Monday, June 16, 2008

More on Wall Hangings for Solemn Liturgical occasions - the Splendour of Malta

Following up on the post about wall hangings for solemn liturgical occasions - which, as I had noted in the comments, are actually called for in the usus antiquior Cæremoniale Episcoporum (Liber I, XII.5.): "In the interior also, if it can be done, the walls of the chuch shall be covered with rich hangings (aulæis), the tribunes however with pure silken ones, or nobler curtains, in the colour of the other paraments, according to the quality of the feast." - a reader from Malta has sent in some spectacular images of churches in Malta and Gozo in festal decorations. We may give thanks to God that the Catholic people of Malta has preserved and kept alive this precious heritage. Perhaps these pictures can also serve as an inspiration - which does not necessarily mean copying them exactly or completely, which will hardly be possible in most places - for how to mark and set off the festal nature of solemn liturgical occasion in their varying degrees. Here is a selection (click on the pictures to get larger versions);unless noted otherwise, the pictures are of the Patronal Feasts of the respective churches:

Parish Church of the Annunciation, Tarxien:


Church of Saint Catherine, Zurrieq, on the Feast of the BVM of Mount Carmel:


Saint Joseph, Qala, Gozo:


Collegiate Church of the Immaculate Conception, Cospicua:


Collegiate Church of Saint Paul, Rabat:

More recent articles:

For more articles, see the NLM archives: