Why Should We Build Beautiful Confessionals?

Confession is a sacrament in which we confess dark deeds, shameful sins, cowardly compromises, repeated rifts. It is something we often wish more to be done with than to do; we know we must go, that it is “good for us” as a visit to the dentist’s or the doctor’s is good for us. It might seem as if the place where we fess up, red-handed, and receive the cleansing bath of the Redeemer’s Blood should be a discreet, hidden, almost unnoticed spot, somewhere over in the corner, perhaps fused into the surrounding architecture like a broom closet (indeed, some confessionals were turned into broom closets after Vatican II, though the brooms had surely done nothing to deserve an environment reserved to rational animals).

Yet the designers and builders of Catholic churches and of their furnishings operated under a very different mentality. They made confessionals beautiful works of art (sometimes even extravagant), put them in prominent places where no one could miss them, and multiplied their number, so that you couldn’t avoid seeing them.

This, at least, was the Catholic (Counter-)Reformation’s way of reaffirming what the Protestants denied: that the Lord had, in His great mercy, provided the Catholic Church with an efficacious means for blotting out post-baptismal grave sin, a “second plank after shipwreck.” Contrary to some early heretics, grave sin after baptism, even including apostasy, could be forgiven; no sin permanently barred the penitent soul from grace. Contrary to the more recent heretics, faith alone was not enough, but faith must be faith in the Blood of Christ applied to souls by the ministry of the Church, at His bidding—ultimately, so that we could be rightly humbled and utterly certain of our having been forgiven.

These are some of the thoughts I had on my mind as I explored churches in Sicily in February and started taking pictures of the lovely Baroque confessionals that nearly every church contained. I will not try to label exactly which church each one belonged to, as that is somewhat beside the point; I doubt anyone will ever make a trip to a church just to see a confessional. Rather, one can marvel at the artistic creativity employed, and the strong, silent, steady love of this sacrament that such furnishings convey.

A curious detail of this confessional

Beautiful Liturgical Objects from the Holy Land

Thanks once again to our friend Fr Joseph Koczera SJ, who has often shared his photos with us, this time for these pictures of an exhibition going on at the Marino Matini Museum in Florence of items from the collection of the Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusalem. On display are vestments, books, and other liturgical items, many of the very highest quality, donated to the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem by the royal houses of Europe.

Father also pointed out to me one of the didactic panels from the exhibition, which offers a very wise rationale for the use of such beautiful and well-crafted objects. “… since the 1960s, certain currents within the Church have sought to condemn the existence and use of such riches, considered contrary to the spirit of the Gospel… However, striving to express the Truth as perfectly as possible through art and beauty, and aware that luxury offered to God brings nothing to the Creator, these extravagant gifts benefit their donors, bringing them closer to perfection, depending on the purity of the intention with which these offerings are placed at the foot of the altar. Thus, in Christian thought, Evil, the Prince of this world, can be defeated not only by Good, but also by Beauty.” Amen!

A fourteenth-century Office antiphonary, donated to the Franciscans of the Holy Land by King Henry IV of England. (It is here opened to a responsory for the feast of the Beheading of St John the Baptist.)

A portable altar given by King John VI of Portugal in the early 1820s; the Portuguese coat of arms are on the backboard and the missal cover.

A crucifix made of gold and lapis-lazuli, given by King Charles of Naples, the future King Charles III of Spain, in 1756.

Altar furnishings given by Kings Philip IV and Charles II of Spain in the 1660s and ‘70s.

A very nice set of vestments donated by the Serene Republic of Venice in the later part of the seventeenth century.

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More Liturgical Treasures from Milan Cathedral (Part 2)

Following up on recent posts in December and January, here are some more items of liturgical interest from the museum of the cathedral of Milan, photographed by Nicola de’ Grandi.

This two-sided painting, known as the Madonna dell’Idea, was made in the 2nd quarter of the 15th century by Michelino and Leonardo da Besozzo, and is still carried every year in the procession on Candlemas.

