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…
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…
The Canons of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
Following are photos of the canons of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Members are a group of senior priests in the Latin Patriarchate (as well as honorary members from elsewhere) who have been selected by the Patriarch for this honor and distinction. In these photos can be…
The Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio in Naples
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One of the most interesting churches imaginable is the Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio (in English, Basilica of the Crowned Mother of Good Counsel), a mesmerizing Neo-Baroque gem positioned north of Naples in the Capodimonte zone. This unique church ta…
New Classical Architecture: Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Virginia
Continuing on with some of our considerations of contemporary, traditional ecclesiastical architecture, today I turn your attention to a project executed by McCrery Architects , based out of Washington D.C., for a Catholic campus located in Virginia. McCrery sets the backgro…
A Preview of a Coming Architectural Project by Harrison Design
The website of Harrison Design features an interesting project which is due to begin construction in 2025 in Olathe, Kansas that I thought would be of interest to our readers. The project in question is for the comprehensive design of a school campus and corresponding chu…
Some Rare Examples of Gilt Leather Antependia (Altar Frontals)
Today I am pleased to share some examples of antependia which have been crafted out of coloured and gilt leather. These particular examples have been produced by the company Lutson Goudleder , a company which has been producing decorative gilt leather products for the past t…
Gold Embroidery by Antonio Roldán of Spain
The Spanish artist Antonio Roldán, based in Spain, has preserved the time-honored methods of embroidery with metallic threads. He is a prolific artist, making and repairing a plethora of designs on liturgical items including banners, canopies, veils, flags, and clothing for…
Classic Figurative Artist Eric Armusik
Eric Armusik is an American classic figurative artist, portrait painter, and art teacher based in Pennsylvania. In the American landscape of painters, he is an outstanding exponent of classicism. In some ways his paintings resemble the style of the Old Masters. Some of his …
Before and After: Holy Family Church in Buffalo, New York
S wiatek Studios is a firm based out of the state of New York and recently they shared a bit of their impressive work at the church of the Holy Family in Buffalo, New York. The project involved the restoration of the painted work within and around the apse in particular -- …
