Thursday 26 October 2023

Festal Vestments in the Gothic Revival Style

Gothic Revival Vestments
We are pleased to present these images of a set of vestments recently made by the Studio for a Parish in the Archdiocese of Sydney (Australia).   This set is made in the Gothic Revival style and is pointed at the lower edge of the chasuble front and back.

The Saint Bede Studio

Our customer requested a set of vestments with an understated design and we produced something with the colour scheme of ivory, buttercup yellow and red.  The ground fabric is a beautiful English floriated brocade in a shade of ivory.  The vestments were lined in taffeta in a muted shade, buttercup. 

Gothic Revival Vestments

These vestments were ornamented in the Gothic manner with one of the Studio's unique braids in shades of red, burgundy and straw gold; it is called Saint Giles.  This braid we have used over the years to ornament vestments in all the Liturgical colours, with the exception of Rose.  It is distinctive because the figured ornament of this braid is very restrained and punctuates the basic red colour.  This simple ornament is effective from a great distance.  This braid is woven for the sole use of the Saint Bede Studio.

White vestments

For most of our chasubles, the perimeter is trimmed with a narrow galloon.  Such galloons, too, have been woven for the Studio's exclusive use.  In this instance, the galloon is a simple design of quatrefoils in gold upon a red base.


Gothic Revival Vestments


Click on the images for an enlarged view. 

The Saint Bede Studio

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AMDG

Wednesday 11 October 2023

During troubled times for the Church



Almighty, Eternal God, by ever giving strength to our weakness, you enable the Church to flourish even amidst its trials, so that when it appears to men to be utterly cast down, then rather does it gloriously prevails. Whilst then, it accepts affliction as a proving of its faith, let it persevere, by your grace, in triumphant loyalty. Amen.


A Collect from the Missal of Robert of Jumieges, 11th century.

This image of The Protection of the Mother of God is an exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Saturday 7 October 2023

In honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Saint Bede Studio
On this Feast of the Blessed Virgin, we are pleased to present these images of one of the Studio's most popular sets of vestments, which we call Ave Maris Stella.  This is made in various Gothic styles and from different fabrics, but always and is ornamented with the now-familiar braid.

We should describe this braid, for those who have not followed previous posts closely.  It employs two shades of blue, one a sky blue, the other Royal Blue and upon these two colours, the ornamental design is figured in (non-metallic) gold.

Within a Royal blue quatrefoil (four-leafed flower) is a stylised monogram being the letters MR.  This is the Latin abbreviation of Maria Regina (Mary the Queen).  It was very typical in the Mediaeval period for such monograms to appear as decorative schemes in churches and upon vestments. 

Ave Maris Stella

These quatrefoils alternate with another emblem, which is upon a light blue base.  Here is a crown emphasising the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin.  Below it, in heraldic lettering, is the greeting AVE.  From this is derived the name of this braid and based on the beautiful Marian antiphon Ave Maris Stella (Hail, Star of the Sea).

Running along either side of this orphrey is a row of smaller quatrefoils in gold, upon the Royal Blue base.

Ave Maris Stella

Although not directly-based on the work of the Gothic designer AWN Pugin, this Ave Maris Stella braid incorporates Puginesque elements.  No matter whether you shop in Poland, India, England or America, you will not find another braid like Ave Maris Stella.  It is just one of the Saint Bede Studio's unique braids, designed by the writer of this blog and made exclusively for the Studio's use.

In further posts, we will present some of our other unique Marian braids and a new one, recently-manufactured titled Salve Regina.

Click on the image for an enlarged view. 

Wednesday 4 October 2023

Priestly Ordinations for 2023 : 1

In this post, we are pleased to describe a set of vestments in the Gothic Revival style, which was commissioned by an ordinand from the United States.
Gothic Revival Vestments

These vestments were made from a lovely ivory-coloured English ecclesiastical brocade and lined in a muted shade of golden taffeta.  

The vestments were ornamented with one of the Saint Bede Studio's unique braids called Saint Edmund, directly based on the work of the famed designer of the Gothic Revival AWN Pugin. 

The appearance of this vestment is autumnal and cheerful, without being lavish. 

Please pray for all newly-ordained priests.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Gothic Revival Vestments

Enquiries : This page.

AMDG 

The Saint Bede Studio

Tuesday 3 October 2023