Friday, March 30, 2012

The FSSP at Irsee Abbey for the Feast of St. Joseph

The website of the Fraternity of St. Peter has some interesting photos of the liturgies during a recent excursion of their European seminary in Wigratzbad, Bavaria. Mass for the feast of St. Joseph was celebrated at the former imperial abbey of Irsee; the abbey church (which is now a parish) has maintained a custom from the 18th century of covering the paintings over the various altars during Lent with images of Our Lord’s Passion. (All photographs courtesy www.fssp.org - reproduced with permission.)
Christ consoling His Mother before the Passion
The Scourging at the Column. The Roman influence on this 18th century painter is very evident not only in the human figures, which are strongly reminiscent of Michelangelo and his contemporaries, but also in the manner of depicting the column. The church of Saint Praxedes in Rome preserves a small column (probably a piece of a once larger object) venerated as the Column of the Flagellation, similar to the very short piece in this painting.
The Crucifixion over the main altar.
The Pietà. This work is also clearly reminiscent of Michelangelo, particularly in the graceful form of Christ's body.
The church’s pulpit is a shaped like a ship, complete with anchor, sails and rigging, one of only four such pulpits in Bavaria.


Vespers was done later the same day in the church of St. Blaise in nearby Kaufbeuren; the main altar preserves a very elaborate Gothic altarpiece from 1528 by the sculptor Jörg Lederer.

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