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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Older liturgical textiles link to Church history, but present storage challenges

Susan Klemond
vestments
Liturgical textiles from the archives of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis: Gothic vestments (chasuble, cope and stole) worn by Archbishop John Ireland on the feast of the Immaculate Conception in 1913 DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Little is often known about the antique vestments and other liturgical textiles stored, sometimes forgotten, in the attics and basements of Catholic parishes and homes, but they are signs of another era experts say deserve respect for both faith and historical reasons.

However, for parishes and individuals, deciding what to preserve — and how to do it — can be daunting.

“Every individual item and every different material has its own [story],” said Allison Spies, archives program manager for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. “There are a whole bunch of rabbit holes you can go down, learning all the ins and outs of these things. There’s a lot of variety, and the stories are really what makes them valuable.”

Regardless of the range of resources parishes and individuals could devote to preserving antique liturgical textiles, simple storage techniques can protect them from deterioration, local experts said. Some of these techniques are also appropriate for storing and protecting vestments and other textiles currently in parish use, such as altar cloths and chasubles, the priest’s outer garment worn during Mass.

Embroidered liturgical gloves
Liturgical textiles from the archives of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis: Embroidered liturgical gloves worn by Archbishop John Murray DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

The archdiocese’s archives in St. Paul include about 70 boxes of liturgical textiles, including a collar and zucchetto that belonged to Pope Leo XIII, who led the Church from 1878 to 1903; an 8-foot purple “cappa magna,” or cope with a train; and a 1970s-era mitre set with turquoise, rose quartz and other stones, Spies said.

In Minneapolis, the Basilica of St. Mary has more than 200 liturgical textiles in its collection, according to Kathy Dhaemers, its associate director of sacred arts. Among them are gold brocade vestments from early in the 20th century and a set of 1960s silk vestments that demonstrate the Church’s transition to simpler liturgical vestment design following the Second Vatican Council, 1962 to 1965.

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A variety of liturgical textiles are on display through December at the Haehn Museum at St. Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph. The exhibition celebrates the Benedictine sisters’ art needlework department, which was active from 1867 to 1968. During those years, the sisters created textiles — including chasubles, copes and altar linens — for parishes and dioceses throughout the United States, said Benedictine Sister Moira Wild, who directs the Haehn Museum and curated the exhibit.

Bishop’s mitre
Liturgical textiles from the archives of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis: Bishop’s mitre likely from the era of Archbishop John Roach; and liturgical slippers worn by Archbishop Murray. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

A prized piece in the sisters’ 500-piece liturgical textile collection is an 1890 cope with rose-colored embroidery, she said.

“They did just exquisite work,” Sister Moira said of the sisters.

Representatives of several local parishes surveyed for this story said they have older liturgical textiles, but they haven’t been taking steps to preserve them. Spies said she plans to reach out to parishes to help them better catalogue items and to introduce conservation techniques.

Parishes might not be able to keep all their antique liturgical textiles, but respect for the liturgy and the Church’s history are reasons to preserve them, said Johan van Parys, the Basilica’s director of liturgy and the sacred arts.

“We also have the responsibility of preserving our past with great respect because we are not just a Church of the 21st century,” he said. “We have 20 centuries of history that we will never abandon. It’s important that we care for that as best we can.”

Liturgical slippers
Liturgical textiles from the archives of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis: Liturgical slippers worn by Archbishop Murray. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

At the Basilica, some of the same storage and preservation techniques used for antique textiles are applied to caring for the 170 vestments and other textiles in current use, Dhaemers said.

About four years ago, the Basilica added climate-controlled storage space in its rectory for its antique textiles and other items, van Parys said. The parish also modified sacristy storage drawers so vestments lay flat and unstacked. Vestments for other liturgical seasons are stored in individual muslin bags.

Both the Basilica and archdiocese are considering organizing liturgical textile exhibits. And Sister Moira said her community might publish a book of the sisters’ textile work, which she considers works of art.

“They shouldn’t just be stored in a box,” she said.


SACRED TEXTILE CARE 101

Parishes and individuals should assess whether they’ll store their textiles for archival, historical or current use, and if they want to prioritize protection, prevention or ease of use, said Beth McLaughlin, a textile conservator at the Minneapolis-based Midwest Art Conservation Center.

The storage environment is critical to limiting deterioration from temperature, humidity, light and mishandling, she said.

And “that can be the space within which something is stored and also the storage system that’s used within that space,” she explained.

Proper storage and handling techniques remain the same for handmade and commercially made items, McLaughlin said. “Silk is silk regardless of who is making it and whether it’s machine made or handmade.”

The environment impacts how long items last, added Allison Spies, archives program manager for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. “It’s easily overlooked, unfortunately, because a lot of people’s heirloom items are stored in an attic or a basement, which often has the least environmental control in your house.”

Rooms where textiles are stored at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis and in the archdiocesan archives in St. Paul are climate controlled.

Experts interviewed for this story recommended the following conditions for textile storage and care:

  • Keep storage space at 65 to 70 degrees in a middle humidity range.
  • Limit light exposure, especially if items are displayed, to prevent fading.
  • Ensure adequate ventilation with breathable materials such as cotton muslin. That’s preferable to using plastic, which locks in moisture. Dry cleaning bags also cause yellowing.
  • Use acid-free archival boxes and tissue paper, which are inexpensive preservation tools. Stable acid-free tissue prevents antique textiles from cracking, Spies said. Acid-free materials are important because harmful substances can migrate from other storage materials, speeding deterioration and causing discoloration, corrosion and brittleness, according to the Minnesota Historical Society.
  • Lay textiles flat. They shouldn’t be hung on hangers unless they are strong, Spies said. “Flat is usually the ideal for most textiles, because if they’re not rigid, they’re susceptible to stretching and tearing,” she said.
  • Use acid-free tissue or tubes to cushion the inside of textiles that require folding, according to the Minnesota Historical Society.
  • Wear gloves to protect both the item and the handler, because some older fabrics were treated with chemicals, advised Kathy Dhaemers, the Basilica’s associate director of sacred arts.
  • Don’t wash or dry-clean antique textiles. Dhaemers said she sometimes uses a vacuum with variable suction.
 


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