The Clonfert Diocese in Loughrea County, Galway, on the West Coast of Ireland is the home to some very interesting liturgical treasures. One set of vestments that are particularly of interest is a black solemn Mass set that was donated by Napoleon Bonaparte to Fr. William M…
Napoleon III Requiem Mass Set, Clonfert, Co. Galway
The Clonfert Diocese in Loughrea County, Galway, on the West Coast of Ireland is the home to some very interesting liturgical treasures. One set of vestments that are particularly of interest is a black solemn Mass set that was donated by Napoleon Bonaparte to Fr. William M…
Modern Saints and Blesseds in Sculpture
Talk to most any sculptor and carver and I suspect they will tell you that the most difficult saints and blesseds to sculpt are not the saints of centuries ago of whom no photographic images exist, it is rather the moderns who are visible in photographs, videos and the lik…
Templates for New Ecclesiastical Architecture: St. Anthony's in South Huntington
It was almost a decade ago that I first made note of the, then, newly constructed chapel of St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington, New York. Given how much time has passed since then, and given that we have an entirely new generation of readers within that tim…
Putting an End to Pizza Box Forms of "Inculturation"
I am pretty sure that I could replicate typical post-conciliar approach to inculturation by stopping random strangers on the street and asking what one could do to make a Mass feel more…. fill in the blank . African? " Drums ." Afro-American? " Gospel music."…
The Museum Terra Sancta: An Interview with the Director of the Cultural Heritage of the Holy Land
The following is an interview with Brother Stéphane Milovitch, OFM, superior of the Franciscan monastery of St. Savior in Jerusalem, about his role in caring for the patrimony of the Holy Sepulcher. He tells us about some the most striking pieces from the collection, and th…
Before and After: St. Columban Church in Chillicothe, Missouri
Continuing on with our 'Before and After' series, I wished to share a restoration with you today that was executed by one of our LAJ partners, Conrad Schmitt Studios . The restoration in question was of St. Columban Church in Chillicothe, Missouri. By way of a bit …
The Great Lectern of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris
An LAJ reader sends in the following photos and information the great lectern, or "grand lutrin" of Notre Dame de Paris:
The grand lutrin of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral is a lectern of 1868. It is part of Notre-Dame’s treasury and was included in the list of n…
Other Modern: The Liturgical Art and Design of Helena Vurnik
Some time ago, an article was published on LAJ that showed the splendour of bishop’s chapel of Trieste . That chapel was designed by the Slovenian architect, Ivan Vurnik. However, when we talk about Ivan Vurnik and his achievements we cannot fail to speak of his wife, Helen…
Mitra Pretiosa by Eugenio Alzas Bordador
Today I wished to show you some work by Eugenio Alzas Bordador who is located in Mexico. From what I so far understand, he is only starting to do this work in the area of vestments and as such he does not yet even have a website for his ecclesiastical work -- though that …
Solemn Mass of the Assumption from the Toronto Oratory
Ecclesiastical art and architecture is always best viewed when its liturgical purpose is being fulfilled. Accordingly, I wanted to circle back briefly to the Toronto Oratory and its new apsidal paintings. I had mentioned that a solemn Mass in the usus antiquior was being c…
Vestments as an Investment in the Legacy of a Catholic Institution or Parish
There is often an assumption at work that believes truly unique, new vestment works are no longer possible. Too much work and too expensive; this would summarize some of the primary reasons behind this idea. It is true that these sorts of vestments, complete with hand execu…
A Marian Altarpiece in High Renaissance Style
The Catholic Church has always been one of the most important and vigorous patrons of the arts in the world, and as such, it was and continues to be instrumental in inspiring and enabling production of an impressive body of works. Crafted and financed as means of expressio…
G.F. Bodley's Pentecost Chasuble
The gothic revival often doesn't get all the credit it should when it comes to vestment work. It is notably and justly famed for its architecture and metalwork (think of all the wonderful chalices displayed and used in so many churches and cathedrals) but when it comes…
Stunning New Apsidal Paintings at the Toronto Oratory
The Toronto Oratory has been called "a jewel in the crown of Canadian Catholicism" and that jewel just received a shiny new upgrade. Many of you will be familiar with the work of Ken Woo , the New Jersey based artist whose works have graced the Church of Our Savi…
New Vestment Work: French Style Roman Set from Luzar Vestments
We have commented here before that while individually commissioned vestments are extremely important in the realm of the liturgical arts, there is also a place for 'off the rack' type of vestments -- by which I simply mean standard stock offerings that are availabl…
Newly Dedicated Chapel of the Holy Cross, Jesuit High School of Tampa
This past August 7th, Bishop Michael C. Barber, S.J. dedicated the new Chapel of the Holy Cross at the Jesuit High School of Tampa Bay. The chapel seats 950 and is the design of Duncan G. Stroik Architect . The stained glass was executed by Conrad Schmitt Studios , the paint…
Jacques Maritain: "Some Reflections Upon Religious Art"
The following is a short address given by Catholic philosopher, Jacques Maritain, titled "Some Reflections Upon Religious Art" -- later published in Art and Scholasticism. In this essay, given in 1924, Maritain looks critically at certain kinds of devotional Cath…
Terra Sancta Museum Announces Forthcoming Publication of Extensive Catalogue of Vestments from the Custodia Treasury
The Franciscans in the Holy Land are opening the next phase of the Terra Sancta Museum , a museum which showcases Christian history in the Holy Land along with its accumulated liturgical holdings which, LAJ is told, includes over a thousand sets of vestments, countless preci…
The Pontifical Dalmatic and Tunicle: A Brief History and Consideration
Continuing on with our consideration of the pontifical vestments, I wished to turn our attention today to the pontifical dalmatic and tunicle. These pontificals are utilized by prelates in the context of the solemn pontifical Mass. Having vested in the buskins and sandal…
A Brief Consideration of Classical Versus Contemporary Sanctuary Arrangement
Very much has been made of the principle of noble simplicity these past few decades. It has often been utilized as a justification for sanctuary reorderings, vestment tossings (or "museuming") and the like. Fortunately this approach is quickly becoming a relic of…
Two Wood-Carved Statues from Mussner G. Vincenzo Art Studio for a Californian Basilica
Some of our readers may have simply resigned themselves to the idea that sculptural works today are necessarily derived from the unfortunate, saccharine tendencies of "Saint-Suplice." They may have likewise resigned themselves to the idea that sculptural works t…
More Reflections on the Importance of Liturgical Beauty
The liturgical arts are important; this is our belief. This belief is not merely our own here on LAJ however, it is rather one that is formed and affirmed by the Church herself, testified to by her guidance and legislation around the same. This activity on the part of the …
The Salvator Mundi Chasuble - A Creative Reconstruction
Granda, a Spanish liturgical arts workshop and a vestment atelier, recently accepted commission to make a chasuble based on a sixteenth century antique. A red fabric fragment together with the embroidered images of Salvator Mundi and Our Lady with Child served as an inspir…
