Thursday, August 13, 2009

Spot the difference

Click to enlarge


These first two pictures were taken during Mass a few months ago









An avid postcard collector just sent me this from 1906



This one was taken in the 1870s

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

What horrible lighting in the modern pictures!
Gregory

SMJ said...

Reverend Father:

Couldn't you place the altar at it's old, ad orientem, position and reinstall the old altar rails?

I'm sure you would receive support from the Holy Father and from all over the world... ;-)

Greetings from Brazil,

SMJ

Matthaeus said...

Looking at the old photo's, there seem to be some rather nice artifacts present, notably the large candlestands which flank the altar in the 1906 picture, and the very impressive frontal and conopaeum in the 1870 picture. I don't suppose any of these have survived? I know it can be amazing what turns up in old sacristies.

M.

me said...

When I see the 1870 photograph,and the Tabernacle...I can't explain what I mean really,but I sense something very precious,the decades,indeed centuries of prayer and worship in the Church Father.Makes me believe in heaven even more,and the continuing City that will be self-renewing.

I am off to Whitby next week.I will go to the Abbey ruins and ask for St Hilda's prayers to send some practical/material aid to the Church,according to His Will.She was good at getting things done on earth!

gemoftheocean said...

Well...A few weeks ago you did have a picture of the red and gold base that you didn't think was in keeping with the chruch BUT -- given the shape..and considering that you seemed to have more steps up to the altar, that pulpit probably had that piece you couldn't quite place as a base. Given the angle of the picture in 1906 it's obvious that there is more "bottom" to that pulpit.

As for the 3 brass things with the three holes a piece and the wood still remaining, if I had to guess I'd say that perhaps at one time there were some flags in the Church? This is not uncommon in the US and I bet during the war years (either WWI, or WWII) it wouldn't have surprised me at all. Looks like the flags and poles were hastily sawn out.

I notice too in the 06 picture, that the statue of Mary Magdalene is gone/moved? [disappeared?] Also, what are the rigid pipelike items which are coming down from the archways? gaslight? I know gaslight wasn't around all that long -- but if memory serves, it was a short time perhaps after the 1870s but by 1906 it was on its way out with the first electric systems being put in.

I note too, the rather elaborate candlestands to the left and right of the altar. Christmas tree like!

Or am I missing an elephant somewhere?

berenike said...

I think it looks rather splendid in all the photos. What you've done with the "forward" altar works very well, and will, I imagine, look even better once you've finished the current work.

Physiocrat said...

1870 version looks best.

antonb3182 said...

Dear Father,

I was very interested to see the installation of your new altar. I assume you are installing a timber frame rather than a stone one against the day when free standing altars for ad orientum celebrations will not be needed at all.

The Lord’s descent into the underworld

At Matins/the Office of Readings on Holy Saturday the Church gives us this 'ancient homily', I find it incredibly moving, it is abou...