A gilded and silvered copper head of God the Father, by Beltramino da Rho, 1416-25, originally mounted on the crossing of the ribs in the apse, (now replaced by a copy in the church itself).

A painting of St Charles Borromeo carrying in procession the nail of the Crucifixion, which is one of the most precious of the cathedral’s many relics; by Fede Galizia, 1628-29. Originally commissioned for the Theatine church of St Anthony, and used a processional banner during the plague of 1630, since St Charles had done the same during a severe outbreak of the plague that hit Milan in 1576. 

An altar frontal made for the canonization of St Charles, which took place on All Saints’ Day of 1610. This and the two items that follow, a chalice veil and an orphrey for a cope, both made for the same occasion, are largely the word of a famous master-embroiderer of the early 17th century called Ludovica Antonia Pellegrini. 

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More Liturgical Treasures from Milan Cathedral

At the end of last month, we published some photos by Nicola de’ Grandi of an ivory diptych and a cover for a Gospel book, both preserved in the cathedral museum of Milan. Here are several more of items of liturgical interest from the museum: two more ivory diptychs, some very nice chalices and processional crosses, and a miter painstakingly decorated with hummingbird feathers. (Unfortunately, for several of these items, there is less information available than one would want.)

A pax brede donated by Pope Pius IV (1559-64), a member of the Milanese cadet branch of the Medici family, to his nephew St Charles Borromeo, whom he appointed the see of Milan in 1560; St Charles then donated it to the cathedral. The Cross is surmounted with thirteen set diamonds, and the scene of the Deposition from the Cross is figured in gold beneath it. In the lunette above, a group of angels, and the stem of the Medici.

The Ambrosian Church still to this day uses this form of cylindrical monstrance, which was very common in the late Middle Ages. The lower part, in the form of a tree-trunk, was made in the late 15th century, and is decorated with pearls and green enamel formed to look like leaves; it seems to have originally been a decorative cup created for a secular context, and later donated to the cathedral and reworked, with the upper section added in the 16th century. Two angels are delicately cut into the rock-crystal.

This object is known as “the chalice of the liberal arts”, since the seven liberal arts and the original Four Doctors of the Latin Church are depicted on the ivory cup, which was made in the 14th century. The piece to which the ivory is attached is contemporary, but the base was made about 50 years earlier. This was almost certainly not used as a chalice for the consecration of the Precious Blood, but as a kind of pyx.

This carved ivory bucket for holy water, or “situla”, was commissioned by another archbishop of Milan, Gotofredo (974-80), for the blessing of the Emperor Otto II (967-983), which was supposed to take place in the Basilica of Saint Ambrose. It was probably never used, since the archbishop died before the emperor’s arrival in Milan. An inscription on the upper edge reads “A gift of Gotofredo to thee, holy prophet Ambrose, a vessel to sprinkle blessed water on Caesar when he shall come.” The relief images along the outside are separated from each other by columns supporting arches. The silver handle is made in the form of two winged monsters with reptilian tails and front paws, large, open eyes and feline ears, who hold a small human head in their jaws.

Miter decorated with hummingbird feathers, ca. 1525-75.

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Commissioning a Portable Altar Appropriate for the TLM

My friend Fr Andrew Marlborough, a priest of the diocese of Plymouth, in England, (whom our readers may remember from his writings about the recovery of liturgical artifacts from auction houses) recently contacted me about a portable altar he had made for personal use.

I asked him to describe the process and how consideration of the different requirements that went into the design of altar. The carpenter who built the altar is Dutch, his name is Daan Lockefeer: www.lockefeermeubelmaker.nl.

Fr Andrew wrote: When asked to help at a university chaplaincy, I was shocked to learn that there was no proper altar or liturgical space to use. This was especially sad because the university had once been a thriving convent school with a beautiful chapel, now converted into a lecture theatre.

The experience made me determined to find a fitting solution for offering Holy Mass in temporary spaces. This was amplified by a desire to help priests who celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass in places with no permanent altar. So, I set out to source a portable altar for such situations.

