The Pulpit
The large cosmatesque pulpit is used on great feasts. Here it is shown with its splendid sounding board - later removed when the marble decoration on the piers was elaborated.
The pulpit was originally smaller, but was enlarged (to mark the jubilee of priesthood of Cardinal Bourne) so that it could accommodate the Archbishop's retinue - the bearer of the Metropolitan Cross, his train-bearer and Master of Ceremonies.
3 comments:
Carissimo Monsignore,
So glad you sound better, but I'm wondering where you're going after your sabbatical. Westminster (Abp of, if only!).
Meanwhile, what does "cosmatesque" mean, or is this a neologism of your own invention? After all, you have been known to take extraordinary liberties with our native tongue before, as I recall.
Warmest wishes, as always,
Michael.
"Cosmatesque" means 'in the Cosmati style' - the Cosmati being Italian brothers who pioneered the medieval decorative form using scraps opf marble and mosaic tesserae. Many Italian Churches have cosmati floors, while the largest outside Italy is the great pavement of Westminster Abbey.
It's a shame the current finances probably do not allow for the restoration of the original sounding board (although it might be a bit of a dust trap in practice).
Post a Comment