With tomorrow being the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, it seems an apropos time to share the following images of the relics of St. Helena, Empress and mother of the Emperor Constantine, for it was she that is credited with having gone to the Holy Land to find va…
The Relics of St. Helena, Empress, Mother of Constantine and Discoverer of the True Cross
With tomorrow being the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, it seems an apropos time to share the following images of the relics of St. Helena, Empress and mother of the Emperor Constantine, for it was she that is credited with having gone to the Holy Land to find va…
The Precious Mitres of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
Bishop Sheen wore various mitres during his long episcopal career. He gave most of them away before his death. I have been told some of his personal effects ended up with Mons. Edward T. O'Meara, who took over from Sheen in 1966 as the National Director of the Society f…
Manufactura Vesti Clero (Krakow, Poland)
The Polish ecclesiastical tailor Manufactura Vesti Clero has made a name for himself as a gifted vestment maker who offers a variety of other liturgical items including mitres, hand-embroidered armorial bearings, rochets, ornate palls/burses, ciborium veils, and more. The c…
Before and After: A Jesuit High School Chapel
A reader of LAJ recently sent in the following photos and information about an impressive restoration/renovation that took place at his former high school, a school which is run by the Jesuits. His comments:
Paleochristian Architecture: The Discovery of a 1500 Year Old Christian Church in Israel
Approximately ten years ago, the remnants of an ancient church located in Israel were excavated by the Israeli Antiquities Authority. The church, which is put at around 1500 years in age, is located near Moshav Aluma in the south of Israel. Frequently this church is descri…
The Ornamental Hood of the Mozzetta
The mozzetta of prelates today is a shoulder cape garment that until 1969 was also always tailored to have a small ornamental hood for cardinals and bishops. This miniature hood was a nod to the past, reminiscent of the days when the mozzetta had an actual hood that was lar…
Knight Chaplains of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (in Latin, Ordo Equestris Sancti Sepulcri Hierosolymitani ), is an order of knighthood and recognized order of chivalry under the direct protection of the Holy See. According to its constitutions, the popes are the sove…
The Transformation of a Dining Hall into Our Lady Star of the Sea Chapel
S tudio io Design recently unveiled a project they were involved in which saw the repurposing of a former dining hall as a chapel at Our Lady's Healing Center in Seadrift, Texas. The project in question shows how a great deal can be accomplished with only a very little a…
New Ecclesiology, New Liturgy - Exploring The Rationale of Post-Conciliar Liturgists and Why They Changed Church Architecture
This article was originally published in the March 2024 issue of "Lettre à nos frères prêtres" under the title "L’Église de la Nouvelle Liturgie. The article is republished in English translation here with the kind permission of the author, Abbé Grégoire Celi…
The Padiglione
A question that has come in our direction on more than one occasion pertains to the drapery (frequently red in colour, though not always) that one sometimes sees suspended behind certain Italian altars, frequently topped a crown. Within Italy these are known as the padiglio…
