Green vestments from the Renaissance and Middle Ages have less commonly survived and come down to us, no doubt in part because typically the vestments which have survived are also those that are the most precious and ornamental in nature -- and typically the most precious a…
Rare Survivals: A Green Cope from the 1500's
Green vestments from the Renaissance and Middle Ages have less commonly survived and come down to us, no doubt in part because typically the vestments which have survived are also those that are the most precious and ornamental in nature -- and typically the most precious a…
Some Early Modern Byzantine Mitres
Within the Latin West, we are, of course, accustomed to the iconic curved and pointed episcopal mitre. In an article we published here in 2022, we detailed a very brief history of theWestern mitre and the evolution its shape . One of the things we noted in that article was t…
Medieval Survivals and Its Liturgical Lessons For Today: A Twelfth Century Apparelled Alb
Albs are one of those basic items of clerical vesture that tend to get a lot more attention these days than one would think they might. Likely derived from the Roman tunic, at root they are simply a white linen under-robe that is worn by clerics beneath the other, much more…
The Fifteenth Century Frauenfeld-Kreuzlingen Mitre
Crafted circa 1414-1420, the Frauenfeld mitre is an exquisite and rare, in tact example of a late medieval mitre. The mitre is thought to have been possibly commissioned by the Abbot of Kreuzlingen, Erhard Lind, after the anti-pope John XXIII granted him the privilege of we…
Altarpieces of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
While the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was only officially made a dogma in the 1950's, belief in the Assumption does, of course, extend back much further into history than this. It was celebrated at least as early as the fourth or fifth century and attesting to…
Some Sacristies of Europe
What is a sacristy? For most Catholics, they tend to think of the sacristy (which is sometimes also called a vestry or, in some liturgical books, a diaconicum or secretarium ) as something akin to a mere 'cloak room' or 'storage room' for priests. There is …
The Chapel of the Virgin: Crown Jewel of the Cathedral of Rouen
The Chapel of the Virgin (Chapelle de la Vierge) is an extraordinary chapel located in the axis of the cathedral of Rouen, more formally known as the Cathédrale Primatiale Notre-Dame de l'Assomption de Rouen. The chapel itself was begun in the year 1302 at the initiati…
A Semi-Conical Chasuble From the 1400's
Recently I came across this rather fetching chasuble that is thought to be of Italian and/or German origin, dated to sometime within the 1400's. Many medieval chasubles can be rather 'busy,' covered as many often are, with all sorts of symbols and figures, but …
Alb (Camice) Made by St. Clare of Assisi
The liturgical garment known as an alb was in previous centuries much more flowing, as seen here in thirteenth century, with pleated sides. These oversized albs were held up at the waste with a regular cincture, allowing material to overhang at the waist. Similarly, sleeves…
The Cathedral-Basilica of San Lorenzo in Viterbo
Viterbo's Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral-Basilica of San Lorenzo, is a twelfth century Romanesque edifice located within central Italy part way between Rome and Florence. For a time, this particular basilica was home to two popes: Alexander IV and John XXI.
A Sixteenth Century Antependium Featuring the Roman Martyr, St. Lawrence
Saint Lawrence is a popular third century Roman martyr who was killed during the persecutions of the Emperor Valerian. He is said to have died in the year A.D. 258 at the tender age of 33 -- thus placing his martyrdom thirty years before that of another great and popular ma…
A Rare Example of a Western Vestment Showcasing the Transfiguration
For whatever reason, in the Christian West the Transfiguration is one of those events in the life of Christ that has not received as much liturgical prominence as say the Nativity, the Epiphany, or the Ascension. In fact in the Latin rite it was only in the mid-fifteenth ce…
The Feast of Our Lady of the Snows and the Medieval Facade of Santa Maria Maggiore
In a previous article , we discussed the current baroque and previous medieval facade of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Like so many of the churches of Rome, it has seen an evolution in its appearance over the centuries. In general, antique, Roman inspired facades were, in th…
The Five Cupolas of the Basilica of San Marco in Venice
In a previous article we spoke more generally about the Italo-Byzantine Domes of Venice . That particular article was focused primarily on the exterior of the domes with their distinctive shape that can be found throughout Venice as well as some other parts of Italy where th…
The Wooden Churches of Chile
While I tend to most appreciate a fully polychromed marble church in the Imperial Roman tradition, I have also always been drawn to wooden church structures. There is a certain rusticity about these churches that, much like a log cabin, feels comfortable in some way, shape …
The Fifth Century Byzantine Mosaic of Christ of Latomos in Thessaloniki
The church of Hosios David is a late, fifth century Byzantine church that was formerly the primary monastic church (or 'katholikon') of the Latomos Monastery. The church was originally built in the Byzantine 'cross in square' plan and, as such, it is one of …
