and since that time these items have been preserved for posterity.
The vestments are all Roman style as the Neo-Gothic revival was yet to blossom the generation after. The Baroque style chasuble is an emblem of romanitas. The lavish decoration of the vestments of that period made good use of the splendor and beauty so dear to the Renaissance. The rich materials and difficult embroidery harken the court of heaven where everything in the celestial order is beautiful in an other-worldly way.
Although St. John Vianney's soutane was famously in tatters (and repaired by the saint himself), his vestments were not. At the altar no expense was spared to give the best to the Holy of Holies. Of course every Mass was seen as an audience with royalty, breakfast with the King. We can learn an important lesson from this. We willingly splurge on God, dowering the liturgy with extravagant beauty and generosity. Exactly as the Hebrews did in Leviticus in the Torah.
The saint was buried with one of his confession stoles, seen in the last photo. May the patron of parish priests pray for all priests, for the Kingdom of France, and for a continued restoration of beauty in the universal Church! The devil knows the immeasurable glory that each Mass gives to the Divine Majesty. Therefore he does everything in his power to seduce us to prevent God from being given the glory He deserves. Let us do all we can to support the use of beautiful vestments in the sacred liturgy, both old and new.
