Recently I came across a rather interesting manuscript that shows various images of medieval/renaissance liturgical life, treasure and dress. In addition to these primary benefits, there is also something particularly evocative about the style of the drawings (at least in m…
Certain works of liturgical art are frequently seen, published repetitively, over and over, and the works of Sir Ninian Comper are no different in this regard. We often see certain select works coming out of his catalogue of work, but beyond that we are treated to very litt…
The 'gremiale' is one of those rarely seen liturgical textiles -- rarely seen because it's use in modern times has primarily (but not exclusively) been limited to the context of solemn pontifical occasions such as the solemn pontifical Mass. This was primarily …
Konrad Perathoner is a 55 year old artist and sculptor who presently lives in Rome and whose work can be found by way of Consilium Domum Deo - Koni . What particularly drew our attention to his work are the monumental sketches of altars and altar pieces, remarkable in their…
Awhile back we shared news around the transformation of a former dining hall to a beautiful chapel . That project involved the efforts of, amongst others, Little Way Construction . While researching that piece, I came across images of another similar sort of project they were…
Venice is filled with architectural treasures, textile treasures and artistic treasures generally, and to date we've shared some overviews of some of the more important churches of this wonderful northern Italian city, however today I wanted to focus in on one specific …
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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 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 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 …
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…
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…
The church of San Girolamo della Carità is one of many hidden little gems in Rome, tucked in near the Palazzo Farnese and Campo de'Fiori. It is said to be the site of the fourth century home of the matron St. Paola who hosted St. Jerome while he lived there at her domus…
In the midst of lockdowns and the like, it could be easy to neglect the fact that work, while significantly slowed down, was still ongoing for many liturgical craftsmen, not least of which Rugo Stone whose expertise was utilized in a project for Christendom College's Ch…
Vestments, like anything else, are subject to become dirtied from dust, oils and other substances, but worse yet, whether through age or improper storage, they can also have more significant damages such as threading. When this happens, it is easy to think the vestment is …
Azulejos are traditional ceramic tiles that are synonymous with Portugal. These beautiful and distinctive blue and white tiles can be seen in various venues throughout that country, not least of which Portugese churches such as the church of São Lourenço de Almancil. While …
D aniel Mitsui's art and style will be familiar to many of our readers already. He has been active within the realm of Catholic art and illustration for as long as I can remember. That stated goal of his artistic approach is "to make art that is faithful to traditi…
There are many different papal portable thrones that have been used over the centuries, each a part of the requisite rituals of papal life. This Italian-made Renaissance example dates from the mid-1600s, covered in a rich crimson silk velvet. Because of its softness, unique…
Chasubles known as "guitar" chasubles are a time-honored style of vestment seen in Spain and her former colonies. Also seen in Spain is the neckpiece apparel for deacons called a "collarin." Both are prime examples of authentic "inculturation" …
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…
Italian elegance from the fashion capital of the world, the former Duchy of Milan, made according to traditional methods in Como, Italy. The high quality of the rich fabric and patterned galloon catches the attention of all who see it. This silk brocade large cut pianeta wi…
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…