Liturgy

The feast of Corpus Christi

The feast of Corpus Christi

The feast of Corpus Christi (“Body of Christ”) ends the festival that follows after Easter. It is celebrated on Thursday after the celebration of the Holy Trinity, although in many countries it falls on the following Sunday. The feast of Corpus Christi celebrates the real…

Paschal candle: the light that frees us from darkness

Paschal candle: the light that frees us from darkness

The Christ-Light axiom is one of the most recurring in the Catholic religion. From the origins of the Liturgy, light from lamps and candles was used as symbol of light of the Resurrection of Jesus: a light, which can dissipate the darkness of the darkest…

Commemorate the painful journey of Christ through the Way of the Cross

Commemorate the painful journey of Christ through the Way of the Cross

The Via Crucis or Way of the Cross, traces the Passion of Christ and his path towards Mount Golgotha to be crucified. Pilgrims visiting Jerusalem since ancient times celebrated this ritual: they covered the route from Pilate Palace to the mountain and to the Holy…

Using incense in liturgy

Using incense in liturgy

The smell of incense has always been tied to the field of spirituality and ritual, not only in the Catholic Christian religion, but in all religions. The act of burning incense, precious material, reserved for altars of the gods and for the table of the…

The first sacrament of a youth faithful: Baptism

The first sacrament of a youth faithful: Baptism

Baptism is the first sacrament that the young faithful approaches. It is a time of great celebration for the whole family, with which it celebrates its entrance into a fuller life, accompanying him in his first steps to the discovery of spirituality. Like any celebration,…

How to use an oil lamp completely safely: 5 tips

How to use an oil lamp completely safely: 5 tips

The use of oil lamps is very old. It dates back to Greek civilisation, and is also documented in the Mediterranean regions by the Phoenicians or the Romans, already many centuries before the birth of Christ. In ancient times, oil lamps were simple flat containers…

The colours of the Catholic liturgy and their meaning

The colours of the Catholic liturgy and their meaning

The liturgical vestments of Catholic priests during religious celebrations and the many sacred vestments used by them, differs according to a range of colours that have a precise symbolic meaning. The colours of liturgical vestments, such as the cope, chasuble, dalmatic and the stole, refer…

The importance of the tabernacle in the Catholic Church

The importance of the tabernacle in the Catholic Church

The tabernacle is the place of the church that holds the ciborium containing the Eucharist. This makes the tabernacle the heart and the cornerstone of each church; it is the reference of those who come to pray and worship the body of Christ even outside…

Pitchers for manuterges in religious ceremonies

Pitchers for manuterges in religious ceremonies

The act of washing has always played a very important role in religious ceremonies. Judaism has spread real baths, which go back to the baptism of John the Baptist, while the Koran prescribes the washing of the face, arms and feet before prayer. As part…

The value of the pastoral staff in Catholic symbolism

The value of the pastoral staff in Catholic symbolism

The pastoral staff is a symbol of ecclesiastical power, which usually designates the role of the bishop or abbot. It is a long rod with one curved or spiral end, fixed to the support by a collar and by a node. The staff symbolises a…

The history of host moulds

The history of host moulds

The tradition of giving consecrated bread a flat, round shape harks back to the end of the fourth century, in the Orient. After the fifth century, such customs also arrived in the West. We should not think, however, that the hosts made then are similar…

Liturgical bells in religious celebrations

Liturgical bells in religious celebrations

The use of liturgical bells in religious celebrations has very old origins. The bells were certainly known and used by all people in the antiquity, and have even been found in prehistoric tombs. The origins of the liturgical bells, which are still used in religious…

A comfortable and functional alternatives to real candles: PVC candles

A comfortable and functional alternatives to real candles: PVC candles

PVC candles are comfortable and functional alternatives to real candles; can also be cheaper and safer than traditional candles made of beeswax, vegetable wax, or paraffin, and their effect in terms of atmosphere and solemnity is not envious of traditional ones. They use glass or plexiglass…

Liturgical cope: The vestment worn by priests in celebrations

Liturgical cope: The vestment worn by priests in celebrations

The liturgical cope is a vestment worn by priests in celebrations that take place outside of Mass or outside of the church itself. In fact, during Mass the celebrant only wears the chasuble. The liturgical cope is instead used in processions, Eucharist benedictions, vespers and…

Clergy shirts

Clergy shirts

With the term clergy we generally define the religious suits consisting of trousers, shirt and black or gray jacket, worn by priests outside of the celebrations. More in particular, however, the definition is referred to the typical clergy shirt, which characterizes unequivocally this attire. The…

Metal pyxes

Metal pyxes

Metal pyxes are containers designed to enclose the consecrated hosts. The Eucharistic pyxes are usually made of enamel plate, pewter, silver plate, gold-plated brass, aluminum, but can also have inserts of other metals, or glass, or even be in olive wood. They are small size…

Monstrance stand

Monstrance stand

The monstrance stand is a shelf upon which the monstrance is placed. The monstrance is the sacred container used for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament to the faithful. Such exposure takes place during worship and Eucharistic blessing. The very name of this furniture fully…

Lecterns

Lecterns

Lecterns are an essential church supplies. Usually the lectern is placed before the altar, on the presbytery. Its name derives from the greek λογειον, loghĕion, “pulpit” from which it differs in some features. While the pulpit is for the preaching, the lectern serves as a support…