In a previous article we detailed the evolution of the Lateran basilica and in that article we briefly touched upon the fact that, much like we detailed in our article on What Sits Underneath St. Peter's Basilica , there is much more to these sites than at first meets th…
What Sits Underneath the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome
In a previous article we detailed the evolution of the Lateran basilica and in that article we briefly touched upon the fact that, much like we detailed in our article on What Sits Underneath St. Peter's Basilica , there is much more to these sites than at first meets th…
A Vestment by Ars Comacina
Italian elegance from the fashion capital of the world, Milan, made according to traditional methods in Como, Italy. Even the high quality of the rich galloon catches attention. This silk brocade large cut pianeta with antique Forentine elements is a work of art. It has a p…
The Collegiate Church of San Tommaso da Villanova at Castel Gandolfo
Near Rome, in the heart of the Castelli Romani, the mythical Castel Gandolfo is a place of Baroque architecture that has witnessed some of the most important simple Baroque structures of the Counter-Reformation period, including a papal palace and town church, one of a hand…
Romanitas: The Silk Damask Hangings of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome
One of the Roman customs that gets a great deal of interest and attention is that of draping churches in red silk hangings for the most solemn of occasions. This particular custom is thought to be particularly "Roman" in its origins (possibly going back in some fa…
Venetian Vestment Work of the Nineteenth Century
This is a particularly fine example of vestment work coming from the nineteenth century. The set was manufactured in Venice, which of course has a very long and proud textile and vestment making tradition, and this particular example is as worthy of anything that was creat…
Ecclesiastical Design Studio: Jiang Huai Design of Malaysia
There is a wonderful vestment making studio in Southeast Asia that was founded about sixteen years ago called Jiang Huai Design -- they do a fine job creating very distinct works of liturgical art related to the sacred liturgy. Located in Malaysia, the studio offers a varie…
Variations On A Theme: Guadalupe Vestments by Sacra Domus Aurea
With it being the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, it seems like a good day to feature some of the impressive Guadalupe chasubles that have been produced in recent years by the vestment atelier of Sacra Domus Aurea .
Papal Throne Donated to Pius IX by the Savoy Family
In 1846 this enchanting portable papal throne was donated to Blessed Pius IX. Popes used this throne when they formally announced the creation of new cardinals at a Vatican Consistory, and also on other important occasions such as some gatherings of the College of Cardinals…
Late Gothic Altarpieces: The Royal Chapel of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary in the Czech Republic
Krivoklát Castle in the Czech Republic contains within it the Royal Chapel of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary, It is a quaint, intimate but impressive space. The castle itself was erected in the twelfth century for the kings of Bohemia. Nowadays the castle is a national h…
Before and After: St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aspen, Colorado
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aspen, Colorado is a parish that seems have been kept, all things considered, remarkably well in tact. Mainly what is meant by this is that its high altar and side altars managed to escape the liturgical fads and fashions of the 1970's.…
The Sediari Pontifici of the Sedia Gestatoria
For centuries papal liturgies were enriched with the presence of the red-dressed sediari . These were the men designated to carry the pope on an ornate ceremonial chair known as the sedia gestatoria (or "gestatorial" chair in English).
The Saint Bede Studio in Australia: Purveyors of Fine Vestments
One of my favorite vestment ateliers is the Saint Bede Studio, based in Australia. The excellence and quality of craftsmanship and design of their creations inspires with elements of English nuance and detail. Over the years the Saint Bede Studio has vested priests, abbots,…
Introducing the Work of Ioana Belcea of Siena Workshop
Today I'm pleased to present a new liturgical artist to readers of Liturgical Arts Jounral. I speak of Ms. Ioana Belcea ., an artist based out of Princeton, New Jersey. Belcea works in a variety of historical mediums, such as mosaic work, frescoes and painted works gener…
The First Permanent Altar Facing the People in the United States
Archbishop John Gregory Murray (1877 - 1956), a native of Connecticut, became the Archbishop of St. Paul (Minnesota) in 1931. During his 24-year tenure he became a frequent visitor to the monks of St. John's Abbey in nearby Collegeville, Minnesota. In those years St. Jo…
The Beauty of Silver and Rose
Many years ago, we wrote an article on the beauty of the combination of gold vestments with silver vestments, and recently we also shared some information on the similar beauty of cloth of silver vestments. Well as part of researching the latter article, I came across a num…
A Selection of Violet Vestments from the Nineteenth Century French Tradition
Now that we are once again entering the season of Advent, a time which is characterized by its violet coloured vestments, it seemed apropos to use this opportunity to feature some of these vestments and use the opportunity to give specific focus to vestments coming out of t…
Gothic and Art Nouveau at St. Mary Magdalen's in Wandsworth, London
