APPENDIX A |
Season | Westminster | Sarum | Exeter | Wells | Lichfield | Rome |
Advent | White | Unknown (? White) | Violet | Medius (? Blue) | Black | Violet |
Christmas | White | Mixed colours | White | White | White | White |
The Epiphany | White | Mixed colours | White | White | Red | White |
Epiphany (Octave) to Septuagesima | White (to Candlemas) | Red | Green | Red | At will of Sacrist | Green |
Septuagesima to Lent | Reddish (subrubeus) | Red | Violet | Unknown | — | Violet |
Lent, first four weeks | Black (in practice, White) | Unknown (in practice, White) | Violet | — | Black | Violet |
Lent, last two weeks or Passion-tide | Red | Red | Violet | Red | Red | Violet |
Easter, from First Evensong, on Easter Eve, to Low Sunday | Red | White or Mixed colours | White | Red, Low Sunday White | White | White |
Low Sunday to Ascension Day | Red | White | White | Red | White | White |
Ascension Day to Whit Sunday | White | White or Mixed colours | — | White | White | White |
Whit Sunday | Red (or Saffron) Yellow (or Green) | White or Mixed colours | Red | Red | White | Red |
Trinity Sunday | Red | Mixed colours | If handsome, Green, otherwise White | Red | White | White |
Corpus Christi and Octave | — | — | Red and White | Red | — | White |
Sundays after Trinity | Red | Red | Green | Red | At will of Sacrist | Green |
Week days after Trinity, not being Saints Days | — | Unknown | — | — | — | Green |
Saints Days | ||||||
St. Paul (January 25) | — | Red | Red or Blue | Red | Red | White |
Evangelists | Red | Red | Red | Red | — | Red |
Apostles | Red | Red | Red | Red | Red | Red |
Martyrs | Red | Red | Red | Red | Red | Red |
Virgins | White | White | White | White | White | White |
Confessors | Yellow (or Green and Blue) | Yellow (or Saffron) | — | Blue and Green | Varius | White |
St. John Baptist (June 24) | White | White | — | Indius (? Blue) | Varius | White |
All Saints | — | Unknown | White, Red and all colours | White and Red | Varius | White |
St. Michael and All Angels | White or Blue | White | White | White and Indius (? Blue) | White | White |
St. John Evangelist | White | White | White | — | White | White |
Holy Innocents | Violet | Unknown | — | Red | — | Violet |
Festivals of the Blessed Virgin Mary | White | White | White | White | White | White |
Dedication of Churches | — | White or Mixed colours | All colours | Blue and White | — | White |
Burial | Black | Black | Black | Black | Black | Black |
Wherever Black was ordered, Violet, Purple, Dark Blue, and Ash-colour, or Grey, seem to have been considered equivalent. So Green also replaced Yellow.
APPENDIX B
A Few of the Symbols and Emblems most frequently used in Ecclesiastical Art
I. The Fish.—The first, in point of date, as a distinctly Christian Symbol (1) of Baptism, (2) of the Name of Our Lord, the letters In Greek forming an anagram of the Name Jesus.
II. The Cross.—The universal emblem of Christianity, showing the length, breadth, depth, and height of the Love of God in Christ.
As decoration, the Latin form ? should only be used for Penitential occasions, being the symbol of suffering and of the Passion. The Greek ?? or equilateral, the foundation of all the more decorative ones, is suitable for all times and seasons except Christmas and Epiphany.
The Gammadion, Fylfot, Swarstika, or (in heraldry) the Cross Potent rebated—a prehistoric cross found all over the world—is suitable for all seasons, and was the one most generally used in ancient Church embroidery.
III. The Glory, Nimbus and Aureole, in the East, an attribute of power; in the West, of Divinity or of consecration.
IV. The Lamb.—An early symbol of Christ as the Lamb of God, the sacrifice for sin. With the standard ‘Agnus Dei,’ signifies the Risen Lord.
As an attribute (1) of St. John the Baptist, in reference to his words ‘Behold,’ &c.; (2) of St. Agnes = Innocence and Purity, and for her name.
V. The Pelican ‘in her piety,’ a symbol (1) of Christ giving Life by His sufferings; (2) of the Blessed Sacrament.
VI. The Lion = Strength, Fortitude, Solitude, as an attribute of Martyrs, signifies the mode of their death; of St. Mark as Evangelist, because he depicts Christ as the ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah.’
VII. The Hart or Hind = Solitude, Purity, Religious Aspiration, ‘Like as the Hart desireth,’ &c.: Ps. 42.
VIII. The Crown = Symbol of Victory. Female saints generally depicted wearing the crown, male saints hold it in their hands or have it at their feet, or angels bear it above. Symbol of Martyrdom, attribute of Royalty.
IX. The Palm = Symbol also of Victory, especially that of Martyrdom. Saints and angels bear them in their hands (never on the ground or at their feet).
X. The Olive = Peace; attribute of the Angels of the Nativity—St. Gabriel, St. Agnes, &c.
XI. The Dove is the symbol of the Holy Ghost. It is shown at the Annunciation, Baptism, and over the heads of saints considered specially inspired; (2) emblem of the Soul.
XII. The Lily = Purity, especial attribute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Gabriel, St. Joseph, St. Francis.
XIII. The Book signifies the Gospel or an Evangelist; or in the hands of other saints, learning and writings.
XIV. A Church in the hands of a saint indicates that he (or she) was the founder; an attribute of St. Jerome as a Primitive Father.
