Antependium: a decorative hanging for the front of an altar, lectern, or pulpit.
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Such linens and cloth hangings are also called paraments.
They "clothe" the furnishings in the chancel.
The liturgical colors of the paraments change, following the seasons of the Christian calendar.
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Red, the color of fire, is a symbol for the Holy Spirit; so on Pentecost the paraments are red, and also during ordinations of clergy.
Red is also the color of blood and of martyrdom--the color for any service that commemorates the death of a martyr.
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Red is used by some churches for Holy Week.
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Red is the April 1 theme for City Daily Photo's Theme Day.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
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Wishing the Christian readers a blessed Holy Week.
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Good choice for theme day, have been enjoying your posts this week, even if I haven't been commenting.
ReplyDeleteLast Pentecost, I made new red antependiums for the altar and pulpit, since it had been a nunber of years since the ones we had made previously had been seen. A couple of months later, the supervision and tremendous energy of our new pastor, the old ones were found in the course of cleaning the sacristy. We now have two sets.
ReplyDeleteI changed to the red for Palm Sunday, back to Lenten colors after Sunday was over. Tomorrow is white. Good Friday is red vestments, but the altar is stripped. Saturday back to white. Next week we have Confirmation, and I may get to change to red again.
But I guess I asked for it when I offered to take over the altar linens when our dear friend wh did it move to Alaska at the age of 87.
Perfect choice for today ... and good information as well. A good April Fool's Day to you -:))
ReplyDeleteYou are a learned and charming guide, Dina.
ReplyDeleteAloha from Hawaii my Friend!
Comfort Spiral
Very appropriate for theme day and the time of year. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteLovely color red!
ReplyDeleteI never knew they are called Antependium.
Red (Blood)is very appropriate for Holy Week. I see purple around a lot also.
I love coming to your blog, Dina, because I always learn something new from your posts.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful choice for the theme and the Christian season. Thank you, Dina.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to go for a Lenten fast, but I don't know if I can do it — especially since I decided to completely scrub down all the bathrooms! ;)
I would have thought, from the portal, it was a red phone booth. So I was surprised. It is a good choice.
ReplyDeleteI chose a picture I took 55 years ago of my Patty wearing a red dress. On April Fool's Day, April 1, 1955.
I gave her a diamond engagement ring, and today, April 1, 2010 is my entry for theme day on my Brookville Daily Photo blog.
We call these 'paramentos' but, as far as I can remember, they are mostly brocades here.
ReplyDeleteLovely red!
I really like this composition for theme day. very interesting image
ReplyDeleteNice choice for Theme Day. I like the information about it as well.
ReplyDeleteGood info. Thanks for the lesson.
ReplyDeleteOutstanding choice for the Theme Day, Dina!
ReplyDeleteI love the way you've caught the light in this photo and the feel of the fabric and as always explain it so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post, in theory I know these thing, but I am quite rusty. Thank for reminding us with this beautiful image, perfect for our Theme Day.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, spiritual photo, Dina. I love the way the light comes through and articulates the weave in the cloth. Thanks too for the information.
ReplyDeleteA great and timely posting for Holy Week! Great RED theme day photo!
ReplyDeleteYou know so much of those colours, Dina! Purple was the colour for forty days before Easter, and also before Christmas, as a sign of mourning and at Easter we will have a white cloth as a sign of joy and faith. And red for Pentecost, as you wrote. When my husband died I chose white and gold for he was now happy and delivered from two horrible diseases.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post, Dina!