We have spoken before of the tradition of festal red hangings for liturgical occasions of particular solemnity. This tradition was particularly in evidence in the southern portions of Europe and continues to this day in the country of Malta. While we have shown the end re…
The Construction of a Liturgical Solemnity in the Roman Rite
We have spoken before of the tradition of festal red hangings for liturgical occasions of particular solemnity. This tradition was particularly in evidence in the southern portions of Europe and continues to this day in the country of Malta. While we have shown the end re…
Follow Up: New Floral Vestment Work
As a followup to our recent piece on floral vestments and their use at this time of the year, I wanted to share some new work being done in this regard. This particular set comes from Pluriarte who are based out of Spain.
What I particularly like about this set is that the…
The Restoration of a Statue of St. Joseph and the Christ Child
A quick look at the condition of some of the statues of the ancient Greeks and Romans will tell you how prone they are to damage, particularly where the extremities are concerned. It is at these points they are structurally the weakest and if that sort of damage should hap…
The Tradition of Floral Vestments: Apropos to Eastertide, Marian Feasts, Spring and Summer
Now that we are in the liturgical season of Easter, it is natural that one's thoughts should likewise turn to the new season of calendar year we find ourselves in, namely spring. It is at this time of the calendar year, after all, that the cold of winter gives way to t…
The Splendor of the "Romano-Seraphicum" Missal in the Holy Land
One of the best kept liturgical secrets in the Church is the unique liturgical life found in the Patriarchal See (Diocese) of Jerusalem with its fascinating Roman-Seraphic Missal (Missale Romano-Seraphicum) and Votive Mass Missal (Missale Votivum Terrae Sanctae) of the Ord…
Vestments Suited to the Octave of Easter: A Visual Meditation
An octave is the eight day celebration of a feast that, liturgically, forms the equivalent of a single liturgical feast. With that in mind, I thought I would share with readers a few examples of some vestments well suited to this solemnity of solemnities, celebrated through…
The Ceremony of the Washing of the Papal Altar in St. Peter's Basilica on Holy Thursday
Traditionally on Holy Thursday in St. Peter's Basilica, there was a curious ceremony which took place, the ablution (or washing) of the papal altar with water and wine. Cardinal Wiseman, in his lectures on the offices and ceremonies of Holy Week in the papal chapels , …
The Funeral of Christ: Franciscan Treasures of Good Friday
A guest article by Anaïs Uberti, a student in Jerusalem and communications director at the Terra Sancta Museum.
Today churches around the world celebrate and commemorate the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. Each year, on the very site where the historical events took plac…
Three Historical Chasubles: A Visual Meditation for the Sacred Triduum
This evening marks the beginning of the Triduum and as a visual meditation on this most solemn time of the liturgical year, I thought I would quickly share with our readers three vestments that incorporate images and symbols that are certainly appropriate for this time of …
“Palm” Sunday and the Sanctification of Creation
Dr. Peter Kwasniewski has shared some richly splendid thoughts on Facebook on his first pre-1955 Palm Sunday Mass:
The "missa sicca" or dry Mass at the beginning, with an Epistle, Gradual, and Gospel, then a Preface prior to the blessing of the palms -- all of th…
Notre-Dame de Paris: Jewel of France
It was sickening to awake to the devastating news yesterday that our beloved Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris – Our Lady of Paris – the jewel of the Kingdom of France, has been devastated by fire. Begun in 1160 and completed in 1260, over 850 years of art and history have bee…
The Funeral of Christ in the Holy Sepulcher
I. Introduction
Most Catholics will be familiar with the multi-part reading of the Passion Gospel during the liturgies of Holy Week in the Roman Rite. In previous centuries all throughout Europe, elaborately staged, mimetic enactments of the Passion took place in and out of…
The Ambo: A Brief Consideration
Today, when one refers to an "ambo" in a church, most would tend to think of a small, podium or lectern like structure, sometimes made of wood, though more frequently made of stone. However, the ambo was at one time a much more grandiose structure:
Originally the…
Art for Prayer: Albrecht Durer's Green Passion
The Green Passion is one of several cycles drawn by Durer between the end of the 15th century and the beginning of 16th century. Of all the cycles by Durer, the Green Passion is possibly the most attractive and the most evocative – an art piece created for personal venerat…
The Mantum of the Popes: Further Examples
A few weeks ago, we featured three lesser seen examples of the papal mantum -- essentially a cope with a long train -- taken from the excellent book, Il Papa e le sue vesti . Today I thought I would share a few more examples of this papal vestment taken from the same book…
The Empress of Austria Vestments at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth
An interesting vestment set came to my attention recently: the "Empress of Austria" vestments located within the Pontifical University, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, in Ireland. The college museum describes the set and its history accordingly:
Presented by…
The Veils of Passiontide
In the traditional Roman liturgical calendar, the final two weeks before Easter Sunday are known as Passiontide and a beautiful tradition unfolds at this time whereby statues and other sacred images are veiled.
Practically speaking, this veiling is prepared prior to the Fi…
Introducing Pluriarte
Today I wanted to very quickly share a little bit of the vestment work of Pluriarte . Pluriarte specializes in vestments in the French, Italian and Spanish traditions, showing influences, in both form and design, that span the 17th through 19th centuries. What I mean is th…
National Shrine of the Apostle Paul
One of the most magnificent shrines in North America is the National Shrine of the Apostle Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota. I have always said it is one of the most perfectly laid out sanctuaries of any church I have seen anywhere in the world. An ideal liturgical space with…
Laetare Sunday in Lyon
I have frequently commented over the years about the excellent Roman liturgical sense of the FSSP church in Lyon that is under the guidance of Abbé Brice Meissonnier. This past Laetare Sunday was no different for it provided an opportunity for them to unveil yet another ex…
The Parisian Church of Notre Dame de Lorette
Today I wished to share with our readers some photographs of the beautiful Parisian church of Notre Dame de Lorette. Construction on this particular church began in 1823 and was completed in 1836. It is a remarkably beautiful church done in the neoclassical style. (Some o…
The Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Fairfield, Pennsylvania
Recently, LAJ was sent a note by the Director of Development of the Fairfield Carmelites about their exciting project to raise a new monastery modelled after St. Teresa of Avila's own original plans for her Carmel. Central to the project is the use of traditional mater…
