Culture of Orthodox Western Rite

Under the guidance of Bp. Peter, Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

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Culture of the Orthodox West

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*Page II*
	An 11th-century holy water Stoup from a Western Rite church. The custom of blessing oneself with holy water every time one enters the Church is an ancient and peculiarly Western tradition. It is derived from the presence in the old basilicas of a fountain for washing the hands and face before entering the church. Oftentimes this took on a spiritual significance as inscriptions of these fountains would remind the worshippers to wash their heart with repentance to come before the face of God. Later, the "fountain" moved indoors and became the holy water stoup.
	Typical Western iconography: The apse in the great Church at Torcello. Inscriptions are all in Latin.
	Detail of mosaic in the Church at Torcello.
	More Western mosaic, from the Church at Torcello. The inscription read: Virgo Dei, Natum Prece Pulsa; Terge Reatum," that is, "Virgin of God, Knock with Thy Son in Prayer; Wipe Clean our Guilt."
	More typical Western mosaic work, from Torcello.
	Typical Western mosaics from Torcello--the Holy Apostles.
	Torcello - mosaic of Christ our God.
	Chalice with Paten. On the left, under the paten, is the "purificator" for cleaning during the ablutions after Holy Communion.
	An old Pyx with Veil.
	Photo from an Anglican re-enactment of a Sarum Liturgy in the early part of the 20th century.
	Photo from an Anglican re-enactment of a Sarum Liturgy in the early part of the 20th century.
	Photo from an Anglican re-enactment of a Sarum Liturgy in the early part of the 20th century.
	Photo from an Anglican re-enactment of a Sarum Liturgy in the early part of the 20th century.
	Photo from an Anglican re-enactment of a Sarum Liturgy in the early part of the 20th century.
	Photo from an Anglican re-enactment of a Sarum Liturgy in the early part of the 20th century.
	Photo from an Anglican re-enactment of a Sarum Liturgy in the early part of the 20th century.
	An old mitre kept in the Abbey of St. Denis, Paris
	Rood screen in a wooden Stave Church.
	Another rood screen doorway in an old wooden Stave Church.
	Rood screen in the Church of S. Julien-des-Prez, France.
	"Pastoral Stole," worn when another vestment is not being worn over the Stole (which is also called, in many old Western writings, the Orarium). This one is very short but traditionally the Stole hangs down to the shins or ankles of the Priest.
	The chasuble of St. Vitalis at Salzburg. This shows the ancient form of the Western chasuble, which hangs down very amply on all sides. This style is called the "conical chasuble."
	Typical Western Rite thurible (censer) with four chains and a flat base.
	Chalice veil. In the older Rites, this veil is much more ample, and its ample folds are drawn up to conceal and reveal the Chalice frequently during the holiest part of the Liturgy.
	Burse and Veil.
	Part of an old Cope with rich embroidery gives some idea of the magnificence of the old Western Rite vestments.
	An old-style Alb (stikhar). These were often very richly ornamented, with cuffs at the wrists and rich adornment at the neck and hem.
	Western icon medallion of Christ.
	At Cimabue, Christ with gospel inscription "Ego Sum Lux Mundi," that is, "I am the Light of the World."
	The Cross of San Pierino (13th century). The various post-Schism items shown here are to give an approximation of old Western culture, as it did survive even post-Schism. They also, in many cases, reveal how the unified East-West Christian culture which was preserved by the Eastern Orthodox Church suffused the West even long after the separation.
	Deposition of Christ from the Cross, by Enrico di Tedice, 13th c.
	The dado, or solid portion, of an old English rood screen.
	Rood screen in the Eye Church.
	Detail of old rood screen dado.
	More detail of rood screen dado.
	Assissi: The Four Doctors.
	The Last Judgment, in an old chapel in Padua (Scrovegni?).
	West door to the Church at Melbourn.
	Piscina in the Church at Pickworthe. The piscina is a sort of drain for holy things that must be poured out, such as water that has been used to wash the Priest's hands. It runs down a special pipe to rest beneath the Church as opposed to going into a common sewer.
	The rood screen, in the Church at Pickworthe.
	A frontal view of the rood screen in the Church at Pickworthe.
	St. Margaret's Well, Binsey, Oxford.
	Decoration of the Chapel at Castal Appiano, 1200 A.D.
	Crypt of old cathedral in Aquileia. The figure between the arches is not identified.
	Rood screen in the Church of S. Julien-des-Prez, France.
	St. Matthew the Apostle, Cimabue.
	Frescos in the choir of Lambach Abbey, 1089 A.D.
	Shrine of St. Genevieve, Paris.
	A late Western iconographic depiction of St. John Chrysostom in Western vestments.
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Last update: 07/20/2007