Fr Thomas Regan OSB of Our Ladye & St.Michael's, Abergavenny, sent me the above picture of the Missa Cantata there last Friday. Fr Regan came with three other priests from that part of Wales to the LMS conference at Oxford. The vestment worn for the Mass was from the parish's medieval collection. It was donated by Henry VII, having been embroidered in 1498 by Robynett his court embroiderer. It was already 150 years old when worn by the Abergavenny martyrs St David Lewis (parish priest there for 31 years) and St Philip Evans (curate for 5 years) until his martyrdom in 1679.
The above photo was sent in high resolution so I have cut and enhanced as best I can the section showing the vestment:
16 comments:
Lovely picture, thanks. There is a bery fine 'Opus Anglicanum' cope on display in Cirencester Parish Church - it had belonged to a chantry priest there.
BTW, pitty you couldn't have airbrushed out the new altar. LOL
This seems similar to the vestments used here
Yes. I was about to say the same thing :
Beautiful church.
Beautiful liturgy.
Beautiful old vestment.
Pity about the "people's altar".
It must be so awesome to wear vestments worn by our martyrs, very sobering and such a privilege. Saying the mass in them must focus the mind on the sacrifice of our Lord and the apostolic faith. It reminds me to consider the cross of Christ and the greatest privilege of all, to follow Him. Thanks Father for this post.
Wow! Just awesome to think about and contemplate the Catholic history of those vestments. That should make the Holy Martyrs proud!
Beautiful pictures of a landmark occassion. Thanks Fr Thomas for sharing this with the rest of us through Fr Tim's blog. Oh - the power and wonder of the blogosphere!
St David Lewis and St Philip Evans pray for us. Deo Gratias.
This was a woderful celebration of the Holy Mass. I was privaliged to have attended it. The Mass was said with dignity and reverance and filled all of ones senses. I wass able to worship with the whole of my being, as it always should do. KEEP it up
History in the making...
I do agree with Philip. Westward facing altars will always destroy the unity of sanctuaries where the original high altar is still in place. If only the ad orientum position could be used for all Masses.
ad orientEm
WOW!
How awe inspiring it must be to wear the vestments of a martyr. Awesome, truly awesome.
Didi I write "pitty"? Pity I can't spell, sorry.
A made a similar comment on Matt's blog, but while on a pilgrimage to Rome a few years ago, the priest was so unconfortable saying Mass, ad orientem, that he sort of stood sideways at all the traditional altars that we used. It looked so stupid. Indeed, very "north end" as the heretic Cranmer would have his priests stand.
Pardon my ignorance, but I had no idea that there were medieval vestments still in Catholic hands (and NOT locked away by archivists, etc.) and in condition good enough to be used for Mass! Are there many English parishes with such resources?
Lovely, lovely. It seems that occupants of the organ loft had the best view, though, with that 'other altar' in the way... Ooo, how times are changing!
What a blessing to have viable pre-Reformation vestments! How amazing that anything managed to survive the persecutions and oppression of those centuries.
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