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With hurricane Earl on the way up the cost and the news that we have had 33 days thus far of over 90 degree days this long summer, what a blessing to contemplate Autumn on the doorstep. Sacristies are smelling fusty, flowers are wilting on the altar, and just about everything needs a cleaning and freshening. I have been in hospital with kidney stones and tooth extractions and am now glad to be back at the computer. Most gardens have taken such a beating this summer in churchyards everywhere, I decided to postpone our church garden crawl until next spring- May looks like a good month.
I recently was looking at a beautiful frontal which was done by the Sisters of St. John Baptist, when the order was in New York. It was done for the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in Newport for St. John the Evangelist on burnt red-orange velvet and has the 7 sacraments in symbols with angels. I shall dig out a photo of this to post tonight. It made me visually try to recollect all the symbols for the sacraments. Without looking at the drawing below- can you remember the sacraments and their symbols!?
One of my first big undertakings in the sacristy was to restore some old alb laces found in a suitcase in the top of a closet. The strips were tiny brown balls and looked nothing like lace. After gently unraveling the dirty bundles, the bobbin lace revealed itself in all its splendor. Old laces may never again be truly white-white, but you can come pretty close with some tender loving care and patience.
Most of the best 19th century bobbin lace came from Brussels, Venice, or England. Some convents began lace schools to teach young women a trade. Bobbin lace is worked on a cushion with fine linen or cotton thread, pins and spindle-like bobbins. Hand-made lace is highly collectible and valuable. Eventually machine-made laces proved cheaper and faster to make, but did not have the gossamer delicacy and airy-ness of handmade.
I first called Katy Kliot at LACIS in Berkely, California (see our links) who suggested using BIZ to clean and brighten the laces. I found that soaking the laces, and changing the water as it became soiled, loosened up most of the dirt and dust. Laces must be handled gently while washing so as not to break the “brides”- or the thin connecting threads which hold together the motifs. Sometimes I slipped a spatula under the laces to turn them. Never wring or twist lace, or lift it up while it is saturated- the weight of the water will snap the threads. This takes patience. When the Biz has been added to warm water, agitate the detergent to a froth with your hands , then lay in the lace for the soakings. I like to use a plastic dish pan for this process. When the rinsing phase is through, lay the lace on a clean white terry towel and gently pat the lace in an up and down motion which will absorb a great deal of the water. Gently press the lace out with your hand on the towel, smoothing the motifs into place. I then place the towel on my picnic table out in the sun where the brightening rays will do wonders for whitening the lace. When completely dry, store in acid -free tissue, as flat as space permits.
Insertion laces are easy to spot, the edges will be perfectly straight on both sides. Alb and surplice hem or sleeve laces usually have one straight edge and one scalloped or irregular patterned edge. Insertion lace was applied to hems of surplices or albs, then the back cloth was cut away to reveal the lace in front. Generally priests, bishops, Masters of Ceremony, and older altar servers wear the insertion style laces, very young servers have hanging lace on their cottas at the hem.
In the photo above I am getting the procession ready. Young Lucas has a stubborn cowlick that won’t lay down! Do you have an Acolyte Matron to assist before services? If there is a large acolyte guild, one or two people dedicated to keeping the vestments tidy and assisting with young members can be a godsend- and a lot of fun. Youngsters often need prompting to wash hands, comb hair, stand up straight, be quiet, and be ready on time. The position of Acolyte Matron is seen often in England for servers and young choirs.
Clergy always appreciates clean, laid-out vestments, ready to put on with no worries. Lace is making a comeback in the new vestment catalogues. Mostly it is detachable and synthetic on albs and easy to launder. In the good old days, nuns loosely stitched lace on so it could be removed for laundering. Now we have snaps and Velcro! All photos above are from Saint John the Evangelist in Newport, December 2000.
Yes- that is Father Douglas Burger from Woonsocket in the photo above, serving at Midnight Mass as Deacon in his dalmatic.