At first, I looked at second-hand small chapel altars but most of these were still too big to be easily moveable. Then I also considered buying an old military chaplain’s altar, or one of the beautifully-crafted St Joseph’s Workshop portable altars. But these seemed really for more occasional backcountry or field use and are just too small for normal circumstances.

I soon realised that what I really needed was a transportable altar that was still a traditional size but which could fold up to be transported in the back of a car. And this type of altar seemed not to be available. So, I decided to commission a prototype from a cabinet-maker. I consider this to be a first attempt which can be improved upon in later designs and I hope it might stimulate further discussion and similar commissions.

The first thing was to establish the size needed. This is really important for good ars celebrandi and sadly many modern altars are made without proper reference to the accumulated practical wisdom of tradition. Reflection on this, and discussion with a traditional priest-friend, made me realise that the ideal size was 100cm high x 150cm long x 60cm deep.

Another major step was the realisation of the essential difference in design of this altar from the ‘all-in-one’ military-inspired portable field altars. Sacred vessels, Crucifix, candlesticks, sacred art, and other elements can easily be transported separately. What was essential here was a basic structure of the correct size which could be dressed with altar linens and which could accommodate an altar stone.

There were several design challenges to address. The first was the configuration of the folding mensa. After initially considering a centrefold, we realised that the central section on which the corporal, and so the Sacred Body & Blood of Our Lord, would rest, should be of one piece. Given the ideal overall length of 150cm, it was decided that this central section should be 75cm, with folding end panels of 37.5cm each, secured by extra-strong hinges. The second design question was how to construct the legs. It was decided here that single-piece removable legs, strengthened by removable stretchers, would be better and stronger than folding legs. The third challenge was how to incorporate an altar stone into the design. The need for a thin mensa to keep weight down meant that recessing an altar stone permanently into the wood surface wasn’t possible. After considering several options, the best solution seemed to be a simple shallow pull-out drawer located directly under the mensa centre which can accommodate an altar stone that is removed in transit.

Finally, it was decided that the best material to use would be oak. The overall result is a strong, relatively light, basic altar structure of the correct dimensions, which can be easily transported in an average car. The cost before shipping was 1200 Euros.

The Abbey of Chaise-Dieu (Part 2): The Tapestries

Last week, we shared some pictures recently taken by a friend of one of the most beautiful abbeys in France, the Chaise-Dieu. The former monastery buildings now also house a very remarkable set of early 16th century tapestries, which were designed to hang in the choir of the abbey church. These were commissioned by the abbot of Saint-Nectaire, one of La Chaise-Dieu’s many dependent houses, in 1501; each tapestry depicts a New Testament scene alongside related scenes from the Old Testament.

The Crucifixion, with the Binding of Isaac (Gen. 22) at the upper left, and the Bronze Serpent (Num. 21) at the upper right.

The Birth of Christ, with Moses and the Burning Bush (Ex. 3) to the left, and the Flourishing of the Rod of Aaron (Num. 17) to the right. At the top are the prophets Habakkuk and Isaiah, with banderoles on which are written their respective prophecies of the Incarnation: Habakkuk 3, “O Lord, I have heard Thy report, and grown afraid...”; Isaiah 9, “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.”

The Adoration of the Magi" to the left, the episode recounted in 2 Samuel 23, 13-17, of the three soldiers who bring water from the fountain of Bethlehem to King David; to the right, and Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (3 Reg. 10). At the top are King David and Isaiah, with banderoles on which are written from Psalm 71 “Kings shall bring thee gifts”, and from Isaiah 60, “They shall adores the traces of Thy feet.”

The Massacre of the Holy Innocents: to the left, the murder of the priests of the house of Achimelech (1 Samuel 22); to the right, and Queen Athaliah killing the sons of Ochoziah (4 Reg. 11). At the top are the prophets Jeremiah and Hosea, with banderoles on which are written from Jeremiah 31 “A voice was heard in Rama, of mourning and wailing”, and from Hosea 8, “They reigned, and not from from me.”

