Chasubles from the later 1400's and 1500's are always quite of interest for reason of their ornate textiles and embroideries. Today we're going to quickly look at three chasubles coming from this period, each of which have a scene of the crucifixion in a raised …
Three Red Crucifixion Chasubles from the 1400's-1500's
Chasubles from the later 1400's and 1500's are always quite of interest for reason of their ornate textiles and embroideries. Today we're going to quickly look at three chasubles coming from this period, each of which have a scene of the crucifixion in a raised …
The Evolution of Hagia Sophia: The Ceiling
The interior of the great Eastern Roman church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople has a long and complex history. The present church, which was completed in the year 537, was built by the Emperor Justinian in record time -- only six years. (If that does not seem so very long…
Unpacking the Liturgical Elements Found in a 1942 Photo: Corpus Christi Church, New York City
Browsing through a 1942 issue of Liturgical Arts Quarterly (LAQ) awhile back, I came upon this photo, taken at Corpus Christi church in New York City. We have already unpacked this photo in another way in a previous article , but I wanted to return to it again, this time ta…
Before and After: The Altar of St. Joseph''s Church in Killeen, Texas
Ask most people to think about architecture and sacred architecture in particular and they naturally tend toward thinking of soaring architectural spaces, covered in frescoes or stained glass ands the like, repelte with intricate ornamental details and so on. After all, why…
Precious Mitres from Atelier LAVS
One of the premiere makers of precious mitres today is the Italian firm, LAVS (and for those unaware, the "V" is actually the Roman "u," meaning that the company name is not "lavs" but rather the Latin word for 'praise': laus.) The mitr…
Chapel of the Madonna della Bocciata in the Vatican Basilica
The oldest crypt chapel in the Grottoes of St. Peter's Basilica is said to be this lovely chapel of the Madonna della Bocciata. It is located very close to the tomb of the Blessed Apostle Peter. Holy Mass is celebrated here each morning in the Classical Roman Rite at 7:…
The Fifteenth Century Mariazell Chasuble
The Mariazell chasuble is so named because it is found within the treasury of the Basilica of Mariazell located in Austria, properly called the Basilica Mariä Geburt (Basilica of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary), an important shrine church by virtue of its possession of a m…
An Exquisitely Carved Altarpiece from 1692
Recently I came across a particularly stunning carved altarpiece that is located within the diocese of Como. While I do not have a great deal of information about this particular altarpiece, I can tell you that it was carved in the year 1692 by G. Barberini, A. Radaelli and…
The Tree of Life Rood at the Oratory of St. Mary Magdalen in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Encompassed within the parish of St. Vincent de Paul in Fort Wayne, Indiana is the Oratory of St. Mary Magdelen, a work involving long time LAJ collaborator William Heyer and others. Heyer describes the project as follows: Much of the interior design was inspired by the past…
The Sedia Gestatoria of the Servant of God Pius VII
Several versions of the sedia gestatoria (the mobile throne of popes) were made and remain in existence today. This version was created for Pius VII, probably in the year 1800 and possibly fabricated in Venice. It is kept at the Palace of Versailles, owned by the French gov…
The Chapel in the Cornfield: Ancilla Domini in Donaldson, Indiana
While I do not often focus on the liturgical architecture in the English speaking "new world" (for no other reason than the fact that most of it is already quite familiar to many of our readers by virtue of being the "native" architecture), from time to …
The Chapel of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Whole not a "new" project per se (though it certainly is that if you consider it within the time-scales of the Church) a project that we've wanted to briefly make note of is that of the chapel of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist located i…
The Chapel and Sancta Maria Regina Angelorum Fresco at Seton High School in Manassas, Virginia.
Today I wished to take a few moments to feature the work, once again, of painter and mosaicist, Ioana Belcea of Princeton, New Jersey. Specifically I wished to look at the "Sancta Maria Regina Angelorum" fresco which is located in the Queen of Angels Chapel at Set…
150 Years of Tradition at Saint Joseph Shrine in Detroit, Michigan
Guest Article by Ishmael Obinna Adibuah Last year marked the 150th anniversary of the Dedication of Saint Joseph Shrine in Detroit, Michigan. Since 1873, this church has been a home for those seeking to offer fitting
worship to God through the church’s perennial liturgical t…
Book Review: Turned Around - Replying to Common Objections Against the Traditional Latin Mass
Our good friend and unmissable liturgical scholar, Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, has produced yet another masterwork on the subject of the Classical Roman Rite. Entitled Turned Around (TAN Books, 2024), the subtitle reads: Replying to Common Objections Against the Traditional Lati…
Windows into Heavenly Light: The Iconography of Dr. Georgios Kordis
While we have not covered Byzantine-inspired iconography here a great deal to date, that is not because it is not appreciated. It is rather solely for the reason that our focus here at LAJ has been to attempt to help people in the Latin rite better know and appreciate their…
The Solemn Ceremony of Homage of Sovereigns at the Tomb of the Blessed Apostle Peter
For centuries on state visits to the Vatican Catholic sovereigns make their usual visit to the tomb of the Blessed Apostle Peter in the Vatican Basilica. For this rite they were historically accompanied by members of the Papal Court and the Archpriest of St. Peter's Bas…
Gebetsliga Vestments by Emblematik (Fatima, Portugal)
Having grown up in a prominent Austro-Hungarian parish (the Church of Saint Agnes in St. Paul, Minn.), I have always felt a special affinity for the work of the Gebetsliga (German for Prayer League) that serves as the official promoter of the cause of canonization for Bless…
The Lapus Lazuli Tabernacle of the Cathedral of Palermo, Sicily
Taken on their own, tabernacles are not something we have generally featured here to date, in part because in recent centuries these typically have manifested themselves as little more than a veiled door embedded within a reredos. In that particular regard, there isn't …
Travel Vestments by Ars Comacina
A rs Comacina in Italy have made available a set of travel vestments that illustrates the typical inexhaustible beauty of Italian know-how and design. These are lightweight, reversible in dual colors, and simple in design. In short, they are made for travel. The set folds ea…
Ciborium Veils by Manufactura Vesti Clero
The Polish ecclesiastical tailor Manufactura Vesti Clero produces beautiful veils for ciboria and the pyx. The only time of the year most lay folk in the pews see the veil is on Maundy Thursday when the Eucharist is processed to the altar of repose, with the utmost solemnit…
The Abbey Church of the Cistercian Abbey of Valloires, France
The Cistercian Abbey of Valloires, France is a twelfth century foundation that was substantially rebuilt within the eighteenth century after the original abbey had been subjected to ruin and looting, including the collapse of the original abbey church in the 1700's. As …
The Wrought Iron Choir Screen of the Cathedral of Sens
The cathedral of Sens, located in Burgundy within Eastern France, was one of the very first cathedrals to be built in the gothic style, with construction beginning in 1135 and continuing on for a long while thereafter. In fact, the See of Sens was that which was originally …
The New Completed Nativity of the Monastery of Norcia by Fabrizio Diomedi
Some of our readers may be aware of the history of the Benedictine monastery of Norcia , located in the birthplace of St. Benedict. That monastery, located over the house of Ss. Benedict and Scholastica, was tragically damaged by an earthquake a few years ago, but out of tha…
The Custom of Festive Hangings in Rome: the Chiesa Nuova
There is a long-standing custom in Italy and other places such as Malta to decorate churches on festive occasions with certain silken hangings (in Italian drappi ). They are hung on pilasters throughout the church in red and gold with elegant motifs. Such draperies are typic…