Of all the symbols of Easter, perhaps none is so familiar as the Agnus Dei. We see it in woven damask for frontals and vestments, on banners and even on special small linen sets for the altar. It must be crowned with a three-rayed nimbus or halo, signifying that it is a symbol of divinity and is featured with the white ground, red cross Banner of Victory.
The LAMB is the symbol associated with Jesus. He is often referred to in the Bible as the “Lamb of God” (Revelation 5:6-14). John the Baptist described Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The Passover lamb (Exodus 12:1-11) has been interpreted by Christians as foreshadowing Jesus’ sacrificial death (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Although the white lily is most often connected to the Mother of God, and is a symbol for purity and innocence, the EASTER LILY, which blooms in the spring close to Easter time has become a popular symbol. Because they are shaped like trumpets, lilies are symbols of immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52). Lilies are seen as pot decoration and cut for altar vases for Easter as well as motifs on church altar rail kneelers, stained glass windows, Easter bulletin decoration and Easter banners.
More rarely seen in decoration or textiles is the BUTTERFLY. It symbolizes the life cycle of Jesus and the Christian in the following order: the caterpillar stage represents natural earthly life; the cocoon represents death of the body; the butterfly emerging from the cocoon represents the resurrection. Another animal connected to the resurrection is the PHOENIX. Believed to have retained its immortality since, unlike the rest of the birds, it refused to eat from the forbidden tree in the garden of Eden.The phoenix lived for 500 years between rejuvenations. Every 500 years, it created a combination funeral pyre/nest for itself of spices and herbs, sat on it and set itself on fire. When the fire died down, an egg would be found among the ashes from which the phoenix which laid it would hatch. It has become a symbol of the resurrection.
Rarely seen in America as a symbol of the resurrection is the SWALLOW which flew around the cross chirping “Svale! Svale!” which is Scandinavian for “Cheer up! Cheer up!” Since this bird hibernates in the mud during the winter, his awakening in the spring is a symbol of the resurrection.
Another rare symbol is the WHALE for as Jesus said “For as Jonas was 3 days and 3 nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth” (Mt 12:40).
The HARE, or wild rabbit is a symbol of the moon. It became associated with Easter because the moon is used to determine the date of Easter. According to the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21st. Have you ever seen this in church? It just might explain the “Easter Bunny” popularity in modern culture at Eastertide.
The PEACOCK Symbolizes immortality and the resurrection since its flesh was once believed to be incorruptible or immune to decay. The peacock damask below was found in a Rhode Island chasuble
The LION and EGG are other resurrection symbols. In the Bible, Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The genealogies of the New Testament point out that Jesus was a descendant of Judah from whom the eternal ruler was to come. The EGG shell can be seen as a nurturing, life giving tomb. The hatching chick represents Christ emerging from the tomb. The resurrection symbolism of the egg is enhanced by the legend of the phoenix.
Do you know of other symbols for the resurrection?
We had an email about crocheted edgings on three or four corners and here is a pattern which addresses that situation and is also lovely, The Cross & Tudor Rose pattern has been around for awhile and was revived in the late 1960′s when needlecrafts again became popular. Notice how smooth and flat the corners lay using this approach for small linens or large ones. Just left mouse click on the photo and a larger version will open up for you to print out.
Some altar guilds in the state have ordered small linens from the Sisters of St. Margaret in Haiti. The convent motherhouse is in Massachusetts with a special mission in Haiti which has helped the local neighborhood by teaching sewing skills. Sister Adele was usually the contact for ordering the small linens, all beautifully hemmed and embroidered. The letter below from our bishop gives an update on their situation there.
Dear Friends,
We have all heard the devastating news from Haiti, and I’m sure that you prayed for the people of the country and the Diocese of Haiti. I have just (11AM) received news that St. Margaret’s convent, school, and orphanage have been destroyed, along with the Cathedral and Bishop’s residence. There is no word about the three sisters stationed there, the children at the orphanage, or the bishop and his family. If any of you receive word, please contact me as soon as possible.
