Our Beloved Benedict XVI

Benedict XVI, our beloved Pope-emeritus, passed to his Eternal Reward at his residence in Rome earlier today, 31st December.  May he rest in peace. Amen.

Pope Benedict during Vespers in Saint Peter's
31st December 2011.

Over the last few years, Benedict XVI has quietly and slowly faded away.  Who would have believed that he would live so long beyond his abdication from the seat of Peter?  In these almost 10 years, he has continued to make a gentle contribution to the Church. He had the grace of a happy death, in God's embrace. 

How greatly the Church - now beleaguered by dissension, false-teaching, horrid scandals and rancour - will miss the holy presence of our beloved Benedict XVI.

May the angels lead him into Paradise.

AMDG

In this Holy Season 2022

 

To all friends, customers and readers of this Blog, 

sincere wishes for a Blessed Christmas.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill be made low; the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places, plain; and the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.
Isaiah 40:4-5.

Michael Sternbeck
The Saint Bede Studio
December 2022

In the Season of Advent : 2

On the last Sunday of Advent, the Studio is pleased to present this set of vestments, which was made for a Community of the Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter in the United States.

The Liturgy of the Ordinariate communities often incorporates vestiges of the English Sarum Use, which employed a different set of liturgical colours from those of the Roman Rite.  

These particular vestments were made for use during the Season of Advent and were fashioned from an English silk damask in a beautiful and subtle shade of blue.  The ornament was formed one of the Studio's unique braids, based on a geometric design of AWN Pugin, in colours of blue and straw-gold upon red.  The vestments were fully lined in a lovely shade of deep red taffeta. 

These vestments are in the Studio's Saint Austin form which is pointed at the front and the back in the Gothic Revival style.

Please click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : This page. 

Gaudete Sunday 2022

The Studio recently provided this simple set of Rose vestments to an esteemed customer in New Jersey (USA).

This vestment is made from a dusty shade of rose fabric and is ornamented with a column, front and back.  The ornament is formed from silver dupion silk and one of the Studio's unique braids Saint Edmund (based on a design of AWN Pugin).

The chasuble is unlined, but is faced at the neckline, helping it to sit well and not crumple.   The chasuble is lightweight, has a slight sheen, has good drapery and is comfortable to wear.

This chasuble is part of a range of economy vestments, which we call our Saint Anselm style.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

On the Immaculate Conception

To commemorate this Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we are pleased to present this set of vestments in honour of the Blessed Virgin.  These vestments are in the Saint Bede Studio's Maria Regina style.  

In this instance the chasuble is in a more ample Gothic form, made from an ecclesiastical brocade in the shade of ivory and lined in Royal Blue taffeta.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : This page. 

Advent Blue (re-posted)

In this Season of Advent, a debate regularly emerges about the use of "blue" vestments. The use of blue has advocates and fierce opponents.

Exactly what colour, however, is being suggested as Advent "Blue"? Is it the same colour as the flowers called "violets"? If so, then using that colour in Advent is not only permissible, but is embedded within the Church's Traditions. Some years ago, we presented an article about the history of the use of "violet" for vestments of the Roman Rite.

Click the links for Part One of the article and Part Two of the article.

In the adjacent illustration, a prelate of the Roman Court is shewn wearing choir dress.  What is distinctive is that the colour of the prelate's mantaletta is not the Roman purple that is familiar now for prelates, but violet. Up until the beginning of the 20th century (and even beyond in some places, such as France), violet was very common - even usual - for the choir dress of prelates.  Perhaps we may be permitted to regret that it no longer is.

This colour is the more traditional shade of "violet" used by the Church, despite the prevalence of darker shades now, which are more akin to "indigo".

In the Season of Advent : 1

In this Season of Advent, the Saint Bede Studio is pleased to present this set of vestments, which was made for a returning customer resident in the United States.

The vestments were made from an ecclesiastical brocade in a deep shade of violet.  A deep, narrow chevron formed from Peacock blue brocade was framed with a galloon comprised of knotwork in black upon a taup background.  This formed the chasuble ornament, front and back.  The vestments were fully lined in a lovely teal-blue taffeta. 

These vestments are in the Studio's Vezelay form which is ample, but carefully shaped to avoid falling upon the wearer like a blanket.

Please click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : This page.