A Rhapsody In Blue Chasuble

Today we shall share the new chasuble we've made for Father Michael Sahdev.  You may remember the red one from a couple of years ago ... memorable because of it's dragon-slaying Archangel enshrined within the pommel of the 3D chalice embroidered on its breast...  if you don't, check it out here.

That embroidered chalice has caused much sensation - one day, we've pledged, that design must be realized in real silver and gold... so the real blood of The Lord it may hold - but so far, it sees a second incarnation in this new chasuble too.  At least in the tiniest of ways... but ever so present:

The choice was obvious when we discussed some design or theme for the planned white vestment.  Doing the chalice again seemed like a good way to have a link between the first chasuble and the new one... but why merely copy?  What about placing it on the altar? Have Jesus Himself as priest and Sacrifice.

But we had also discussed incorporating some blue... a nudge to Mary.  White vestments are used for the Marian Feasts as well as the Baptisms, Weddings, celebration of non-martyred saints, and of course: Easter, Christmas and All Hallows' Day.

Standing at 6'6" tall, that's a lot of fabric in a gothic chasuble... so we needed something more than plain white fabric... something with a large enough pattern, enough body to stand and drape gracefully, and this pale silver and gold floral brocade which would have been at home in a 17c painting fell from heaven, as it were.

A royal blue lining was that touch of Mary... yet... finding the electric blue brocade interwoven in silver and gold had everyone in jubilant expectation of seeing what could become of all these seemingly disparate parts.  Like a rhapsody: it is episodic, contrasting, capriciously majestic, and extravagantly blue.   Could we give it any other name?

You know it had to be what it is:  The Rhapsody in Blue Chasuble.

But beyond the obviously external, the evident even from the farthest pew in church... it is also a deeply special and intimate homage to the inspiration which fills the breast of the priest who wears it:

At the center, as we already saw, is the chalice with the blood and the flesh shining above: Jesus as the sacrifice and priest at once.  God sacrificing Himself to Himself.  Something every priest remembers when re-enacting that first mass.

To his right is the precursor Saint John the Baptist, His cousin, who recognized Him even when each was still within the womb of their mothers...  and speaking of Mary Full Of Grace, she stands behind, supporting the fruit of Her womb, with a hand on His shoulder.

John, of course holds a silver shell as those used to baptize... for lest anyone forgets, he was not only the one to sprinkle Jesus with the waters of The Jordan, but also His cousin... and cousins seem to always hold bunny ears or some such in pictures, if they can - do they not? 

So, the raised arm in the gesture of baptizing is our way of remembering that even in the most serious of subjects there should be mirth, for after all, The Agapeic Meal is a heavenly sight and nothing to frown over, solemn as it is.

Mary, all the while, holds a candle.  

This recalls Jesus being called "Light of the World" and also a nod to her Churching, also known as The Purification of Mary (February 2nd, 40 days after The Christ's birth).  In some of the Romance languages birthing is equated with the mother "giving light" to her child: "dar a luz" in Spanish and Portuguese.  Sometimes they also gift chasubles (Hi Pam!). 

Family is thus here represented.  It was, after all, the mother and the aunt and the cousins of Father Michael who invested him with his own first chasuble the day of his ordination.  Something to remember not just when wearing that special red chasuble, but also this white one on ever more happy occasions to come.

Speaking of inspiration, the other two figures represent the patron saints of the most important parishes in which the priest in question has served:  Saint Benedict of Nursia, in his monastic habit represents his childhood parish, and church where he said his first mass.  The confessor kneels opposite Saint Philip The Evangelist, who had been one of the original Seven Deacons in Jerusalem, and is the namesake of the church where Father Michael says mass now.

Detail of the Kissing Cross on the Priestly Stole.

 So there you have it.  From the broadest sight to the smallest of details; for the farthest spectator to the most inquisitively near-sighted inspector:  The Rhapsody in Blue chasuble should be as good as any other instrument in the work of evangelizing those who should wonder or ask "why the blue?" or "what does the little cup mean?".  

When everything has a reason, and the logic is ever to point to the source and ends of all... we should be satisfied that a good thing has come to be.  And so, it is.  The design, from the mind, onto the paper and into the stitches in thread, now too: is as it ought - put to the good service.

Sarum Blue Vestments Inspired by The Stained-Glass Windows behind the Altar

We've just finished and delivered this Chasuble, Maniple and Stoles in Sarum Blue in readiness  for Advent at the Chapel of Saint Andrew.

As with all projects, it began with a sketch after discussing fabrics and trims in the range of colours appropriate for the season.  The measurements we already had from a previous project:

One must only look at the beautiful stained glass windows, where the vestments will be worn, to realize that it is a perfect choice for its setting.  To harmonize with the velvet altar frontal that the church already owned, a matching blue hanging has been projected:

Also, keeping in mind the other traditional colour of the season, as well as the pre-existing altar hangings,  the lati-clavi running up and down the front and back of the chasuble are in imperial-purple velvet.  To frame these velvet orphreys, we've used an antique-gold galloon.

Beneath the chasuble you can see the Priestly Stole and Maniple, which have the further addition of a lush gold fringe.

To match, a Deaconal Stole was also made:

This stole has our now signature angled shape with appliqued roundels through which slides a cord with tassel that keeps the front and back together.  The cord easily slides to accommodate the deacon's needs.

