Every sacristy would do well to have this hand-lettered list of vesting prayers framed and visible on the vesting cabinet. These are prayers that a priest prays for the donning of each of the sacred vestments in the sacristy before Mass. Also helpful is the prayer for the…
Vesting Prayers for the Sacristy
Every sacristy would do well to have this hand-lettered list of vesting prayers framed and visible on the vesting cabinet. These are prayers that a priest prays for the donning of each of the sacred vestments in the sacristy before Mass. Also helpful is the prayer for the…
Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics in Ohio (Archdiocese of Cincinnati)
Visitors approaching the farming community of Maria Stein in Western Ohio notice two large steeples from separate churches soaring into the sky. These symbolic monuments to God are testimonies of the solid faith of the German immigrant farmers who settled here during the n…
Formed in Beauty: Sacred Art by Tianna Williams
One of the most gifted Catholic artists of today is Tianna Williams of Canada. Her paintings are simply astounding. Some of her most recent works include a series of paintings of saints done in collaboration with Ascension Press and Fr. Josh Johnson, seen here . Last ye…
Before and After: Statue Restoration by Conrad Schmitt Studios
It is very easy to consider damaged liturgical items as lost to the sands of time, whether it is threaded antique vestments or damaged sculptures and so on. The reality, however, is that liturgical artists and conservationists do exist who can potentially repair such items.…
A Hand Carved, Wooden Altar Cross from ALBL Oberammergau
If you take a look at the altar cross which is the subject of this particular article, you will no doubt begin by thinking, "what a beautiful piece of metalwork" however, the assumption that this is a work done in metal, while understandable, would actually be inc…
Churches of Latin America: BasÃlica y Convento de San Francisco de Lima, Peru
Today we begin our first instalment of our consideration of the Churches of Latin America with the Basilica and Convent of St. Francis in Lima, Peru. The first structure on this site, dated to the 16th century, was destroyed in an earthquake in 1655, and so construction beg…
1940's Crosier of Bishop James J. Byrne, S.T.D.
A simple contemporary crosier, symbolic of the shepherd's crook. Today it is part of the treasury of the Cathedral of Dubuque, Iowa. It was the crosier given to Bishop James J. Byrne, S.T.D. when he was consecrated bishop on July 2, 1947 in the Cathedral of St. Paul i…
New Traditional Church Architecture in Spain
The Diocese of Alcalá de Henares, just outside of Madrid, approved last week the construction of a new Church for the Parish of St Theresa of Avila. Established a decade ago to serve the growing community in a newly developed neighborhood,
the Parish has been housed in ve…
Liturgical and Historical Notes on the Ancient Observance of Octaves
The matter of octaves are one of the liturgical reforms of the 20th century that frequently get a lot of attention from those interested in the subject of 20th century liturgical reform. Opinions range from those who believe the octave reforms were justified (with the possi…
The Ceremonies of Holy Saturday in the Papal Chapel and St. John Lateran as Described in 1839
The following is an excerpt taken from C.M. Baggs work, "The Ceremonies of Holy Week at the Vatican and St. John Lateran's Described" which was published in Rome in 1839. Those interested in this work can find it online . This particular excerpt describes the c…
Reviving the Tradition of the Crotalus: Liturgical Instrument of the Easter Triduum
The earlier portion of the Mass of Holy Thursday is joyful. When the Gloria is intoned by the celebrant, the organ sounds and the bells are rung - and suddenly they cease, remaining silent in a somber mood until the Gloria on Holy Saturday when all the lights are turned on…
The Ceremonies of Good Friday in the Papal Chapel and St. Peter's as Described in 1839
The following is an excerpt taken from C.M. Baggs work, "The Ceremonies of Holy Week at the Vatican and St. John Lateran's Described" which was published in Rome in 1839. Those interested in this work can find it online . This particular excerpt describes the c…
The Ceremonies of Holy Thursday in the Papal Chapel, Pauline Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica as Described in 1839
The following is an excerpt taken from C.M. Baggs work, "The Ceremonies of Holy Week at the Vatican and St. John Lateran's Described" which was published in Rome in 1839. Those interested in this work can find it online . This particular excerpt describes the c…
The Custom of Popes Buried in Red Vestments
Above is an image of Pope John XXIII after his death in 1963, dressed in red vestments for burial (the arms on the front of the chasuble appear to be from the Comune di Roccantica, where he spent his summers as a seminarian). An ancient Byzantine custom, red is the color o…
The Facade of the Duomo of Florence
One of the most beautiful cathedral exteriors in all of Europe is arguably that of the duomo of Florence, Santa Maria del Fiore. Not only the facade of course, but the entire exterior is a marvel to behold, utilizing multiple colours of marble to create a kaleidoscope of f…
The Ceremonies of Palm Sunday in the Papal Chapel and St. John Lateran as Described in 1839
The following is an excerpt taken from C.M. Baggs work, "The Ceremonies of Holy Week at the Vatican and St. John Lateran's Described" which was published in Rome in 1839. Those interested in this work can find it online . It describes the ceremonies of the Palm…
Before and After: Holy Cross Catholic Church in East Bernard, Texas
E cclesiastical Studio and Sons recently shared some images of a church renovation project they took part in at Holy Cross Catholic Church located in East Bernard, Texas. The project involved the installation of a new freestanding altar as well as a new traditional altar and…
Three Turn of the Century Chasubles from Lyon
Aside from Venice, Lucca and Florence, one of the other European cities that would become renowned for its textiles was the French city of Lyon, seat of the Primate of the Gallicans and home to one of the largest textile museums in the world, the Musée de Tissus. Lyon woul…
Book Review: True Obedience in the Church by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski
Dr. Peter Kwasniewski has written yet another very interesting book, True Obedience in the Church: A Guide to Discernment in Challenging Times , published by Sophia Institute Press . This book is an informative read, a short and enjoyable summary of a complex topic, especial…
Chasuble and Cope of Cardinal de Bonald, Primate of Lyon
Designed in 1841 by Pierre Bossan, this chasuble was presented to Cardinal be Bonald upon his elevation to that high office -- and as a point of interest for our readers, Bossan was also the designer responsible for the famous Marian chasuble of the Cure d'Ars, St. John…
The Cenacle Press at Silverstream Priory in Ireland
Many readers of LAJ are quite familiar with the Cenacle Press at Silverstream Priory in Ireland. The monks’ online shop offers a wide variety of Catholic items and books, a boon to the Catholic faithful in Ireland and the EU looking for Catholic titles from American or UK …
More on the Illumination of St. Peter's Basilica
In July of 2020 we covered the subject of The Sanpietrini and the Illumination of St. Peter's Basilica . In that article we gave some of the background and the mechanics of this practice, showing both interior and exterior images of the same. Since the writing of that a…