Some of you have asked about donations. I have just received an SOS from Episcopal Relief and Development, and from the Society of St. Margaret. In the name of the diocese I will forward immediately, $3,000 to ERD and $2,000 to the sisters. Further contributions can be made to these entities, earmarked for Haiti. Funds sent to the Diocese, earmarked for Haiti or ERD, will be sent to ERD, as soon as possible. Please see below for information on how to make a donation.
Please keep me in your prayers as well, for one of the sisters in Haiti is a very close friend of mine.
In Christ,
+Gerry Wolf
Society of St. Margaret
17 Highland Park Street
Boston, MA 02119-7120
http://www.ssmbos.com/Pages/Haiti.html
Episcopal Relief and Development
P.O. Box 7058
Merrifield,VA 22116-7058
We have a request for a Sacred Pelican embroidery motif. There are numerous transfers which I can send which would have to be applied by tracing on the cloth using transfer paper if you can do your own embroidery. St. Jude’s has a more contemporary machine embroidery banner in several sizes featuring the Pelican at http://www.stjudeshop.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/_/Pelican-on-a-Purple-Tapestry-/productID/2cc818b0-2394-4247-8d4d-c75c729bdfbe/categoryID/5e927507-614f-41e1-971c-83c94206561d/
The hunt is on for a new motif or a “recycled” on which has been removed from an old vestment. If you see one, let us know!
It has been a busy month going through boxes of redundant and unused vestments and linens which have arrived from other churches for relocating. It is like Christmas when these things appear in my office. I have quite a number of chalice pall inserts in various sizes and a good deal of linen remnants in various lengths. If your altar guild would like to make a new chalice pall, I am able to send you the insert (either cardboard, plexiglass or metal) and enough linen with an iron-on transfer and making directions to make a pall. They are really not very hard to do. (Revdma@aol.com )
I will be putting up a slideshow this weekend of some of the pretty embroideries I have seen over the summer and of some of the vestments I have relocated. My project for the autumn is documenting needlepoint in the Diocese of Rhode Island. Back in 1995 I did a program on this fascinating topic for the ECW but now we have digital photography, I think I can get better results. Rhode Island does have some LOVELY kneelers and other needlepoint items. Please let me know if your sacristy is in need of something in particular- I may just have it-and my husband will be delighted to see more “church things” exit our burgeoning front parlor!
What beautiful weather we are having! – just the right time to air out our sacristy closets and drawers after the muggy August we endured. September is a time for starting the back-to-church season with all its many programs on a fresh note.
The prie-dieu (singular) or prayer desk once seen in most Episcopal churches is becoming a rarer article these days. Literally meaning “pray (to) God”, these items of convenience for prayers and devotions have been around for centuries-both as home furnishings for private prayers and also in chapels, in front of votive stands, at marriage ceremonies for the bride and groom to kneel upon, in front of shrines to saints, and in priests’ sacristies for prayer preparation before Mass. Often today a long kneeler has taken the places of the wedding prie-dieux and real candle votive stands are on 
the wane. Those electrified candles alas, aren’t quite the same thing! Still a staple in most Episcopal churches are kneelers in a hassock style, or pull-down hard kneelers on a wooden frame.
The prie-dieu to the left is from 1830. Some prie-dieux look very like a chair with an elongated back with a padded top for missals, breviaries and prayer books to perch while kneeling. Monastic prie-dieux have shelves for storage of materials needed during the many offices around the clock. The Episcopal church, especially after WWII adopted the needlepoint kneeler in pews, and on prie-dieux kneelers and padded tops. Trinity Church in Newport has an extraordinary collection of needlepoint kneelers and prie-dieux. That of the rector’s wife, situated in front of the pulpit, is of needlepoint in a pale shade and features violets, the state 
flower of Rhode Island.
