Many of our readers will be familiar with Fynders Keepers , a brokerage firm founded in 2001 with an original mission dedicated to finding and re-selling antique church goods and items back to churches for continued liturgical use. This is still a service they offer of cour…
A Historic Altarpiece Brought Back to Life
Many of our readers will be familiar with Fynders Keepers , a brokerage firm founded in 2001 with an original mission dedicated to finding and re-selling antique church goods and items back to churches for continued liturgical use. This is still a service they offer of cour…
Churches of Québec: Église de Sainte-Victoire in Victoriaville, Québec
As part of our considerations for our Churches of Québec series, today we turn to the historic Église de Sainte-Victoire located in Victoriaville, Québec -- a town located northeast of the city of Montreal. Built in 1896-1897 by the architect Louis Caron, this beautiful sto…
Works in Progress: Iconographic Draughtsmanship
Speaking personally, I have always found it rather gratifying to observe works of art in progress. Michelangelo famously quipped that he simply released the figures that were already hidden within the raw block of stone, chipping away at the extraneous bits to reveal it. To…
Vestments of St. Wenceslas Cathedral, Olomouc, Czech Republic
As part of the 2020 exhibition,"Ornamenta Episcopi: Liturgical Vestments of the Olomouc Cathedral," held at St. Wenceslas Cathedral in Olomouc, Czech Republic, three sets of vestments coming out of the exhibition -- and from two very different periods of time -- …
The (Former) Premonstratenian Abbey Church of St. Magnus in Bad Schussenried, Germany
Until the Imperial Abbey of Schussenried was dissolved in 1803 during the Napoleonic era, the church of St. Magnus was an abbey church. Originally the church was a Romanesque construction, having been built toward the end of twelfth century, but as the abbey grew in its pro…
The Ruben Vestments of Antwerp Cathedral in Belgium (1721-1768)
Within the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Antwerp (Belgium) is a beautiful set of Solemn Mass vestments that they call the Rubensgewaad (Ruben vestments). These particular vestments are liturgically rose in colour and come from the 18th century. Specifically the silk itself is …
The Mosaics of the Procession of the Apostles in the Paleochristian 'Battistero Neoniano' in Ravenna
The Battistero Neoniano (Baptistery of Neon) is a late fourth or early fifth century baptistery found in the city of Ravenna. The baptistery, which is octagonal in shape (a purposefully symbolic choice, representing the eighth day, the day of the Resurrection), was original…
Crux Gemmata: The Heinrichskreuz of Basel Cathedral in Switerzland
A masterpiece of Ottonian era art, the Heinrichskreuz is the gemstone cross associated with the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry II, fashioned in the eleventh century -- with further augmentations occurring during the Renaissance and nineteenth century. Originally this cross was p…
The Virgin of the Rosary Found on the Facade of Iglesia los Santos Juanes in Valencia
With today being the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, there seemed to be no better time to feature an interesting and beautiful work of stucco found on the facade of the thirteenth century church of "los Santos Juanes" in Valencia, Spain -- the Royal Parish of…
The Silver Altar Cross of the Baptistery of Saint John in the Duomo of Florence
Contained within the impressive collections of the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence is a silver altar cross that was fashioned in between 1457-1459 by Antonio del Pollaiolo and Betto di Francesco Croce. Originally this altar cross was, according to the Museum, &qu…
Gabriel Pippet's and Maurice Josey's Mosaics at the Church of the Sacred Heart and St Catherine in Worcestershire, England
The Church of the Sacred Heart and St Catherine of Alexandria, located in Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire, England, present a stunning example of the potential for mosaic work in contemporary church design. Mostly we tend to think of mosaics when we consider Byzantine and …
Tabernacle Veils and San Salvatore in Lauro, Rome
Rome is, of course, filled with various churches and chapels, major and minor basilicas, and within the Eternal City, one can find all manner of tabernacles for the purpose of reserving the Blessed Sacrament. In many instances, following the more ancient model (as well as t…
A Medieval Cope Featuring St. John the Baptist, St. Lawrence and Others
While we have our readers attention on some of the spectacular vestments that can be found in Nordic countries like Sweden, I would turn your attention to this gorgeous and unique red velvet cope that is dated to the fourteen or fifteenth century -- specifically to sometime…
The Romanesque Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Grado, Italy
Located in Grado within the northeast of Italy is one of the oldest buildings of Christian worship found along the North Adriatic sea, the Basilica of Santa Marie della Grazie (Our Lady of Grace). The basilica was built in the sixth century, commissioned by one Patriarch El…
A Wood-Carved Relief of St. Michael the Archangel Inspired by Medieval Constantinople
For today's feast of St. Michael the Archangel, I wished to share an absolutely beautiful relief carving executed by the northern Italian studio of Mussner G. Vincenzo Ars Sacra . The piece in question was done for a private owner (meaning, not a parish church or the li…
A Fifteenth Century Green Chasuble from Sweden
The Nordic countries of Europe are not countries Catholics tend to jump to of when contemplating historical Catholic vestments. In point of fact, however, it has been my experience that it is precisely these countries that have within their possession,, some of the very bes…
