On the Solemnity of Ss Peter and Paul

 

On this noble Feast of the Church's year, the Saint Bede Studio is pleased toa glimpse of a set of red vestments in the Gothic Revival Style.  The vestments were made from a rich shade of English ecclesiastical brocade and lined in taffeta of a brass-gold colour.  

The ornament was formed from one of the Studio's unique braids Saint Giles in colours of burgundy and straw-gold, upon red.  These vestments are simple in their ornamentation, but striking.  There is no need here for fine embroideries, but the effect is created with strong colours and contrasts : the hallmark of the work of the Saint Bede Studio.

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 Studio Blog

Recently, there has been a substantial increase of visitors to the Saint Bede Studio blog : most exciting !

Are you a new reader of our blog posts?

Once a year, the Studio publishes a .pdf format newsletter in which some new vestments are presented, in addition to brief articles on the Sacred Liturgy.

If you are interested in subscribing to this Newsletter, please contact us at this e-mail address using the subject title " Newsletter ".

stbede62@gmail.com

Thank you for your interest in our work for the Church.

AMDG.

On the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart

On this beautiful Feast of the Sacred Heart, the Studio is pleased to present this simple set of vestments.

The colours which ornament this ivory-coloured chasuble are very fitting on this Feast : soft gold, red, green.

A column, made from silk, ornaments the front and back of the chasuble and upon the columns is sewn the Studio's braid Saint Edmund.  It features the letters I H S and the Cross in a stylised mediaeval arrangement.

These vestments are in the style we call Saint Anselm.  

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

Our Ladye of Perpetual Succour

One of the many lovely Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary is under the title Nostra Mater De Perpetuo Succursu.  In the English-speaking world, succursu had always been translated as "succour".  More recently translated as "perpetual help", this does not fully convey the meaning of the Latin word subcurro : to run to the assistance of.  Perhaps "of perpetual assistance" would be better than "help" but both lack the vigour of the Latin.  

Our Mother who unceasingly hastens to our assistance.  What a comforting thought.  Her very name inspires confidence.

Pictured in this post is one of the Studio's range of vestments in honour of the Blessed Virgin.  It is called Salve Regina.

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

Papal Liturgies of the 16th century

At an old blog post, we found the adjacent image of a fresco and a description of the Coronation of the Spanish King Charles as Holy Roman Emperor at Bologna.

The Coronation was performed by Pope Clement VII in the Cathedral of San Petronio, Bologna on 24th February 1530.

The fresco is not painted onto a wall, but on the ceiling of the office of the Mayor of Florence in the Palazzo Vecchio.  It was painted by the artist Giorgio Vasari after 1555.

Vasari's depiction of the Coronation is quite interesting for students of the history of sacred vestments because, since it is painted in the middle of the 16th century, a transitional point from mediaeval to baroque styles is illustrated.

A detail of Vasari's 16th century fresco.

In the detail shewn above, Pope Clement is placing the crown upon the head of the Emperor. We find the Pope vested in a linen albe, with close fitting sleeves and whose skirt is ornamented with an embroidered apparel. It would appear that the cuffs of the albe are enriched in some way. Notice, however, that there is no sign of lace in the Pope's albe. Over the albe, the Pope is wearing an ample golden chasuble. The chasuble is very flowing and partly folded back at the arms. Not unusually, we find the painting does not represent the Pope dressed in full pontificals, since he lacks the tunicle and dalmatic, but most importantly, he is lacking the pallium. An extremely short and narrow maniple is upon the left forearm of the Pope. This is a far-cry from the exaggerated spade-ended maniples of the High Baroque.

Assisting the Pope are two deacons, vested in matching dalmatics which are also quite ample. The dalmatic are ornamented with the clavi, but also an apparel at the upper back (presumably also upon the breast). A roundel upon the apparel appears to be embroidered with IHS. Pendants of tassels hanging from the shoulders of the dalmatic are also depicted, a feature of late mediaeval / early baroque ornamentation. It is believed that such tassels were originally an elaboration of the lacing used to tie together the front and back of the dalmatic at the shoulders. Subsequently, they became purely decorative.

