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Wednesday, September 29, 2021

I AM NOT ALWAYS A FAN OF BALDACCHINOS, BUT IN THIS MODERN SPACE IT SEEMS TO WORK, NO?

What I don't like about baldacchinos is that these tend to hem in the space of the altar and often the pillars block the view of the congregation.

But in this modern church, it works and it is quite lovely, no? While something like this would work in my church's modern building, what fascinates me more is the altar railing that was added and could easily be done at my church. I am not sure about the baldacchino in my church, though, but it might work. 

Please note the ambo too. Old priests need good knees to climb that!

Read the story at Liturgical Arts Journal:

Renaissance Art Flourishes at St. Thomas Aquinas in Charlotte, North Carolina



 

5 comments:

ByzRus said...

Agree, it does work and looks nice. That ceiling though, wow, miles of darkness.

Fr. Michael J. Kavanaugh said...

Again, an unfortunate attempt to impose one architectural and decorative style style on another.

The baldachino is overly ponderous and, as you note, very restrictive in terms of the space around the altar.

I like the art work very much, but the three pieces cluttered together seems to diminish the impact.

Fr. Michael J. Kavanaugh said...

Byz - In other pics of this church online, the church is much brighter.

TJM said...

St. John Lateran has a Gothic altar - so the mixing of styles does not bother me as such, but the baldacchino seems too stout. An airier one would be better

ByzRus said...

Regarding St. Anne's, a baldacchino could potentially overwhelm your sanctuary, and might overly crowd the ambo. To me, energies are better directed toward the enhancements you're already considering, the marble inserts and a more developed altar of repose. While there might be a higher degree of "right" with having a baldacchino or tester, it isn't outright required either. Your budget and more so your debt will likely continue to guide what you can/cannot do vis-a-vis enhancements for the foreseeable future.