Becket Chasuble In Red, Lined in Royal Blue

Recently, we were commissioned to make this Becket-style Low mass set.

Becket-style vestments usually take their inspiration from one of the extant chasubles that belonged to the 12c English Martyr himself.  The most famous one is that held in the Treasury at Sens Cathedral because of the particular pattern in which the orphrey is laid on the chasuble's front and back.  This, we took as our starting point.

As with every one of our projects, the design ends up being a collaborative process. Father Patrick Allen, for whom the set was made, decided it would be more useful to reduce some of the volume by curtailing the sides up to the wrists.  The original was itself a slightly modified conical chasuble which is not recommendable for celebrating a low mass where the priest is who turns the pages of the missal, for example, so as to prevent knocking over the chalice and such.  Functionality is paramount when celebrating the mass - especially when not attended by a small legion of altar servers, as in yesteryear, to hold back the sides of your chasuble out of the way and rearrange to reveal your hands whenever the extra fabric slides past them.

With that in mind, a red exterior with a royal blue interior was the colour scheme chosen.  The red is particularly inspired by Saint Thomas Becket himself, a martyr who will be celebrated henceforth with these vestments.  The red also being appropriate for the upcoming Whitsunday, Masses for the Holy Spirit and every other martyr in the calendar.  The royal blue interior offers a nice contrast, and recalls the light which shines through the colored-glass windows.

Though it wasn't designed to be reversible...  inside-out it wouldn't be a bad choice for an improvised Sarum-blue Advent Sunday!  Or Monday... whatever appropriate.

But enough improvisation.  Once again, here it is the chasuble, but this time with an appareled amice we featured here which would finish the look.  An appareled alb would also be a definite possibility to round things off.

Lastly, we'd like to leave you with an image of the maniple and stole.

These too were inspired by the original ones at Sens, in the shape and pattern of the embroidery on the extremities. Because this is a low mass set, we kept the embroideries simple with only a few, tiny, metal beads for embellishment.  Works nicely though, wouldn't you say?

Would you like different colours or details on yours?  Contact us and we'd love to collaborate on it! :)

A Gothic Apparelled Amice...not gothic: Gothic.

Today, when the word "gothic" is used, it refers to the art and architecture of the 12th thru 16th centuries - rose windows and turrets, gargoyles and peaked arches.  But there was a different Gothic before that - and this is a prime example of it.

This is an appareled amice we've made with the favourite motif of Recceswinth - better known as FLAVIUS RECCESWINTHUS REX GOTHORUM who ruled the Gothic Kingdom of Toledo over what is today Spain, Portugal, and Southern France between the years 653 and 672 of our common era.

This motive is repeated in a church he ordered be erected in honour of Saint John the Baptist after being healed by the waters of the locality; also, on his crown gifted ex voto to God, and a processional cross which are both today on public display by the Spanish State after being found buried in Guarrazar.   A set of matching book-cover plates on an early version of his Liber Judicum, illuminted with the same motif on all pages with headings, and a signet ring with his effigy are also extant in the patrimony of his descendants.

The amice apparel, really a stiff liturgical collar, we've made in blue and white recalling the sapphires and pearls of the jeweled pieces available from the Gothic King.  Furthermore, it is embellished with small pearls, since it is a most festive garment to be used in a chapel of white marble, lapis lazuli and gilt-wood.

 

As you may notice, it resembles the appareled amice of St. Thomas Becket at Sens.   Some version of that is hopefully - forthcoming.

Any takers?  We do like a challenge!