Royalty, saints and even the Virgin Mary are often portrayed in art kneeling in pious attitudes on a prie-dieu. Prie-dieux have been made of every possible material, in every style according to the current taste, elaborate, simple, decorated and plain. with all manner of upholstery and padding. The prie-dieu of important persons have often survived to be preserved in museums. Simple, sturdy, and well-constructed ones have survived in humble convents and monasteries and are still in use. 
The amazing gilded prie-dieu to the right is from 1706 Italy and not surprisingly belonged to a lady of great rank and privilege.
A simple prie-dieu offered in a style still very affordable and obtainable through most church furnishing catalogues. The kneeler would look well in needlepoint.
The famous architect, and decorative arts designer and artisan, Augustus Welby Pugin, (1812-1852) who created masterpieces of Gothic Revival style from jewelry to the Parliament buildings in London designed a prie-dieu which had everything included in one impressive design.
Recently I received an inquiry about a symbol of a pelican which was embroidered on the back of a chasuble. When the priest celebrated Mass with back facing the congregation, the beautiful embroidery work was always displayed in the orphreys and vesica on the back of the vestment, often a cross or a symbol of an animal or flower, an object, or sacred monogram. A sign or icon, such as the Pelican , is an object, character, figure, or color used to represent abstract ideas or concepts – a picture that represents an idea. A religious icon, such as the Pelican Christian Symbol, is an image or symbolic representation with sacred significance. “The meanings, origins and ancient traditions surrounding Christian symbols date back to early times when the majority of ordinary people were not able to read or write and printing was unknown. Many were ‘borrowed’ or drawn from early pre-Christian traditions, however the symbol of the pelican, unlike many early Christian symbols, is almost exclusively a Christian icon”. (Catholic Saints)
The pelican can often be seen in stained glass windows, an altar reredos
vestment vesicas, or carved in pew ends or other church architectural elements.
‘Pelican in her piety’ in heraldry and symbolical art, is a representation of a pelican in the act of wounding her breast in order to nourish her young with her blood a practice fabulously attributed to the bird. The pelican cutting open its own breast represents Christ’s death on the cross, and the shedding of his blood to revive us and therefore adopted as a symbol of the Redeemer and of charity. An explanation of this is that the pelican’s bill has a crimson red tip and the contrast of this red tip against the white breast probably gave rise to the tradition that the bird tore her own breast to feed her young with her blood.” (Catholic Saints)
You see them on Ebay identified as “short stoles” by those who are baffled. Once in a while you may see one dangling from left arm of the celebrant in an Anglo-Catholic parish- but seldom these days do you see them in Episcopal churches at the Eucharist. What is it? Well, it is one vestment element of the former basic Eucharistic vestment set- the maniple. How or why the maniple disappeared and went extinct on the chancel is a riddle. Were they getting in the way? Too fussy? Too much trouble? Was there a decree banning maniples? Nobody I have asked seems to know or have an answer. I receive armloads of old maniples in all colors to “recycle” and relocate. Ebay is flooded with unwanted maniples. And a maniple without its matching stole is an unwanted and sad thing indeed.
Along with the stole and chasuble (and perhaps a burse and chalice veil) , a Low Mass set of Eucharistic vestments always included a maniple. The maniple was the outward insignia indicating a subdeacon, deacon, or priest- all of whom are entitled to wear the maniple. The subdeacon receives the maniple, a deacon retains it as the stole (worn diagonally) is bestowed, and a priest or bishop retains the maniple along with the stole. Although of no practical use whatsoever, it has an ancient origin which is most probably Roman. The mappula was a sort of table napkin carried to meals which was used to wipe the mouth and folded at the end of the banquet and carried away folded over the left arm. There was also a silken ceremonial napkin called the mappa which was a luxury by the 4th century and had the dignity of a consular mark. Waved in the right hand, it was a starting signal for races or was waved to show enthusiasm at events and speeches.