Before and After: Padre Pio Eucharistic Adoration Chapel in Bridgeport, Connecticut
C anning Liturgical Arts is based out of Cheshire, Connecticut and is a branch of John Canning & Co. that is focused specifically in the domain of church restorations and beautifications. Many of their projects -- whether you know it or not -- will likely already be fa…
Episcopal Consecration of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen
It was a momentous and unforgettable day 75 years ago when Mons. Fulton J. Sheen, who was born into a farm family in Illinois, was consecrated bishop in Rome, Italy. The date was Monday, June 11, 1951. The feast day was St. Barnabas the Apostle -- a missionary, and only fit…
New Church Architecture: Baker Architects's Gothic Church for Jackson, Missouri
M ythodium Architects (also known as Baker Architects ) has shared some interesting digital designs for its project in Jackson, Missouri for the Church of the Immaculate Conception. In terms of the particular background and approach to the project, they comment:
Vestments Dedicated to the Roman Martyr and Commander of the Theban Legion, St. Maurice
St. Maurice was a third century Roman martyr. Originally born in Egypt, St. Maurice was a Roman legionary who commanded the Theban Legion of Rome -- a legion said to have been made up of primarily of Christians. Upon refusing to follow the orders of the Emperor Maximian to…
Nineteenth Century French Inspirations from Sacra Domus Aurea
We have featured many examples of new, traditional vestment design here on LAJ over the years, including many examples coming out of Sacra Domus Aurea and in terms of this particular atelier, we have also featured many of their excellent approaches to the revival of vestmen…
The Thabor (Blessed Sacrament Throne)
Some Catholics have never seen or heard of a "Thabor" (Blessed Sacrament Throne). I was accustomed to seeing this liturgical instrument in my youth at the two parishes in St. Paul where I was an altar boy. The church of the Nativity of Our Lord had one that was ma…
Before and After: Church of the Assumption in Nashville, Tennessee
It is once again time to feature yet another 'before and after' in our ongoing and ever popular series on the subject of the re-enchantment of a particular church building. In this particular instance, Conrad Schmitt Studios was the firm engaged to perform beautific…
An Impressive Eighteenth Century Set of Petrine-Themed Pontifical Vestments from the Era of Pope Benedict XIV
Today we are pleased to share this stunning set of pontifical vestments coming from the first half of the eighteenth century. The set in question is housed in Bologna and feature the arms of Pope Benedict XIV -- who reigned as Roman pontiff from 1740-1758 and who, prior to …
A Roman in America: Carmine Carapella and a Palladian Vision for Contemporary Catholic Architecture
Today we are pleased to introduce our readers to the architect, Carmine Carapella of Carapella Architecture . Carapella is Italian and, more specifically, he is a Roman by birth -- a venerable legacy in its own right to be certain. He began his career in architecture by stud…
The Lotharkreuz of Aachen Cathedral
Located in the Aachen Cathedral Treasury ( Aachener Domschatzkammer ) is a stunning crux gemmata (bejewelled cross), the processional Cross of Lothair, or Lotharakreuz , named after the ninth century Carolingian king, Lothair II. Despite the naming, this cross was actually mad…
The Stunning Basilica of San Juan de Dios in Granada, Spain
At the peak of the Spanish Rococo Baroque period, the Basílica de San Juan de Dios was built in Granada, Spain. Every surface is embellished in gilt and statuary. The result is a feast for the eyes offering the best that Spanish Baroque has to offer. The effect is pure wond…
Before and After: St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O’Neill, Nebraska
The good folks at Conrad Schmitt Studios recently shared news of a project at St. Patrick Catholic Church in O’Neill, Nebraska that involved bringing the parish back closer to its historical artistic roots. As many will know, many historical parishes were subjected to vari…
Portable Murals on the Life of the Prophet Moses by Markos Kampanis
Many may not be aware, but today is the observance of the Old Testament prophet and patriarch, Moses. The Old Testament righteous are frequently neglected in modern popular piety, which is really rather a shame given their place in salvation history, so today, in order to …
Medieval Meets Modern in Utrecht
Gothic vestment work is not something we have always a great deal of opportunity to feature here, but as we sit within the Octave of Easter, I thought it a good opportunity to feature of white gothic chasuble found in the collection of the Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrech…
Vatican Grottos Altar at the Tomb of St. Peter (Sepulcrum Sancti Petri Apostoli)
In the Vatican Grottos can be found this open concept chapel, facing the tomb of St. Peter. This is part of the vast crypt that stretches underneath St. Peter's Basilica. The area contains sarcophagi that hold the remains of deceased Roman Pontiffs, monarchs, princes of…
Before and After (Antependia Edition) with Penson Ecclesiastical Arts
One of the things we have discussed here and elsewhere over the years is how important antependia (i.e. altar frontals) can be and indeed are They are important in their own right in the same way that sacred vestments are generally, functioning effectively as the paraments…
The Passion Reliquary of Duomo of Florence (The Croce della Granduchessa)
