Re: Re: reordering and destruction of irish cathedrals – St Colmans Cathedral, Cobh

The magnificent sedilia in the south wall of the Chancel of A.W.N. Pugin’s masterpiece, St. Giles, Cheadle. The sedilia is arranged in accordance with the usage of the Cathedral of Salisbury: the priest closest the Altar, on his left, and at a lower level, the deacon, and on his left, at a lower level, the subdeacon. To right of the sedilia is a piscina with symbols of water and wine underneath it. the functions of all three orders are alluded tow in the symbols in the pierced quardafoils: the chalice for the priest, the gospel for the deacon, and the cruets for the subdeacon. In case anybody missed the message, benewth the seats, Pugin inscribed “Sacerdos”, “Diaconus” and “Subdiaconus”. The tiles on the floor are by Minton and have miraculously survived. Each step leading to the Altar has an inscription appropriate to its position.

For the purposes of comparison, this is the medieval sedilia in Holy Cross Abbey. The compostion is the same: piscina followed by sedilia in the south wall of the Chancel. This time, however, the sedilia is arranged in accordance with the usage of the Roman Missal: the priest sits in the centre, the deacon on his right and the subdeacon on his left all on the same level.

The sedilia in the south wall of the Honan Chapel in Cork is also in accordance with the usage of the Roman Missal. The piscina is removed from the sedilia.

In an earlier posting, Graham Hickey showed a picture of the Chancel of St. Patrick’s in Dundalk which also has a magnificent sedilia by E.W. Pugin.