The golden cope of St. Catherine's Church in Hoogstraten , Belgium is representative of both the character and elegance of the world of Renaissance vestment work. The vestments of this period were characterized by lush silks and silk velvets (reds and golds were particul…
The Renaissance Easter Cope of St. Catherine's Church in Hoogstraten, Belgium
The golden cope of St. Catherine's Church in Hoogstraten , Belgium is representative of both the character and elegance of the world of Renaissance vestment work. The vestments of this period were characterized by lush silks and silk velvets (reds and golds were particul…
A Selection of Festal Easter Chasubles in the Nineteenth Century French Tradition
With us now basking in the festal season of Easter, I can think of no better time to share a series of Easter themed vestments coming from the nineteenth century French tradition that I have collected over the years. Most of these designs contain an image of the Agnus Dei,…
A Rare Example of Art Deco Vestment Work
For much of its existence, the shape of Catholic liturgical art has been characterized by creating a balance between continuity and innovation. What do I mean by this? What I mean is that unlike the Eastern churches, art within the Western church has tended to develop in a …
Some Examples of the Urn or Capsula of the Paschal Triduum
Many years ago, April 2018, we wrote an article on the "urn" or "capsula" for the Blessed Sacrament that is traditionally used on the 'altar' of repose on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. We're not going to re-cover what was already covered in …
Late Gothic Altarpieces: Pfarrkirche Gampern, Austria
For the past months, we've been exploring some impressive late gothic altarpieces found in Central Europe -- this would include countries like Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and so on. Today we are continuing on with that exercise, turning this time to Pfarrkirch…
The Sedia Gestatoria of Pius IX Donated by the Catholics of Naples
Over the years more than one version of the sedia gestatoria was created. That being said, the most popular version was possibly this one that belonged to Blessed Pius IX. It was donated to him in 1871 by the clergy and people of Naples in the 26th year of his pontificate. …
Festal and Floral: Further Examples of Polychrome Floral Motifs in Vestment Work
It seems that I cannot let an Easter season (or spring or summer season generally) go by without taking an opportunity to once again promote a specific type of vestment design which I find both approrpiately 'seasonal' in look and feel, and certainly festal in natu…
Traveling Burse by Benedicamus
In Europe it is more common to see this item, what I call a "traveling burse," a small bag to hold a pyx for sick call visits. It is a small hand-sewn bag, sometimes made of leftover vestment materials, that clergy use to carry Communion hosts. The bag is simple…
More Vestments in Art
On a couple of previous of occasions, we've featured some details taken from historical artworks that feature interesting liturgical details, in particular sacred vestments (the most common liturgical feature to turn up in such works, rather than the liturgy itself). T…
The Description of Hagia Sophia written by Paul the Silentiary in A.D. 563
What was the impact and impression that Hagia Sophia had shortly after the Emperor Justinian constructed it? One hears stories of emissaries to Constantinople being converted by the great beauty of the church and her liturgical rites of course, but for a more detailed impre…
The Imperial Marbles of Hagia Sophia
> In a previous article we covered the topic of some of the extant mosaics of the great church of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia. Today, I thought we would take another look at what was at one time the great jewel of the city of Constantinople, a city that was at one time c…
The Palatine Guard of Honor
In these photos is the uniform of the Colonel Commander of the Palatine Guard. The Palatine Guard walked in papal processions as a guard of honor, enhancing the splendor of the liturgical services of the Roman Pontiffs. The members of the Guard were volunteers, Roman men of…
A Detailed Look at the Twelfth Century Mosaics of the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome
When attempting to look at apsidal mosaics, triumphal arch mosaics, it can be easy to lose the trees for the forest -- yes, you read that correctly and I inverted it purposefully. What I mean to say is this. These types of mosaics, unless they focus in solely on a monument…
Venetian Vestments from the 1400's
This particular set of vestments dates from the 1400's, though the orphreys are earlier in their origins, and were manufactured in Venice. The chasuble is rather unique in shape insofar as it is effectively a longer form of the "Roman" chasuble measuring 55&qu…
The Byzantine Church of San Pietro in Otranto
One of the things easily forgotten about Italy is that the modern state of Italy is just that -- modern. Previously in its history, what we know as the state of Italy today was a conglomeration of city-states (Florence, Venice, the Papal States, the Kingdom of Sicily, etc.)…
The Construction of a Solemn Liturgical Occasion in St. Peter's Basilica in 1900
Many of our readers will be familiar with scenes of canonizations from the Vatican prior to the 1970's. They include the Roman tradition of red festal hangings, suspended chandeliers, and all the majesty and solemnity that counter-reformation Catholicism could muster, s…