The Raising of Lazarus: to the left, Elijah raising a dead child (3 Kings); to the right, Elisha doing the same (4 Reg. 5). At the top, King David has on his banderole the words of Psalm 118, “Thy word giveth me life”, and the prophet Samuel, “The Lord killeth and maketh alive”, although these words are actually spoken by his mother Anna in her canticle in 1 Samuel 2.

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Liturgical Objects in the Diocesan Museum of Milan

Here are some photos taken by Nicola de’ Grandi of liturgical objects in the diocesan museum of Milan, which is attached to the basilica of St Eustorgius. We have written about this church on various occasions, especially apropos of the relics of St Peter Martyr, which are in a chapel that forms part of the complex around the church, known as the Portinari chapel. Our thanks as always to Nicola for sharing these with us.

A monstrance in the classic form used in the Ambrosian Rite (and formerly in many other places, especially in the later medieval period); 1750-75, from the basilica of St John the Evangelist in the city of Busto Arsizio. Behind it is seen the reverse side of the processional cross seen two pictures down. 

A morse for a cope, from the basilica of Santa Maria della Passione (St Mary of the Passion) in Milan, 1865, by Giovanni Bellezza (a last name which appropriately means “Beauty”; 1807-76)

A processional cross from the same church, made in Lombardy in the 15th or 16th century; the figure of Christ is a later addition.

An embroidered cover for a Missal, from the basilica of Santa Maria dei Miracoli presso San Celso in Milan, ca. 1580.

An altar frontal from the basilica of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Erba (about 26 miles to the north of Milan); the central section was made in the 17th century, the bands on the sides were added in the 18th. In the central image, the Virgin of the Rosary appears to two Dominican Saints.  

Monstrance from the church of St Bernardin “alle Ossa” in Milan, 1907, by Eugenio Belloso (1847-1927), a student of Giovanni Bellezza.   

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The Cathedral of Siena (Part 13): Liturgical Objects in the Cathedral Museum

The next-to-last part of our series on the cathedral of Siena focuses mostly on liturgical objects, including a very beautiful set of all the items needed for solemn Mass, donated by Pope Alexander VII Chigi (1655-66), a native of the city who showered the church with gifts and artistic commissions. We also see here some very nice reliquaries, medieval ivory crooks, and pax bredes.

A golden rose designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and gifted to the cathedral by Pope Alexander in 1658; the base represents the six hills on which the city stands, also seen below in the Pope’s coat of arms. The celebrated artist was a close personal friend of the Pope and worked for him on many artistic projects in Rome and environs. 

A papal tiara also donated by Pope Alexander VII...

whose coat of arms is seen on the outside of its box. The Sienese banking family of the Chigi had moved to Rome at the beginning of the 16th century, and restarted their bank with a large loan from Pope Julius II Della Rovere. The “interest” which Pope charged was not monetary, but a promise to quarter their arms with his wherever they were publically displayed; hence the quartering of the six hlls of Siena (Chigi) with the oak tree (Della Rovere.)

Statues with relics of several Saints brought from Roma embedded in the busts, including Saints Peter, Paul and Lawrence.

A complete set of liturgical accoutrement donated by Pope Alexander for the altar of the chapel which he had built in 1660 for the Madonna del Voto.

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Liturgical Items from Brixen Cathedral

Following up on yesterday’s post about the cathedral of Brixen, Italy, here are some items of interest from the episcopal palace and diocesan museum, including a very nice collection of vestments. Thanks once again to Nicola for sharing his photos with us.

The bishop’s private chapel within the episcopal palace.

A painting which shows the cathedral façade decorated for the visit of Pope Pius VI in 1782.

The cathedral is jointly dedicated to St Cassian of Imola and Our Lady of the Assumption. Cassian was said to have been a Christian schoolmaster who lived at the beginning of the 4th century, and during the persecution of Diocletian, was martyred by his own students, who were allowed to stab him to death with their pens. (Note the tablet with the letters on it in the hand of the child on the left.)  The story is attested in the 5th century by the poet Prudentius, who visited his tomb, but the representation of him as a bishop is the result of a hagiographical confusion with another martyr of the same name who was bishop of Todi in the region of Umbria.

A movable altar

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