One of the 'modern' styles that gets far too little expression in sacred architecture and art in my estimation is Art Nouveau. Art Nouveau found its primary historical expression between the last decade of the nineteenth century and first decade of the twentieth. It…
In the Workshop with Hape Sculpture: The Emergence of a Statue of Mary, Help of Christians
There is something I personally find particularly fascinating about the process of woodcarving, particularly the carving of fully three dimensional sculptures. Perhaps it is that 'Michelangelian' notion of the entrapped statue emerging, as though from a cocoon, from…
Thanksgiving as a Catholic Feast, Not a Catholic First
Around this time of year American Catholics are repeatedly hit with a number of competing claims of the “First” Thanksgiving. We delight in putting forward Thanksgiving Masses offered by Catholic explorers and settlers as the “true” first Thanksgiving—thereby undercutting t…
Papal Flabella Donated by the Drexel Family
This set of flabellum was donated in 1902 to Pope Leo XIII by Lucy Wharton Drexel (1841-1912) of Philadelphia, widow of the prominent banker and philanthropist, Joseph Drexel. She was a convert to the Faith and a woman of high stature who belonged to one of the oldest and m…
An Impressively Complete Solemn Pontifical Set from 1767 (with the Arms of Clement XIII)
In the light of the great feast of Easter, I can think of no better time to share the following solemn pontifical set of vestments that is dated to 1767 and which bear the arms of Pope Clement XIII. This particular set of vestments presently reside in Padua and contains amo…
Reliquaries from Mussner G. Vincenzo Ars Sacra
There's something I always find appealing about anthropomorphic reliquaries, whether that be full figures, busts or other forms, and as such I was quite pleased to recently see some of Mussner G. Vincenzo Ars Sacra 's efforts in this regard. Those of you who who hav…
A Masterpiece of Gothic Revival Vestment Work by G.F. Bodley
Sometimes gothic revival vestment work gets a bad rap, though I am convinced that in great part this is due to the fact that most of what we tend to associate with gothic revival vestment work is what the religious supply companies pumped out en masse in the twentieth centu…
The Development of the Shape of the Eastern Phelonion (Chasuble) and Its Parallels to the Same in the Latin West
Within the Latin rite, at least the English speaking portion of it, there is a century old (and in my estimation, rather tiresome) debate around the shape of the chasuble. Of course, anyone who has paid attention to articles here or elsewhere will know that the chasuble ha…
Roman Tradition of the Funerary Epitaph
A time-honored custom in Rome is the funeral epitaph, poetic words written in memory of a deceased person, a funerary oration written in the supreme eloquence of the language of Cicero. It is fixed to the bier that the coffin sits atop for the funeral rites. The same is don…
Before and After: St. Anne's Church in Somerset, Wisconsin
Recently Conrad Schmitt Studios revealed a project they pursued at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Somerset, Wisconsin which we're happy to feature here today as part of our 'Before and After' series. The origins of the parish go back 150 years, having been f…
Three Chasubles of the Sixteenth Century
Today I thought we would take a quick look at three chasubles, each coming from the sixteenth century and each of them utilizing re-purposed medieval embroideries. This sort of thing was common at this time of course. In some instances the original medieval vestments were s…
The Chapel of Pope Clement XIII at the Papal Summer Villa of Castel Gandolfo
Recently I was privileged to visit the papal apartment at the papal summer villa at Castel Gandolfo. Just down the hallway from the papal bedroom is this chapel, called the Cappella di Papa Clemente XIII. It was refreshing to see the altar cards have not gone missing. The c…
Monsignor R.J. Schuler, PhD on the Elimination of Gregorian Chant
Below is a fascinating article written three years after the close of the Council. The author is the late Monsignor Richard Schuler, a professor of music at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Minnesota. It gives a rare glimpse of the state of sacred liturgy in the years…
Before and After: St. Ann's Catholic Church in Plattsburg, Missouri
In yet another installment of 'Before and After' we turn to a project undertaken by Conrad Schmitt Studios and others in collaboration with St. Ann's Catholic Church in Plattsburg, Missouri, a church that, from the outside, is rather quaint and unassuming, not p…
The 16th Century San Lorenzo Requiem Vestments Spotted in 19th Century Art
Seeing the painting of the Madrid painter, José Moreno Carbonero, which is entitled "The Conversion of the Duke of GandÃa" something seemed awfully familiar to me. The painting was done in 1884 and is found in the Museum of Prado who describe the scene as follows: …
Rediscovering the Elegance of Old Roman Chant: A Journey into the Ancient Tones of Gregorian Chant
Guest Article by Dr. Lorris Chevalier, Université de Bourgogne Rooted in the medieval traditions of the Catholic Church, this unique form of music before Gregorian chant encapsulates centuries of spiritual expression and cultural evolution. As we delve into the enchanting wo…
The Sixteenth Century Tabernacle of the Duomo of Milan by Pellegrino Tibaldi
One of the most striking features of the Duomo of Milan is the monumental tabernacle and its associated covering. Despite the very large proportions of this particular cathedral, which presents the worshipper and visitor with a variety of styles spanning the centuries, this…
A Festal Antependium Made for the Canonization of St. Charles Borromeo (1609-1610)
