Vestments for Offices of the Dead

It is no secret that in many Catholic dioceses, there is an unease about wearing black vestments at funerals, despite what is set down in the General Instructions of the Roman Missal.  Frequently, there are in place outright prohibitions on the use of black vestments. 

This being the case, some years ago the Studio prepared a design for a set of vestments for use at funeral rites by those priests who would prefer not to use white vestments, but are not in a position to wear black.  Adjacent is an image of these vestments, which we call Lux Aeterna.

The vestments are very simple and deliberately so.  A subdued, but not dark shade of violet fabric has been used, avoiding the purple which is associated with Lent.  

The chasuble is ornamented with a column at the front and at the back.  This column is formed from two of the Studio's unique braids, both in the Gothic Revival style and in colours of black and platinum / grey.

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

The Season Per Annum 2025 : 25

This set of vestments is in a very different shade of green. It is a brocade which has brighter green ornament woven into a black background. A set of vestments in such a deep shade of green is best used in churches where there is abundant light, otherwise it will look too penitential in its aspect.

Fully-lined in taffeta, this dalmatic is ornamented with one of the Studio's unique braids called ChiRho.  It was designed especially for use with green vestments. This dalmatic is also ornamented with an apparel, rust-red in colour, which has been placed on the front and the back.

Dalmatics made by the Saint Bede Studio all have sleeves which are sewn together from under the arm unto the wrist, as was the case with the dalmatic and tunic from ancient times until the excesses of the Baroque caused them to be stiffened and shortened to look more like a suit of armour.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

On These Festal Days : 2

On these days of beautiful Feasts of the Angels and Saints, the Saint Bede Studio is pleased to present a further image depicting the set of festal vestments shewn in yesterday's post. 

The vestments are made from a distinctive tapestry fabric in a very muted gold, with golden highlights. They are fully-lined in golden taffeta.

This Borromeon chasuble is ornamented in the well-known Roman style, being the TAU at the front and a column at the back, formed by one of the Studio's unique braids Saint Columba and an outlining gold galloon.

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

The chasuble is in the Studio's Borromeon style, which is the product of years of research into historical vestments and refinement of dimensions for comfortable use.  The Studio revived this more ample 16th century style of the Roman chasuble in 2007 and since then we have made many of them.  Beware of poorly-made imitations!

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

On these festal days

On these days of beautiful Feasts of the Angels and Saints, the Saint Bede Studio is pleased to present this post featuring a set of festal vestments, made in the Borromeon style. 

The vestments are made from a distinctive tapestry fabric in a very muted gold, with golden highlights.  They are fully-lined in golden taffeta. 

This chasuble is ornamented in the well-known Roman style, being the TAU at the front and a column at the back, formed by one of the Studio's unique braids Saint Columba and an outlining gold galloon.

The first image depicts the back of the chasuble; the second image depicts the lower edge of the chasuble front. 

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

The chasuble is in the Studio's Borromeon style, which is the product of years of research into historical vestments and refinement of dimensions for comfortable use.  The Studio revived this more ample 16th century style of the Roman chasuble in 2007 and since then we have made many of them.  Beware of poorly-made imitations!

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

The Season Per Annum 2025 : 24

 

This post features a set of vestments in the Studio's nod to contemporary styles.  This style we call Saint Martin.  It is both long and wide and is especially designed to fold up beautifully when the arms of the celebrant are elevated.

Tasteful contemporary vestments are made by certain studios in Italy, France and Germany, but we also make them here in Australia at the Saint Bede Studio.  This set has a simple dignity and is made from high quality fabrics.

These vestments are made from a darker shade of green brocade and lined with a contrasting green fabric.  The ornament is very simple : a TAU in the front and a column at the back, formed from an ecclesiastical brocade in colours of burgundy and old gold. 

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

Festal Gothic Revival Vestments

In this post, we are pleased to present another set of festal vestments, in the Gothic Revival style.  This set is constructed from ecclesiastical brocade in a shade of ivory.  The vestments are lined in a brassy shade of gold taffeta. 

The ornament is formed from an orphrey braid in colours of  straw-gold upon a red background.  This braid is directly based on a design by AWN Pugin.  Forming an outline to the orphrey braid is a narrow galloon in the same colours.

This is a beautiful and distinctive set of vestments.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics. 

 

Click on the images for an enlarged view. 

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG 

The Simplex Mitre

Not seen so regularly on the Studio blog are episcopal mitres, although we usually make a few of these each year.

 

In this post, we feature a simple mitre made for an Australian bishop.  This mitre is in the Gothic style and is made entirely of pure linen.  

Click on the image for an enlarged view. 

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

The simple mitre is used by bishops and abbots during the Season of Lent, on Good Friday, in all Offices of the Dead and by a bishop who is concelebrating Mass.  During such a concelebration, the Ceremonial of Bishops makes it quite clear that only the Bishop-celebrant may wear an ornamented mitre.

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

The custom mitres produced by the Saint Bede Studio are almost entirely hand-made.  Great care is taken with the design of the mitre to provide a comfortable fit and good proportions.  They are always provided with a sturdy cloth bag to keep them clean and secure.

Are you interested in presenting a mitre to your bishop?  If so, please contact us to discuss possibilities.

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

Festal Gothic Revival Vestments

In this post, we are pleased to present another set of festal vestments, in the Gothic Revival style.  This set is constructed from ecclesiastical brocade in a muted shade of gold.  The vestments are lined in a shade of red taffeta. 

The ornament is formed from an orphrey braid in colours of blue and straw-gold upon a red background.  This is one of the Studio's unique braids called Saint Edmund and is directly based on a design by AWN Pugin.  

This is a beautiful and distinctive set of vestments.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics. 

 

Click on the image for an enlarged view. 

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG 

Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured on 24th September under various titles :  Our Ladye of Ransom; Our Ladye of Mercy and our Ladye of Walsingham.

In this post, we are pleased to describe a set of Marian vestments which we call Ave Maris Stella,  being in the Gothic Revival style.  These vestments have been very popular with customers of the Studio.

The decorative focus of this vestment is an orphrey braid which is based on the work of AWN Pugin.  This braid is produced in two shades of blue (lighter and darker) with figured ornament in gold.

These vestments were made from an ecclesiastical damask in the shade of ivory and lined in mid-blue taffeta.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Click on the images for an enlarged view. 

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG 

Saint Andrew's Abbey-Church Bruges (Belgium)

Photograph: Dirk Vde 2007
Please note: The above copyrighted image may not be reproduced in any circumstances.

The magnificent Benedictine Abbey-Church of Saint Andrew in Bruges, Belgium is completely intact and truly glorious.

The altar rests beneath a magnificent civory or ciborium, the vault of which is covered with golden mosaic tiles. The apse walls are treated with inlaid marblework and murals painted in the Beuronese school of sacred art. Equally magnificent is the Cosmatesque floor of the sanctuary.

The altar of Saint Joseph in the Abbey-Church.
Here is seen a further example of the Beuronese school of sacred art.
The altar itself, together with its bronze Crucifix and candlesticks, is a work of art,
beautifully detailed and admirably proportionate.

The charming photograph adjacent was taken in the Abbey Church of Saint Andrew in Bruges, Belgium around 1958.  A Benedictine monk is pictured at the beginning of a Low Mass, attended by two servers.

Re-posted from our other Blog Where Heaven and Earth Meet.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.