Lion of Saint Mark Church Banner and Stand

Today is World Lion Day, apparently.  In heraldry, lions are featured prominently, and hence why we've become familiar with them over time.

In one instance - more vexilological than armorial perhaps -  we've outdone ourselves with the particular item featured today.  This, is the Banner we made with the lion of Saint Mark embroidered in 3D using a technique called stumpwork.

It is a bit like additive sculpting - if it were clay - but mind you, the whole thing is made of fabric and thread and just the right bits of padding to achieve the three-dimensional features of the big cat.

Once we had the banner - a stand like this wouldn't do, would it?  The kind used in police stations, schools and the Department of Motor Vehicles?!

So... accordingly, the pole is covered in velvet, and so is the custom-made stand.  We used the method employed for covering the chairs-of-state since elizabethan times in England.   Would also  look nice as a stand for a Paschal Candle or the 6 Candles around a catafalque, yes?

But back to our banner: because it is the banner of a church proper, it got topped with a cross to match the stand.

But how does one even begin the process to get a glorious custom-made banner?  Contact us, tell us what you have in mind, we sketch a few proposals and you choose whar you like or do not like and in the end, the results speak for themselves, we hope.

Here are some of the initial proposals based on the discussions with Father Bob and Mother Liza about the design.

We knew the colours would be red and blue; just not sure in what order.  Also, if to go with a colorful lion or something more fierce. Mind you, it was option C that was chosen for the colour scheme.  The colorful feline inspired by the book of Kells did not win favor in the end.

This one, from a mosaic at Trinity Cathedral became the model to follow.

A cartoon was drawn to suit our purposes, and the embroidery was made.  The end result always looks better than the cartoons... it takes a little imagination and a whole lotta faith,  But it's always worth it.

And thus, we end as we started, with the face of the lion in the banner of Saint Mark's.  All for about the price of one of the ready made banners one gets from your average catalog!

#worldlionday

To see the stand in blue velvet and the Banner made for the DOK, go here.

THE STAND OF THE THREE MARYS for the Daughters of The King

Tradition has it that three women named Mary were present at The Crucifixion of Christ besides his own Holy Mother, of the same name.  If Jesus' mother was there - immaculate, full of grace and blessed as she was - the other three were present to sustain the cross that has come to represent our faith and miracle that would take place on the Sunday after.

For this reason, the Three Marys are represented in this stand - as you may notice, each of the three angles represents a stylized letter M.

The color blue of the velvet, made to match the pole and banner itself, is also a Marian reference.

The banner, made for The Order of The Daughters of the King's Fort Lauderdale Chapter residing in Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, picks up on these themes.  The roses in the background are a prime example.

In the centre, the cross of the order proclaims in Latin:  "Magnanimiter Crucem Sustine" which is the motto used by the women of this lay sisterhood dedicated to prayer.  They, like the Three Marys, sustain Christ's cross wholeheartedly, through prayer and action - and May God bless them for it.

The American Order includes members of  the Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran communions. It was founded in 1885 in New York City.

We, at Klave Centesca, have designed and handcrafted these devices so they may carry forth their ministry and proclaim their faith.  It will be dedicated this Sunday in a special ceremony.

For more information, you may accede to their official webpage @ http://www.doknational.org/
You may also always write us through http://klavecentesca.com if you'd like something similar made for your chapel, church, cathedral or order.