These vestments were made thanks to the generous donation of a parishioner and close collaboration between Father Charles, and us, here at Klave Centesca!  May they serve the altar of God and the community ministered there for many years!

OF MITRES AND MEN III

Today we shall take a look at the middling mitres: the auriphrygiate types.  These are differenced from the precious mitres, essentially, in the lack of jewels - which renders them lighter in weight and thus more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.

They are also sometimes called golden mitres, because in their simplest of forms, they are merely made of golden cloth without further ornamentation... well, maybe the arms of the owner embroidered on the infulae such as those pictured by JP Sonnen over at Orbis Catholicus that once belonged to Cardinal Siri (something we at Klave Centesca love being able to do for Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals and Pope with quality like that of yesteryear!  But made in the USA, today.)

The name of Auriphrygiata, though, comes from the fact that Phrygia was famous for its golden embroideries back in Roman times.  These would have been of scrolling foliages or figural, and were highly priced - adorning the purple toga of the triumphant generals and later the robes of the imperial family.  In time, the church was endowed with donations bearing these gold needleworks in the style of Phrygia, and eventually, herself began commissioning paraments and vestments with such ornamentation.

One of the earliest extant auriphrygiate mitres are those which depict the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence and Saint Thomas Becket:

These would have been used on the patronal feasts of the saints depicted, since for such occasions it was usual to have processions and long liturgies in which lighter mitres could be employed.

Toledo, according to its own traditions, still uses one for Requiems and other occasions (for which the Roman Rite only allows the Mitra Simplex in white) which depicts the crucifixion:

Mitres with whole scenes embroidered on them were once fairly common.  France certainly has some of the most beautiful examples.  This one, in the Musee de Cluny today, has scenes of the Nativity and is one of our favorite:

Others, rather than having whole scenes, show just the iconic representation of a Saint, Martyr, Virgin or Jesus himself - usually with their respective attributes.  Here are some worthy of note:

Then, there are those that depict a cross, a dove or other symbols.

Lastly, as with the case of the precious mitres, we end up with the veritable gardens that became popular from the 1700s to the 1900s.  This example, in polychrome flowers from Germany is quite striking:

Something else to note is that these "garden" mitres generally use a multitude of colors in their embroideries, while only gold is used in the Mitra Pretiosa for flowers and foliage - which need to better showcase the colored jewels sewn onto the fabric.

We hope you have enjoyed the small selection of embroidered mitres.  We are currently working on a couple of mitres inspired by some of these seen here which will be put up for auction.  Also, if you want something spectacular, you know how to reach us.  From a simple coat of arms on the infulae to something more elaborate - we do love a challenge here at Klave Centesca!

As a sample, here's the mitre inspired by the beautiful rose window tracery at the Basilica of Our Lady in Guelph, Canada, that we embroidered with the arms of Bishop Ustrzycky as a gift from one of his parishioners, our friend Massimo Marcone:

And a monochromatic auriphrygiate version in the works, to be auctioned off once we finish putting it together:

Blessings to all!

Of Mitres and Men II

Previously, we spoke about the antiquity of the mitre.  Back when it was plain even on the most solemn of celebrations (here).  Now, let's explore some of the trends in adornment it picked up through the centuries.

ORNAMENTATION: I
THE MITRA PRETIOSA

The ornamentation of the mitre can take many forms.  The first known was the addition of the titulus (vertical band) and the circulus - the horizontal one that runs along the bottom edge.  Of this type, are the oldest extant mitres scattered throughout certain lucky cathedral museums in Europe - often rescued from old tombs and restored for exhibition by textile curators.

This modality has remained popular from the beginning of the last millennium until the present day.

Pope Francis makes almost exclusive use of these even on the most solemn of feasts - Easter and Christmas - which is quite correct even if admittedly, we'd love to see more of the wearable works of art in the Papal Sacristy in good use...

The perpendicular bands signify this is a "mitra pretiosa" even if no other embellishment is present.  If you are a bishop, it is likely your work-horse mitre.  It works on all occasions when the simplex is not called for, since it may even be used during Lent and Advent which otherwise calls for the mitra auriphrygiata in the Official Rubrics.

One step above in embelishment is encountered in the 12, 13 and 1400s.  It is the same mitra pretiosa but this time with at least two rondels or "jewels" on the white spaces.  At this period, we also begin seeing mitres of colours besides white  - which Leovigildus would probably disapprove of - as does the Roman Caeremoniale Episcoporum, most emphatically by the 1700s.   

Eventually these jewels proliferated - but the titulus & circulus remained:

And then, we have the last set of mitrae pretiosae...  where they no longer have the distinguishing titulus & circulus, but instead, showcase a veritable garden of jewels strewn throughout. They were specially common from the 1700s on, like the fiddleback chasubles, which makes them the most Roman in taste.  Indeed, right before Vatican II, every western bishop of the Roman Rite (aka Tridentine Rite, and now Extraordinary Form) would have had at least one for the most solemn of occasions.

Depending on the style of vestments you wear, the architecture of the basilica or cathedral... some are more appropriate than others, though technically, they are all the same: mitrae pretiosae.

Stay tuned for: 

THE MITRA AURIPHRYGIATA  

&

OF MITRES AND WOMEN

... next week!