Another detail of Vasari's fresco.

Another detail of Vasari's fresco is shewn above, which depicts some of the bishops present at the Coronation. These bishops are all depicted wearing Mass vestments: amice, albe, cincture, stole, maniple and chasuble. In each case, the amice of the bishops is ornamented with an apparel: a survival of mediaeval usage. Although their albes are unornamented, the close-fitting cuffs appear to be decorated. The four bishops are wearing chasubles which are less ample than the one the Pope is depicted as wearing, but nevertheless appear to be gathered away from the elbows and are long and flowing. Each of the chasubles is decorated with the TAU Cross, which was the usual form of ornament in Italy. The bishop in the centre, with hand raised, also wears a diminutive maniple.

We might also comment on the mitres worn by these bishops, which are more or less identical to each other. They are the simplex mitres worn by non-officiating or concelebrating bishops, just as happens today. These mitres are also in the style of the 15th century (which differed little from that of the 14th century) being neither excessively tall (these ones are approximately 12" tall) nor with rounded sides (a style which became fashionable in Rome in the 16th century and persists to this day).

Although the scene depicted by Vasari is probably not very accurate as a presentation of a Papal Liturgy, nevertheless it undoubtedly depicts the style of vestments used throughout Italy in the 16th century. It demonstrates that Catholic Tradition in the age of the Council of Trent did not include "fiddleback" chasubles, lace albes and excessively tall mitres.  

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

AMDG

The Season Per Annum 2025 : 12

In this post is depicted a set of vestments in a subtle shade of green brocade and ornamented with the Studio's Sancte Deus orphrey braid.  This new braid amongst the Studio's offerings is in the distinctive colours of deep blue and ivory upon a green background. 

These vestments are in one of our Gothic Revival styles which we call Saint Benet.  The chasuble and accessories were lined in a bottle-green taffeta.

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

Red vestments

The Saint Bede Studio is pleased to present a set of vestments made in the Borromeon style for a returning customer in the United States. The vestments were made from a red brocade and fully-lined in copper-coloured taffeta.

The vestments are ornamented with the TAU at the front and a column at the back, these being formed by a brocade in colours of flame-red and gold, outlined with a narrow galloon.

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 : 11

In this season Per Annum the Saint Bede Studio is pleased to present another set of green vestments, in the style we call Borromeon.  The prominent feature of such vestments is the use of the TAU as the ornament of the chasuble front.

This set is constructed from handmade dupion silk in a darker shade of olive green, and it is lined in a lovely shade of burgundy taffeta. The ornament is formed from a brocade in colours of red upon gold, which is arranged in columns and outlined in a narrow galloon.  

At the Saint Bede Studio, we strive to avoid the idea that the designation Ordinary Time is a reason to make green vestments which are non-descript, or lacking in inspiration. This is a beautiful and distinctive set of vestments; we believe there is nothing "ordinary" about it.

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 

The Season Per Annum resumes

In this Season Per Annum, the Saint Bede Studio is pleased to present a glimpse of another set of green vestments, in the Gothic Revival style.

This set is constructed from ecclesiastical brocade in a beautiful shade of green, and it is lined in a shade of lemon taffeta. 

The ornament is formed from matching braids, one wider, one narrow, in colours of crimson and straw-gold upon a green background. This is one of the Studio's unique braids called Saint Edmund and is directly based on a design by AWN Pugin.  It features the sacred monogram " IHS ".

At the Saint Bede Studio, we strive to avoid the idea that the designation Ordinary Time is a reason to make green vestments which are non-descript, or lacking in inspiration. Although not elaborate, this is a beautiful and distinctive set of vestments.

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 

A Prayer in Times of Disturbance

A prayer composed by the Saint Bede Studio.