This spectacular altar frontal was made between 1609-10 specifically for the canonization of St. Charles Borromeo, one time Cardinal Archbishop of Milan. Gold and silver embroidery have been set onto a background of silk and originally -- prior to the Napoleonic era -- this…
The Solemn Ostentation of Relics on All Saints Day at FSSP in Urbe
Images and information courtesy of The Home Oratory . On the feast of All Saints in Rome a wonderful old tradition has been revived by the FSSP known as the Solenne Ostensione delle Reliquie ("Solemn Ostentation of the Relics"). This ceremony is carried out after M…
The Noble Beauty of Polychrome Marble Designs in Church Architecture - A Brief Visual Survey
We have spoken here before on more than one occasion about the beauty of polychrome marbles in ecclesiastical architecture. Rather than go over the topic again, today I thought we would just do a little virtual 'sight-seeing' as a kind of visual meditation on the pa…
Vestiges of the Papal Court: the Mazzieri Pontifici (Papal Mace-Bearers)
The mazzieri pontifici were protectors of the popes, who as mace bearers carried wrought-silver maces and swords at the service of the papal security detail. Their duty was to accompany solemn papal processions, a feast for the eyes, adding to the pageantry of the occasion.…
Before and After: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Newport News, Virginia
Today we are featuring a church renovation project that features the parish church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, located in Newport News, Virginia. Now if that name is familiar, it may be because it was one the church buildings discussed in Michael Rose's 2001 book, Ugly…
The Ciborium Magnum as Depicted in Medieval Art of East and West
In an article yesterday we looked at some of the historical arrangements of medieval Roman altars from prior to the mid-twentieth century. In the course of preparing that article, it got me to thinking about some of the medieval depictions that we can find within both the C…
A Survey of the Altar Arrangements Seen in Roman Basilicas Prior to the Later Twentieth Century
As one moves around and about in the various churches of Rome, one will find artefacts from different periods of history. Some of these artefacts are architectural, as in the case of the use of spolia (i.e. items from classical antiquity such as columns, basins and the like…
Mary, Queen of the Martyrs: A New Shrine in Florida Reveals America’s Forgotten Catholic Protomartyrs (Guest Article by Matthew G. Alderman)
A Guest Article by Matthew Alderman, KM KHS To an outsider, the Sunshine State seems a land with no history. Yet, it was in Florida where the first Mass on American soil was celebrated, by the chaplains of Ponce de Leon’s 1513 expedition. In 1565, in America’s oldest city,…
Episcopal Ring with Tourmaline Stone
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Each year there are various objets d'art related to the sacred liturgy that end up on auction blocks. Unfortunately, some of these are blessed objects that should have been better vetted and kept in the family. Occasionally these treasures give us a rare glimpse of the …
Neo-Classical and Baroque in Kansas: Harrison Design and the Campus of St. John Paul II Parish
H arrison Design is a large architectural firm with office locations in Washington, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Naples (Florida), Santa Barbara and St. Simons, George who offer a broad range of architectural design services, including the realm of sacred architecture. Recently th…
Paleochristian Revival Vestments in the Byzantine East
One my own favourite instantiations of contemporary liturgical art is the paleochristian revival style which took hold in the later nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century as modern archeology saw ancient Christian sites excavated, interest in Roman catacombs ren…
A Chasuble from Early Seventeenth Century Trent
This particular vestment comes form the first half of the seventeenth century (1600-1650) and is located in the diocesan museum of Trent -- the location of the well known Council of Trent. The most prominent figure found here, which is found on the back of the chasuble (and…
Other Modern: The Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, Prague
It is long overdue that we should return to some of our Other Modern considerations -- "other modern" referring to contemporary ecclesiastical styles that, while distinctly "modern," are also firmly rooted in a classic liturgical arts tradition. Today…
The Upper Half-Sleeves of the Zimarra
In the photo can be seen Alfred Cardinal Bengsch of Berlin in St. Peter's Square. The wind happens to have blown his tippet (shoulder-cape) up, revealing his false half-sleeves, a time-honored custom for the costume of prelates until the changes of 1969. The half-sleeves…
Watts and Co. 150th Anniversary Exhibition at All Saints Church, Jesus Lane, Cambridge
W atts and Co. was founded in the year 1874 in England by prominent gothic revivalists such as G.F. Bodley and Thomas Garner, producing textiles and other furnishings in the gothic revival style. It is, in short, synonymous with the gothic revival. Like any longstanding com…
Before and After: St. Edward Catholic Church in Athens, Texas
In another instalment of our 'Before and After' series, today we look at a project undertaken by Studio io at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Athens, Texas. The church building in question was originally a protestant church, though one can be forgiven for not re…
The Impressive Contemporary Stonework of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Knoxville, Tennessee
There is something to be said for material authenticity and stonework is no exception. That isn't to say that there isn't a place for illusionistic techniques like faux-marbling and the like, just as there is a place for trompe l'oeil -- an artistic technique ro…