XV. A Ship or Ark = The Holy Catholic Church.
XVI. An Anchor = Hope.
XVII. A Lamp, Lantern or Taper = Piety or Wisdom.
XVIII. The Chalice, with Host, symbol of the Holy Eucharist; also = Faith.
The Chalice, with Serpent, attribute of St. John, in reference to tradition of poisoned Chalice.
XIX. The Four Evangelists were, in very early times, symbolised by four scrolls on the arms of an equilateral cross.
Later (from Second to Fifth Century) by four rivers, and from the Fifth Century onwards by the four Living Creatures.
St. Matthew = the winged man, in reference to his gospel showing the Humanity of Christ.
St. Mark = the Lion, his gospel being especially for the Jews.
St. Luke = the Ox, showing the sacrificial aspect.
St. John = the Eagle, ‘taking the highest flight and portraying the Divinity’ of our Lord.
XX. The Twelve Apostles.
The earliest representations are purely emblematical—twelve sheep in a row (six on each side) with the ‘Agnus Dei’ in the middle.
The next twelve men, all exactly alike, carrying a sheep, with our Lord as the Good Shepherd larger than the others.
Afterwards the attributes of the Twelve Apostles became as follows:—
St. Peter, with keys or a fish.
St. Paul, with the sword.
St. Andrew, with diagonal cross.
St. James (Major), with pilgrim’s staff.
St. John, with the chalice.
St. Thomas, with builder’s rule.
St. James (Minor), with club.
St. Philip, with staff or crozier.
St. Bartholomew, with large knife.
St. Matthew, with purse or bag.
St. Simon, with saw.
St. Thaddeus or Jude, with halberd.
St. Matthias, with lance.
XXI. A Circle signifies the World or Eternity, or perfection.
An Equilateral Triangle (or other equal three-fold form) stands for the Holy Trinity.
A Square or Quatrefoil for the World, ruled by the Cross.
XXII. The Monograms IHC or IHS, and XPC or XPS, are the first two and last letters of the Name Jesus and the title Christ in Greek (the C being the older form of S). They have been used from very early times, and are among the most beautiful and suggestive of the symbols. They should not be used indiscriminately, but given a due place of honour, such as on an altar-frontal or the orphrey of a chasuble or cope. They can be, and often are, extremely decorative, and the thoughtless worker is sometimes betrayed into placing them most inappropriately simply because she happens to possess a good drawing of one.
APPENDIX C
On Lace as Applied to Church Vestments, Linen, etc.
There are some in the present day who object entirely to the use of lace on any article for ecclesiastical purposes, chiefly on the ground that it is not to be found on the older ones.
It seems to me that this is not a sufficient reason for discarding it altogether (providing that it is otherwise appropriate), for it has always been the custom of the Church to welcome every new form of art as it arises and to consecrate to her use the offerings of the faithful.
Lace was not used on the older vestments, &c., not because there was anything intrinsically wicked about it, or even frivolous, but because it was not yet invented!
There is no reliable evidence to prove the existence of lace, as we understand the term, before the fifteenth century. It seems to have been evolved gradually from ‘cut linen’ through ‘drawn-thread,’ ‘reticella,’ and ‘Lacis’ to needle-point and pillow- or bobbin-lace, and was not in general use till the seventeenth century, by the middle of which it is to be seen, not merely as a decoration, but even as the entire fabric of altar-frontals and vestments.
There is no excuse, of course, for using paltry cheap lace, as there is no necessity for employing it at all. In very old churches where everything is en suite, and in simple village churches, it would not be suitable, but I think some quite modern ones may err on the side of being over-zealous for strict Medievalism. At any rate, it is well to understand the reason of things, and then decisions will be made with judgment.
APPENDIX D
Books Useful to the Student of Church Needlework
N.B.—Those marked with * are mostly about embroidery, and the others on design or history, &c.
* Alford, Lady, Needlework as Art.
* Barber, Mary, Some Drawings of Ancient Embroidery.
* Bock, Dr., Geschichte der Liturgischen GewÄnder.
Braun, Die Priestlichen GewÄnder, &c.
Clausse, G., Les Monuments du Christianisme, &c.
Chambers, Divine Worship in England in Thirteenth Century, &c.
Crane, Walter, Line and Form (and others).
* Davenport, English Embroidered Bookbindings.
Day, Lewis, Several Handbooks on Design.
* Day, Lewis, and Mary Buckle, Art in Needlework.
* Dolby, Anastasia, Church Embroidery.
Dolby, Anastasia, Church Vestments.
* Farcy, Louis de, La Broderie du XIII? SiÈcle, &c.
Jameson, Mrs., Sacred and Legendary Art.
Jones, Owen, Grammar of Ornament.
Jones, Owen, Principles, an Attempt to Define, &c.
* Kendrick, A. F., English Embroidery.
* LefÉbure, E., Embroidery and Lace.
Legg, J. Wickham, Notes on the History of Liturgical Colours.
Marriott, Vestiarium Christianum.
* Pugin, Glossary of Ecclesiastical Ornament.
* Rock, Dr. Daniel, Textiles, Introduction to.
Rock, Dr. Daniel, Church of our Fathers.
Semper, Der Stil.
* Townsend, W. G. P., Embroidery: or the Craft of the Needle.
Ward, Historic Ornament.
* Wilton, Countess of, The Art of Needlework.
Magazines.
* The Art Workers’ Quarterly.
* Burlington.
* Home Art Work.
* Studio.
Transactions of St. Paul’s Ecclesiological Society. Vols. I. and II. especially.