Pentecost: The Grandest Octave?
The following is a reprint of an article I published six years ago on a subject of particular interest to me: the ancient Octave of Pentecost. As many will already know, but some who are newer to these issues may not, in the ancient liturgical tradition the great feast of P…
The 2018 Pentecost Pilgrimage to Chartres - Part 2
Following up from yesterday's post, we wanted to conclude with the final day of the 2018 Chartres Pilgrimage which took place yesterday, culminating in the pilgrims reaching Chartres Cathedral for a Solemn Pontifical Mass in the usus antiquior celebrated by Robert Card…
The 2018 Pentecost Pilgrimage to Chartres
Throughout this past weekend -- and concluding today at Chartres -- the 2018 Notre Dame de Chretiente "Chartres pilgrimage" has been taking place. This pilgrimage always takes place at the time of Pentecost, beginning at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris and m…
The Pre-Reformation Vestments of Sixhills
In the midst of the gently rolling chalk hills of the Lincolnshire Wolds in eastern England, is the Catholic church of the Holy Rood in Market Rasen. The church was built in 1867 on the site of a church first founded in 1824, which was in turn a successor to a number of sm…
Red for Pentecost
With the great solemnity and octave of Pentecost fast approaching, I thought I'd do a simple and straightforward photo-post on some red vestments. Enjoy.
Teaching Music in the Parish (via the Bulletin)
How excellent to see this initiative at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver, British Columbia. The parish bulletin is an excellent resource for teaching the faithful the liturgical arts.
Rightly these arts are considered to rank among the noblest expressions of human geni…
Inculturation: Japanese and Chinese Madonnas
The idea of inculturation in the liturgical arts can very often be tossed aside with all too easy disregard because it has so often been pursued in contemporary times in ways that do not seem particularly in alignment with the Church's view of what it should be. Prope…
The Altar Boy
Altar servers are a big help. They contribute greatly to the art of the liturgy while at the same time discerning a possible call to holy orders. When boys learn from a young age the prayers, ceremonies, rites and rubrics of the public worship of the Church, they develop…
St. Willibrord, Utrecht
Some things require little explanation. One needn't explain why or how they are beautiful; it is simply self-evident. The Church of St. Willibrord in the Netherlands is one such example. St. Willibrord is a gothic revival church that was constructed in the 1870's. …
The Tradition of Clerical Dress
In many ways the priest shares himself with aesthetic elements that frame and support the liturgical arts. This includes inside and outside the physical church property. Part of this extension of his ministry is done through his ordinary dress and appearance. Classical te…
Before and After: St. Mark's in Peoria, Illinois
As it has been a little while since we've shown one of our popular 'Before and After' series, I thought I would share one from our good friends at Murals by Jericho (MBJ). This particular renovation took place at St Mark's Catholic Church in Peoria, Illinois…
Jerónimos Monastery: A Tour de Force of Liturgical Arts
One of the most beautiful places to visit in Portugal is the fascinating Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon. To see this place - and to pray here - is a fascinating experience for those who visit on pilgrimage. Our small group was privileged to celebrate Low Mass in the Extra…
The Traditional Mass in Hieratic Liturgical English
It is certainly true that before the 1960s, the American laity would have universally heard the Mass in Latin. But they would also have read Mass in the vernacular. Perhaps we have not adequately appreciated that fact. We actually have a longstanding tradition of liturgical…
The Riches of the Roman Martyrology
We recently spoke here recently of the importance of the Divine Office and I wish to now turn your attention to the Roman Martyology .
The martyrology is filled with all sorts of nuggets of information for your edification and is certainly worthy of your attention. One of t…
Posture as Liturgical Art: The Canonical Digits
This photo was taken at Rome's San Salvatore in Onda during Low Mass celebrated by a wonderful priest from Austria. The image is important because it captures the celebrant maintaining "canonical digits." In other words, he is holding his index fingers and t…
Hand Illuminated Altar Cards of Nina Somerset
In the liturgical arts, there is both a place and necessity for mass produced items that can be quickly procured to stock a church and sacristy with the necessary items for the execution of the sacred liturgy. That said, once that is done there is great value to be found i…
Patriarchal Liturgy of Lisbon (Continued)
The liturgical arts of the Patriarchal See of Lisbon are on full display in these few images. The rites and objects surrounding the patriarchal liturgy in Portugal are not alien to East or West. Clearly elements have been taken and borrowed from both and have outlived and…
Praying the Divine Office at Home in the Domestic Church
The subject of the Divine Office is one that I like to raise from time to time and it often brings with it a swell of interest and curiosity. Usually going hand in hand with this is a series of questions about how one can go about praying it. This is very encouraging for in…