At one point , in clerical use, deacons covered their left hand with it, subdeacons held the edges of the paten with it, and it was the “I” in the vestment layout in the sacred monogram IHS. Usually the stole and maniple ends 
matched exactly and were nearly always fringed. The shape of the end of the maniple echoed the shape of the stole ends and some got quite unusual with “spade ends” (think of the garden tool), triangular ends, flared ends and in the 1960′s pretty much no flare at all before the maniple went into obscurity. Got any maniple photos to share? I miss them- the Low Mass set looks a bit unfinished without them- and a jaunty biretta. Puts me in mind of that great song from the musical Annie- You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile. Alas, another reason to mourn Maniple Demise- they furnished a wonderful opportunity for beautiful and highly visible embroidery work. 
How did they go on and stay on? Sometimes a loop of elastic, sometimes a buttonhole which fit over a button on the alb sleeve- and sometimes you would just “Tie One On”!
Wippell’s (bless them) still stitches on a neat white button on the left sleeve of their superbly- constructed traditional alb, in hopes that not all sacristies have pitched out their maniples. Someday I suspect there may be a Friends of Maniples Society.
We’ve had some mail today regarding the beautiful textile cards from the Elizabeth Hoare Liverpool Cathedral Embroidery Gallery. These cards, in packets of 8 assorted can be ordered from the Cathedral Giftshop by using a credit card -shipping will be added. If you happen to find yourself in London, Watts on Tufton St. also sells the cards. Here is a sample of one. All cards are blank inside.
http://www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk/store/category/Elizabeth%20Hoare%20Embroidery.aspx
Chances are most altar guild members have heard of the late Beryl Dean (1911-2001) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/beryl-dean-729136.html who was the last word in contemporary design in embroidery and vestment-making in the 1950′s-80′s and whose many books on ecclesiastical embroidery line book shelves around the world. Her work reflected the times, and was fresh and innovative, if not just a bit difficult to follow if you were at home alone trying to follow her directions and diagrams!
But it is the late Elizabeth ” Betty” Hoare 1915-2001 whose praise I loudly sing, for her exceptional effort in rescuing amazing embroidery and church textiles from pre-1840, Victorian, and Edwardian periods from sacristies all around England. Thanks to Betty, examples of remarkable work can now be seen at the Liverpool Cathedral Embroidery Gallery http://www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk/content/Visiting/EmbroideryGallery.aspx
I often refer to her company, Watts and Co. of Tufton Street (in the shadow of Westminster Abbey, London) as one of the “Three Sacred W’s”- Wippel, Wareham and Watts!! The Warham Guild, alas is no more- but all three companies produced some of the best quality vestments anywhere, and Watts and Wippell are happily still on the job! In fact, both London stores are cheek and jowl side by side on Tufton Street today in London and a must-see stop if you ever find yourself near Big Ben, St. Margaret’s or Westminster Abbey.
A wonderful trade paperback book on the Liverpool Cathedral collection is also available with many colored photos which are simply breath-taking.
For many years Betty trudged in all weathers across the United Kingdom, rescuing piles of magnificent but unwanted ecclesiastical textiles at a time when these things had fallen out of favor. Many churches literally threw piles of things into Betty’s arms just to make room for the NEW stuff. Imagine THAT! Liverpool Cathedral, recognizing the importance of what Betty had saved, offered gallery space to display some of her treasures. Beautiful fragments and motifs were photographed to make Christmas and greeting cards which you can purchase on the Cathedral website (I had to buy an extra suitcase to stuff full of them on my last trip to Watts).
We owe so much to these women, and also to the many devoted conservationists of historical textiles, many who remain nameless and behind the scenes, as well as convent nuns who produced remarkable work for the altar in centuries past. But one name all altar guild workers can give thanks for and remember- Betty Hoare. Bless you Betty- for all you have done for us now and future generations!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1359636/Elizabeth-Hoare.html
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