A Prayer for Christian Artists

TO OUR READERS: 

Please offer this prayer for God's continued blessing on the work of the Saint Bede Studio and all Christian artists.

 

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

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

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

AMDG

Paschaltide : 2

In this Holy Season, we are pleased to present a series of festal vestments.

The chasuble in this post is made from a glorious silk damask in colours of straw-gold upon taup.  It has a wonderful, lustrous appearance.  Fully-lined in a shade of dark red cloth, the chasuble is ornamented with a damask in colours of old gold upon wine-red.  A galloon of burgundy and straw-gold outlines the TAU ornament. 

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.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

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

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

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

AMDG

 

Paschaltide

In this Holy Season, we are pleased to present a series of festal vestments.

Made from a simple white brocade and fully-lined in a shade of gold silk, the chasuble in this post is ornamented with a Renaissance brocade in colours of red upon gold.  A galloon of red and straw-gold outlines the TAU ornament. 

The chasuble is in the Studio's Saint Philip Neri style, which is the product of years of research into historical vestments and refinement of dimensions for comfortable use.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

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

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

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

AMDG

Paschal Greetings 2024

To all readers of this blog and to customers and friends of the Saint Bede Studio, may many Graces be yours on the sacred Day of our Lord's Resurrection.

On Easter Day 2024, the Shadow of the Cross looms large across a world still stricken with confusion, hatred and war.  But in these fearful moments, we look again to the optimistic Christian message that God has overcome Death - and all the awfulness, frailties, discord and disappointments of this earthly life - and loves each and every poor sinner. 

Christ is Risen !

Saint Patrick's Cathedral New York

Quite by chance, I found a delayed broadcast of the Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord's Suffering and Death from Saint Patrick's Cathedral, New York.

Much to my surprise, I discovered that the celebrant, being the Cardinal-Archbishop of New York, wore for this solemn liturgy a red chasuble in the Borromeon form, made some years ago by the Saint Bede Studio.

I am not quite sure how these vestments came to be used, but we hope the Cardinal and those gathered in the Cathedral found them dignified.  This was a chasuble made of crimson-red brocade, ornamented with a burgundy and old gold damask in the form of a TAU and outlined in galloon.

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

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

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

AMDG

Commemoration of the Lord's Suffering and Death

If there were just one occasion when the use of black vestments is self-evidently appropriate, it would seem to be on Good Friday.  And yet, there are arguments against such a usage.

Leaving aside such discussions and without elaboration, we present this set of vestments to illustrate the work of the Studio.

AMDG.

Passiontide Vestments : 2

At this time of year in the circles of liturgical commentators, there is frequently a discussion about why RED vestments are used on Palm Sunday, instead of purple; and likewise on Good Friday.  There are various theories about the intentions of the revisionists of the Holy Week liturgists in the 1950s and 1960s in making this change, including the one that goes " this was the colour used in an earlier period of the Roman Rite. "

Maybe that is true, but it is a claim that needs to be qualified.

We do know that the use of Roman purple is a very ancient one liturgically, but this colour in ancient times was not the fuchsia seen today in the robes of prelates of the Church; it was a much darker colour.  The reason for that is that the robes of Imperial Rome were double-dyed and resulted in a colour almost like clotted blood.

If we keep in mind this very deep colour it is easy to imagine that what was described as Roman Purple was not so very different from dark red or even black.  Consequently, it becomes easier to understand why what might be described or specified in very old liturgical texts as red, black or Roman purple might be describing much the same colour.

According to the Missale Romanum of 1970, Palm Sunday and Good Friday are observed with red vestments.  Although not stipulated in any of the liturgical books, the shade of red vestments used on Palm Sunday and Good Friday ought not be a fiery red.  Such a fiery red is more suitable for Masses of the Holy Spirit.

The set of vestments in this post is in a deep shade of red and accords with the theory outlined above about the ancient use of a dark penitential colour.  

It is simple, but dignified.  Made from dupion silk and fully lined, the chasuble is ornamented with a dominant TAU formed from a braid unique to the Studio, being a reproduction of a design by AWN Pugin.

The chasuble is in the Studio's Saint Martin  style, which is very ample and folds beautifully when the arms of the wearer are elevated.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

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

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

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

AMDG

Lenten Purple : 10

This is a set of vestments in a very different shade of Lenten purple.  It is not a blue-violet, but somewhat richer than the colour of a grape, a deeper shade than Roman purple.

Made from dupion silk and fully-lined in taffeta, this dalmatic is ornamented with a geometric braid in colours of red, blue, straw and white, being a reproduction of a design by AWN Pugin. 

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

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

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

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

AMDG

Passiontide Vestments : 1

According to the Missale Romanum of 1970, Passion Sunday of the Palms is celebrated with red vestments.  Although not stipulated in any of the liturgical books, the shade of red vestments used on Palm Sunday and Good Friday ought not be a fiery red.  Such a fiery red is more suitable for Masses of the Holy Spirit.

This is a set of vestments in a deep shade of red.  It is simple, but dignified.   

Made from ecclesiastical brocade but unlined, the chasuble is ornamented with a dominant TAU formed from another brocade in colours of burgundy and old gold. 

The chasuble is in the Studio's Saint Martin  style, which is very ample and folds beautifully when the arms of the wearer are elevated.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

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

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

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

AMDG

Lenten Purple : 9

This is a set of vestments in a very different shade of Lenten purple.  It is not a blue-violet, but the colour of a grape, a deep shade, but slightly redder.  

Made from dupion silk and fully-lined in taffeta, the chasuble is ornamented with a geometric braid in colours of red, blue, straw and white, being a reproduction of a design by AWN Pugin. 

The chasuble is in the Studio's Saint Martin  style, which is very ample and folds beautifully when the arms of the wearer are elevated.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

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

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

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

AMDG