On Raising the Chasuble at the Elevations (re-posted)

In the celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the minister (deacon or altar server) is directed to raise the chasuble slightly in his left hand as the celebrant elevates the Sacred Host and then the Chalice. This direction is given in the Ritus Servandus VIII, 8; the Caeremoniale Episcoporum II, viii and a decision of the Congregation of Sacred Rites no. 3535.

What is the origin of this practice? It dates from that period when chasubles - conical in form - were voluminous and constrained the celebrant from raising his arms above his shoulders. Lifting the lower right hand corner of the chasuble actually enabled the celebrant a greater movement of the arms. Thus, the origin of this ceremonial action is purely practical. Much has been written about mystic and symbolic meanings as being the origin of this action, which assertions have no basis in fact.

The ceremonial books direct that the raising of the chasuble be a very subtle action. It was never intended that the chasuble be raised half-way up the celebrant's back or - worse still - be held up by both hands of the minister, making the chasuble seem like some fantastical ecclesiastical sail. Most assuredly such exaggerated movements are distracting both to the celebrant and to the congregation.

If the chasuble is not very ample at all, there is even more reason for its raising at the Elevation to be a very modest action: just a couple of inches at most. Furthermore, this gesture only accompanies the actual Elevations, and not the celebrant's accompanying genuflections.

Attached is a beautiful photograph of a Low Mass celebrated at Prinknash Abbey (UK) in 1940, illustrating perfectly how it should be done.

Festal Dalmatic

In recent months, the Saint Bede Studio completed this dalmatic - one of a pair - as part of a Solemn Mass set for a returning customer in the Diocese of Charleston (USA).

The dalmatic was made from a simple brocade of cotton and rayon, ornamented with a narrow galloon and an apparel in colours of burgundy and gold.  The lining was formed from a taffeta in a brassy shade of gold.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : Visit this page

In the month of the Blessed Virgin

We are pleased to present in this post another of the Studio's well-known sets in honour of the Blessed Virgin Ave Maris Stella. This particular set was made from a brocade in a very muted shade of gold,with the usual lining in Royal Blue taffeta.

These vestments are ornamented with the Studio's own unique braid Stella, based on the work of AWN Pugin.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : This page.

Our Work in a time of Pandemic

Greetings to all our customers and readers of this Blog.

The work of the Saint Bede Studio being carried out in a relative isolation, we have been able to continue sewing vestments during these six months in which the coronavirus has raged around the world. We consider ourselves very blessed to be able to continue our work, when others have been badly affected. Without too much difficulty, we have managed to keep to our schedule of commissions, but we have been affected - as so many others have been - by unpredictable international delivery times.

Your Christian patience is greatly appreciated.

One of our aspirations for 2020, however, has evaporated because of the restrictions in place over “socially distant” working conditions. This was our project to make “economy” vestments readily available for enquirers seeking simpler vestments. Unfortunately, this has been deferred for 2020, but we hope for improved circumstances next year.

Each day, the Studio receives a significant number of e-mail enquiries about vestments and related matters. It is not possible for these messages to receive immediate attention.

In this age, we are accustomed to instantaneous responses to e-mails, tweets, Facebook posts etc. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this ethos is not entirely embraced by The Saint Bede Studio.

We try to answer messages within 7 - 10 days.

Please note : Messages sent to the e-mail address saintbedestudio@hotmail.com should automatically be re-directed to our principal e-mail address (see below). It is better, however, that all enquiries are directed to the address below, which is advertised on the Studio Blog and website : 

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Priestly Ordinations 2019 : 9

For a young American priest, who was ordained in 2019, the Saint Bede Studio completed this set of vestments in the Gothic Revival style.

The vestments were made from a magnificent silk damask, woven in the United Kingdom.  Lined in a beautiful shade of blue taffeta, the vestments were ornamented with one of the Studio's unique braids.  This braid Saint Chad is derived from the ornament of a chasuble designed by AWN Pugin.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : This page.

Vestments in honour of BVM

Not infrequently, the Saint Bede Studio produces sets of vestments to honour the Blessed Virgin.  On this occasion, we depict the dalmatic which accompanied our familiar Ave Maris Stella chasuble set.  The vestments were made from an English ecclesiastical brocade, lined in Royal Blue taffeta.  The ornament is the Studio's unique braid Stella, based on a design by AWN Pugin.

The vestments were made for a customer in the United States.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : This page.

Vestments for Masses of the Holy Spirit

A returning customer from Connecticut (USA) asked the Studio to design a set of vestments for use in Masses of the Holy Spirit and, in particular, for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation.  We made this set in the style of Saint Philip Neri.

The ground fabric was a beautiful English brocade with a large design in the colours of red and gold. The ornamentation, in the Roman style, was a scarlet red shade of dupion silk, outlined with a silk braid in colours of yellow and deep red.  The vestments were lined in red taffeta.

From a distance, these vestments have a wonderful "flame" colour, partly red, partly gold, partly orange.  They are vibrant and distinctive.

Please click on the images for an enlarged view. 

Enquiries : Visit this page

The Studio Blog

Each day, the Saint Bede Studio receives enquiries from those seeking vestments from many parts of the world and often the first response is to direct the enquirer to the Studio Blog.  The Blog has been designed to be as comprehensive as possible, within its limits.  It has been set up for viewing via a computer screen, tablet (or equivalent), but is not best navigated via a smartphone.

Frequently we are asked if the Studio has a catalogue.  The answer is here .

In the right-hand column (or sidebar) of each page of the Blog are helpful links for visitors.  Some of these are links to important pages detailing Studio policies, how to place an order &c.

Below that are links with images to pages describing the styles of vestments which are frequently enquired about.

After that is a list of links; mostly these refer to posts about vestments in the various liturgical colours and our styles.  These are a good guide to the range of materials and ornaments we use for our vestments and the best substitute for a catalogue we can offer.

The Studio quite deliberately does not have an online store because it is our policy to supply our vestments only to those in Communion (broadly speaking) with the See of Peter.  We cannot ensure this if purchases are made online.  Although this does limit our business, we feel that this is the best approach to our work.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

The Season "Per Annum" 2020 : 2

In this post, we are pleased to illustrate a set of green vestments made for an ordinand from the United States.

This set, in the Saint Philip Neri style, was made from a beautiful shade of olive green dupion silk and lined in a coppery-shade of taffeta. 

The vestments were ornamented in the Roman style with a rich brocade in colours of burgundy and gold, edged with one of the Studio's unique braids in the colours of black and gold.

Please click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : Visit this page

Conical vestments

The Saint Bede Studio recently completed this set of red vestments for a returning customer from Texas (USA).  This is in the semi-conical form, the style of which pre-dates the mediaeval period.

The chasuble was made from a deep red shade of dupion silk and lined in a bronze-coloured taffeta.  Its ornament is based on the well-known chasuble of Saint Thomas Becket housed in the French Cathedral of Sens.

Please click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : Visit this page