CATHEDRAL TREASURES
Red for Victory Richard Hawker, Head Sacristan
The casual subscriber to the Cathedral Chronicle in June 1946 would have read the following entry: ‘It is hoped that on Whitsunday we shall see for the first time the new red “Victory” frontal, the cost of which has almost been raised by the Altar Society during the past year.’
Some may find the colouring somewhat peculiar. There is a tendency in the eyes of the English to think that the only shade of red acceptable is that of the side of a London bus, and many of our red vestments and hangings are in this very ‘primary’ red. But there is a spectrum of colour, rather than one shade having to fit all situations. Our Victory frontal is of a much more ‘tertiary’ colour, often referred to as Sarum Red. It is a very successful attempt at harmonizing with the marble in the sanctuary, rather than trying to overpower it. It is also a singularly appropriate colour when one considers our red brick exterior.
© Mazur/CBCEW.org.uk
It is therefore propitious that 76 years later, almost to the day, that the high altar was adorned on Whitsunday (that is, Pentecost) with the self-same Victory frontal, obviously commissioned to celebrate victory in Europe during the Second World War.
The Victory Frontal in use at the Cardinal’s Pentecost Mass in Thanksgiving for the Platinum Jubilee
Enough theorizing on the subject of colour however; let us turn our attention to the design of the frontal itself. Consistent with many of our altar frontals, the Victory frontal necessarily incorporates a large, simple, strong design, so as to be asily visible and striking from any distance, but especially from the back of the Cathedral. The frontal draws our eyes to the very thing it covers: the altar of sacrifice, the primary focus of our worship of God. The contrasting blue, yellow, and gold appliqué and cord-work help to emphasise the redness of the frontal. These more muted colours allow the red to shine through, without being overpowered, but supported by the ornamentation. This decoration shows highly stylised leaves and bindings, also worked with stitching in the same colours, which helps to provide some depth and texture to what would otherwise be a very flat design. At the centre is a monogram of the Greek letters Chi and Rho: an ancient symbol for Christ. ..... We see a reasonable amount of this frontal through the year: it is generally used for Pentecost, the Holy Apostles, and the English Martyrs. JULY/AUGUST 2022
Oremus
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