The Embroidered Altar Pall

In the Old Testament, we read about the Ark of the Covenant - that magnificent home and protection for the written word of God. This Ark was considered so special that even the priests whose job it was to carried it were not allowed to look at it with their eye. A veil was placed between the human eye and the Holy of Holies.

Would it be a wonder then, if we should emulate even a fraction of this honor due God when housing His very Own True Presence in the Blessed Sacrament? Every big and little ornament and article used in to the purpose of housing and protecting Our Lord must be special and in turn, beautiful.

Tabernacle, veil, jewels, and even the chalice themselves should be made of the finest of materials for the King of Kings. And when He comes to us in Holy Communion, the priest insures that not even a particle of dust or debris will fall near him. How does this happen?

With the help of a pall.

Made of linen and stiffened inside to board-like stiffness, the altar pall is used to cover the Chalice and prevent anything from falling inside. This simple tool has a giant purpose. Given it's high office, the pall is often embroidered and decorated with the finest in Catholic motifs and designs.

Our seamstress did an amazing job on this special order for custom palls. These beauties will grace the altar through the hands of a priest in Canada, thanks to the generosity of his friends.

"And I clothed thee with embroidery, and shod thee with violet coloured shoes: and I girded thee about with fine linen, and clothed thee with fine garments." - Ezechiel 16:10

www.catholicembroidery.com

Embroidered Stole: Golden Maltese Crosses

White & violet brocade fabrics designed to allow for a "reversible" stole

It's such a treat to work with talented seamstresses across the country! I am always amazed at the ideas, vision, and array of beautiful fabrics that take shape into exquisite treasures for priests and the altar through their skillful hands.

One such seamstress recently contacted us with a special custom project: Maletese Crosses embroidered in gold metallic thread on stole she is creating for a a priest.

The small gold cross will rest, as always, on the neck of the priest...

And as usual, this special request gave me the opportunity to learn more about my Faith and the symbolism in her art and liturgy. The Maltese Cross' history and symbolism can be found in last week's blog post... while the meaning of the stole is shared below:

"A liturgical vestment composed of a strip of material from two to four inches wide and about eighty inches long. It has either a uniform width throughout, or is somewhat narrower towards the middle, widening at the ends in the shape of a trapezium or spade. A small cross is generally sewed or embroidered on the stole at both ends and in the middle; the cross, however, is prescribed only for the middle, where the priest kisses the stole before putting it on... Stoles for festivals are generally ornamented with embroidery, especially what are called 'vesper stoles'... At the ordination of priests the bishop draws the part of the stole that rests at the back of the candidate's neck forward over the breast and lays the two ends crosswise, saying: 'Receive the yoke of the Lord, for His yoke is sweet and His burden is light.'... The giving of the stole to the candidate at ordination in Rome was intended to convey a double symbolism; first, that the elevation to the clergy of the Roman Church occurred de benedictione S. Petri, and secondly that by ordination the candidate entered the service of St. Peter, that is of the Roman Church." - From the Catholic Encyclopedia online

This "Penitential" side of the stole will be used for while
hearing confessions... during Lent... Advent...

Project: Sacred Heart Vesica

The beautiful Sacred Heart design pictured above is the very first design to be created exclusively by Catholic Embroidery. As a family business, it was very important to begin our new endeavor with our family's consecration to the Sacred Heart in full honor. Thus, the Sacred Heart image was committed to stitches, copyrighted, and the Catholic Embroidery gallery began.

Over the years, this design has been stitched as framable artwork combined with commemoration of feasts in a family, as a consecration memento in households across America, and in many other forms.

Thus, it is very fitting that as we near our FIFTH anniversary of the founding of our company in November, it is this Sacred Heart that takes form once again under the eyes of our needles. We were asked by a priest in Texas to make this design available in the form of a vesica applique. (Vesica is a term used to refer to an embroidery motif application to a given vestment.) This applique was created in a manner that would allow a local seamstress to apply the design directly to the fabric in a matter of minutes. Gold metallic thread was used to match the vestment's existing orphrey and the results were absolutely stunning.

Tomorrow, on the First Friday in October, our Sacred Heart design will mount the steps of the altar, embedded boldly over the heart of one of God's own ministers.

