Featured Holy water container

This is actually kind of fun. I never know what I'll find in boxes packed by my mother back in 1978. I thought I'd de-accessioned all the religious items. Here's yet another. She had these all over the house. When there were storms, she'd sprinkle holy water on the windows. Lightning hit a boulder when she was outdoors at a very young age and chips went into her face. She was terribly afraid of electrical storms. This one is 9" tall and very heavy. It was in the living room.

 

I know of this tradition... you get the water blessed at church, bring it home, and use as needed. A couple of my older cousins practice it. I think they also had to get the container/bowl blessed initially. I'm pretty sure they feel like throwing holy water at me if they got the chance.

 

That's actually lovely ! And far better quality than most you'd see .

 

Oh - it never occurred to me that people had their own fonts (is that correct?) at home, unless they were wealthy enough to have their own chapel.

I just figured they were swiped. lol (I have one - not swiped)

 

Scout... in Mexican culture Catholicism, anyway, your priest can "swipe" the font and the water! And swipe you, too, for good measure! Badda bing, badda boom (well, I guess that's Italian?)...

 

I had never seen a combination like this one before, so I started looking around online. I saw far more types of crucifixes than I ever knew existed! (I was far more familiar with the simple metal on wood variety...)

There were actually quite a few crucifix/holy water (Benetier) font combinations that were mounted on onyx & backed in brass, as this one appears to be. Some of them were pretty fancy, with lots of champlevé detail. (If you want to see some really ornate enameled ones, do a search for "Barbedienne crucifix".)

In any case, the common denominator seemed to be that the ones on onyx, backed in brass, whether simpler or more ornate, were all identified as French. Many, tho not all, were said to be from the 1880's.

Bev, crucifixes really are not my thing, and I know nothing concrete about the one you have, but I do think the metal work on it is very pretty, and I've just learned a few new things about these pieces.

Here are a few examples:

http://www.rubylane.com/item/1025844-Prf-Btl-674/Antique-French-gilt-bronze-champleve-cloisonne

http://www.french-treasures.net/Cru...h-Enamel-Bronze-Holy-Water-Font-1880_821.html

simpler, and possibly newer:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/90022611/antique-french-white-onyx-and-brass?ref=related-0

 

Mom also carried small containers of holy water in her purse. I have or had a bunch of those, too.

French Canadians also used to weave the Palm Sunday fronds into shapes. I confess I still have a lot of religious icons simply because they were family pieces and even though I'm a "recovering" Catholic, I can't part with them.

Here is another typical Mom item that hung in her kitchen for years. Do not ask me why she taped coins to the top. Good luck for her finances? There are 1936 & 1943 Mercury dimes, a gold colored penny from 1968, a silver 1953 penny and a regular 1973 copper penny.

 

Hi Bev,
I know people who keep change under the statue of "The Infant of Prague" but taping money to hers??? I still weave palm into crosses but we always return them to be burned for ashes for Ash Wednesday.
greg

 

Did she sew things into her underthings/clothes, too, Bev?

I would totally rescue that from a thrift store or yard sale.

 

Bev--very nice piece !!!
I am not Catholic..but always loved the insides (and outsides) of the older churches I visited

 

Bless me, Father, for I have sneezed.

 

I grew up Catholic. Home fonts were sold in every religious gift shop going. Some were deeply tacky.

 

Churches - yes, they can be quite beautiful. How about some photos?

Antwerp Cathedral

 

The Holy Blood Chapel in Bruges

 

Chapel in the Beginhof in Kortrijk. One of the pieces of statuary was on the floor during a cleaning

 

Cathedral in Gent

 

This is a small, side door in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. For some reason, Japanese engaged couples have a tradition of having their photo taken here.

 

Notre Dame

 

The Rose Window of Notre Dame

 

Jean D'Arc