A Selection of Mitres from the 1200's through the 1500's
In a previous article, written in January 2023, we considered the topic of The History and Development of the Mitre . That particular article was primarily concerned with the development of the shape of mitres over the course of their history. Today we are less concerned wit…
Filippino Lippi and the Beautiful Cappella Carafa in Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
To my mind, one of the most fascinating periods where the Western art of painting is concerned is the Renaissance. Renaissance era painters combine the piety and symbolism of the medieval period with the refined elegance and techniques of later ages such as the baroque. Th…
Vestments from the Norbertine Abbey of Averbode in Belgium
Recently I came across a truly stunning set of vestments from the Norbertine Abbey of Averbode, located near Brussels in Belgium -- but first a bit of history about the abbey itself. The abbey was founded in the first half of the twelfth century before it was suppressed for…
Tonsure Scissors for Liturgical Rites
Liturgical scissors are a rare sight. They are still seen and used in convents and some seminaries. The scissors are used in the ceremony by which clerics are made (tonsure) and the ceremony of first vows for nuns. The cutting of the hair in the rites permits us to consider…
A Digital Reconstruction of a Romanesque Era Altar and Sanctuary
Recently I came across an interesting virtual reconstruction which is a speculative reconstruction of the Romanesque presbytery of the original cathedral of Girona in Spain. This reconstruction was made by 3D Stoa (who have also done this excellent reconstruction of Old St.…
A Selection of Green Chasubles from the Renaissance Era
It is summer time and with summer we find ourselves -- predominantly -- in liturgically green times, so what better time of the year to stop and taken a little 'tour' of some fascinating chasubles in the colour green. For today's considerations I have opted to …
Remnants of a Carved Marble Chancel Screen from Thessaloniki
Typically, when one thinks of Byzantine or Eastern Christian art, we tend to think very much in terms of painted works, not sculptural one's, but of course this is more indicative of the direction Byzantine art would take in the second millennium and it is not necessari…
Trent Before the Counter-Reformation: A Selection of Pre-Conciliar Tridentine Altarpieces
What was Trent like before it became "Trent" as we now tend to think of it? What I mean of course is what were the churches in Trent like prior to the Council of Trent (1545-1563) -- pre-conciliar Trent, if you will. The Council of Trent came out of a need for th…
Liturgical Curiosities: A Gilt Leather Chasuble, Maniple and Stole
Over the years I've seen many curious things and in the realm of sacred vestments one of the more interesting things I've come across are various chasubles made of lace . Now when you think about it historically that's not so very unusual. You use what you have …
Sacerdos Ecclesiastical Tailoring in the Philippines
Art is a tool and since the very essence of liturgical art is to honor God and present the invisible in visible form, it is of the utmost importance to have tailors and artists who can offer the best possible product for service at the altar. The liturgical arts industry is…
A Hidden Masterpiece: The Statue of the Virgin and Child in the Basilica of Sant'Anastasia al Palatino, Rome
I recently came across a very beautiful statue of the Virgin and Child that is located in the Basilica of Sant'Anastasia al Palatino in Rome. This particular statue has a particular European elegance to it and, based on its particular qualities and style, I would wonder…
The Royal Chapel of the Trinity in Château de Fontainebleau
The Château de Fontainebleau was formerly a royal residence located near Paris, having been used by a number of French monarchs as their summer residence (and as an interesting aside, Pope Pius VII stayed here in 1804 en route to crowning Napoleon 'emperor,' and he …
The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, Connecticut
The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, Connecticut was constructed between 1924 - 1928 by the architectural firm of Maginnis and Walsh of Boston. It was in 2008 that it was granted its honorific designation as a 'basilica' by Pope Benedict XVI. (For…
Contemporary Polychromed Sculpture - Val Gardena and the Studio of Ana Rocha
Recently Hape Sculpture , based out of Laion, Italy, revealed a collaborative piece with the atelier of Ana Rocha . This particular collaboration involved Hape producing the hand-carved wooden sculpture itself -- in this instance, a baroque-inspired statue of St. Peter -- wh…
From Kitchen to Chapel: St. Matthew Adoration Chapel in Forestville, Connecticut
C anning Liturgical Arts recently shared a rather unique project with LAJ that involved the conversion of a parish's kitchen space into an adoration chapel. In some senses this might be considered a sort of "before and after" but to my mind, a project such as t…
The Italo-Byzantine Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio in Palermo, Sicily
Those with knowledge of the history of Italy will know that the southern regions have seen various cultural entities inhabiting and ruling there down the centuries. The Byzantine-Greeks were one such entity and for that reason it should likely come as little surprise that w…