Florence is famous for it's beautiful cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore , but what many may not realize is that located outside of the cathedral, situated directly behind the area where the apse is located, is the treasury museum of the cathedral, the Opera di Santa Maria…
The Papal Ferula
The papal ferula (from Latin ferula 'rod'), is an ancient pastoral staff, established before the thirteenth century. Distinct from the crozier of bishops, it is essentially a staff topped by a cross (historically without the body of Christ). The ferula also has a th…
The "Auriesville Pilgrimage" for Restoration
The Pilgrimage for Restoration (also known as the "Auriesville Pilgrimage") was founded in 1996 as an annual walking pilgrimage in northeastern New York. Not to be overlooked, each year it draws a sizable number of traditional Catholics who walk through the pictur…
Before and After: Mother of Mercy Chapel at St. Charles Preparatory School in Columbus, Ohio
The firm of William Heyer Architect is located in Columbus, Ohio and in 2025 they were involved in a beautification project at the (already quite beautiful) Mother of Mercy Chapel located at the St. Charles Preparatory School in Columbus, Ohio. The chapel was already built …
An Illuminated Byzantine Psalter from the Twelfth Century
We don't dive into illuminated medieval liturgical books as much as I'd like, and when one thinks of them, one tends to think of the manuscripts of the Latin West, but there is, of course, a comparative tradition to be found within the Christian East. Within the col…
Before and After: St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri
The church of St. Margaret of Scotland located in Lee's Summit, Missouri, was previously a fairly spartan liturgical space. To be clear however, the core space had its merits; it had order and symmetry, it simply lacked colour and ornament. In some ways, it represents w…
Churches of Québec: Église du Saint-Nom-de-Marie in St.Marie-de-Beauce
In the past we have featured some of the beautiful and historical churches of province of Québec in Canada, and today we are pleased to formalize this into our "Churches of Québec" series, which we hope to publish from time to time in order to share the wealth of …
The Fraction of the Host in the Mozarabic Rite
The Mozarabic rite, a liturgical rite of the Latin Church, gives us a glimpse of some unique traditions that come from Medieval liturgical praxis in Spain. The liturgy is teacher. We learn from the sacred rites. The Mozarabic Rite has a distinct fraction custom, seen in the…
The Monumental Fifteenth Century Crucifix of Bologna
Located in the city of Bologna is the fifteenth century Basilica of San Petronio, a basilica that is perhaps most famous for the fact of its only partially finished facade . However, located within the basilica is a stunning, monumental carved wooden crucifix, hung from the …
A Survey of Some Recent Work by Hape Sculpture in Italy
The workshop of Hape Sculptures are located in the famed region of Val Gardena in the north of Italy where so many woodcarvers and woodcarving workshops have made their home. Hape is a family run business that was founded many decades ago creating hand carved works in wood,…
Before and After (and After Again): An Update from Holy Innocents in Long Beach, California
An update on a previous 'before and after we wrote about at the beginning of 2024, focused on Holy Innocents in Long Beach, California . In that article we detailed the work that Harrison Design pursued at this particular church. The very best refresher, of course, are s…
An American Catholic Masterpiece: the High Altar and Reredos of the Assumption Church
An outstanding example of ecclesiastical art in the United States is the highly decorative altar and reredos of the church of the Assumption in St. Paul, Minnesota. It is a feast for the eyes, a garland of beauty, made of local oak wood by German immigrants at the end of th…
The Papal Fanon
The fanon is a papal vestment worn for solemn liturgies. It is the only prominent vestment distinctive of the rank of a pope. This custom dates back at least to the 8th-century. The fanon is also worn by the Patriarch of Lisbon. The photo below depicts Pope St. John Paul II…
A 'Roman' Pianeta from Atelier LAVS
LAVS is perhaps best known for their mitres as well as their more fully flowing, medieval-styled vestments, but LAVS also occasionally dips into the realm of later cuts, cuts often colloquially referred to as the 'Roman' cut. One of the characteristic stylistic elem…
Variety and Distinctiveness: Sacra Domus Aurea's 'Gotico Pastello' Gothic Revival Set
Many years ago, in January 2018. we wrote a two part series about The Importance of Variety and Distinctiveness in Vestment Design . In that series we looked at gothic revival vestments (and baroque vestments), and one of the questions we asked about contemporary approaches …
Chiesa di San Lorenzo: One Parish Church's Solemn Mass Set Dedicated to its Patron Saint, St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence, whose feast day is observed today, is one of the most prominent saints of the Church of Rome (and indeed, of the church in Rome proper), being one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome who was ultimately martyred in A.D. 258 at the age of 32 during the pers…
The Papal Mantum
The papal mantum was one of several papal vestments that developed through the centuries only to be ignored and cast aside in a fit of 1960s modernization. Other distinctly papal vestments, for example, included the falda, the subcinctorium, and the exceptionally long fanon…
Contemporary Work: A Monumental Mural of the Transfiguration
The Feast of the Transfiguration is one of those feasts in the liturgical year which really doesn't get the focused, popular devotional attention that it deserves. Now, in the Christian East, the Transfiguration is one of the feasts that they like to particularly highli…