Introibo ad altare Dei - I will go to the altar of God

Hoop Scoop: Marian Vestments

This week, our needles are busy stitching with blue and metallic gold. Working with lovely white damask pre-cut fabric pieces sent to us from a talented seamstress, these pieces will soon take shape into Latin Rite Marian Vestment sets to be worn by TWO newly ordained priests.

This collection of embroidery pieces came to a whopping 125,964 stitches! That's about 2,078.406 feet of thread!!!!

In honor of these Marian vestments, let's take a peek into the practice of the honoring the Five First Saturdays Devotion, at which these vestments will one day soon take their place at the foot of the Altar. Have you ever heard of this devotion? It all started one day in 1917 Fatima, Portugal...

Our Lady Herself asked for us to make reparation on this day especially saying, "Say to all who, for 5 months, on the first Saturdays, confess, receive Holy Communion, recite the Rosary, and keep Me company during 15 minutes while meditating on the 15 mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to my Immaculate Heart, I promise to assist them at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for the salvation of their souls."

Have you made your First Saturdays?

Stay tuned for final product posts as these treasures come to life!!
See you then!

PAX+
Mary Serafino

www.catholicembroidery.com

In the Service of St. Peter

Priest's initials embroidered on a stole for Gardiner Hall Restoration

"The giving of the stole to the candidate at ordination in Rome was intended to convey a double symbolism; first, that the elevation to the clergy of the Roman Church occurred de benedictione S. Petri, and secondly that by ordination the candidate entered the service of St. Peter, that is of the Roman Church." Catholic Encyclopedia

Maniturgium

UPDATE: We've added a maniturgium to our list of products! Tu es Sacerdos in Aeternum - click here

Though we have various altar linen embroidery projects throughout the year, when the season of ordinations approaches, requests for an ordination-related linen becomes a regularity . This single piece of linen unites the newly ordained priest with his mother. And, the embroidery itself often reflects the most perfect of unions of Son and Mother, with references to Our Lady, as shown in the image below. This special piece of linen is called: a Maniturgium.

What is a maniturgium?

MANITURGIUM: A fine linen cloth, often embroidered with fine lace or some insignia, used by a newly ordained priest after annointing with holy oils. It was removed from the Rite of Ordination but is often still used by the newly ordained when they return to the sacristy to clean their hands. This MANITURGIUM is then put aside by the priest to be used to place in the hands of his deceased mother before burial." (The Church Visible" by James-Charles Noonan, Jr.)

Beautiful Hands of a Priest

The approaching month of May begins the great season of ordinations. This is a bustling time for our embroidery shop as we prepare last-minute details for custom vestments and linens. I cannot think of a more rewarding project than preparing fabrics and floss for the altar!

The photos below were taken of a set of linens we embroidered in collaboration with Altarworthy for a priest who will be ordained in Texas in the next few weeks. Please pray for him and all new priests!

The Beautiful Hands of a Priest 

Unknown Author

  We need them in life's early morning,
            We need them again at its close;
            We feel their warm clasp of true friendship,
            We seek it while tasting life's woes.

  When we come to this world we are sinful,
            The greatest as well as the least.
            And the hands that make us pure as angels
            Are the beautiful hands of a priest.

  At the altar each day we behold them,
            And the hands of a king on his throne
            Are not equal to them in their greatness
            Their dignity stands alone.

  For there in the stillness of morning
            Ere the sun has emerged from the east,
            There God rests between the pure fingers
            Of the beautiful hands of a priest.

When we are tempted and wander
          To pathways of shame and sin
          'Tis the hand of a priest that absolve us.
          Not once but again and again.

And when we are taking life's spouse,
          Other hands may prepare us a feast
          But the hands that will bless and unite us,
          Are the beautiful hands of a priest.

God bless them and keep them all holy,
          For the Host which their fingers caress,
          What can a poor sinner do better
          Than to ask Him who chose them to bless

When the death dews on our lids are falling,
          May our courage and strength be increased
          By seeing raised o'er us in blessing
          The beautiful hands of a priest.

God bless,

Mary

O Lord, send us priest!

O Lord, send us many priests!

O Lord, send us many holy priests and religious vocations!

www.catholicembroidery.com