An amazing collection of exquisitely embroidered priestly vestments, lecturn banners as well as altar cloths has been on display at the Carmelite Monastery in Christchurch.
Part of the exhibition at the Carmelite monastery.
The exhibition called Embroidery Treasures from Hidden Monastic Women was held on October 20 and 21, one of several events staged by the Christchurch Needlework Guild.
The exhibition was part of Beca Heritage Week in Christchurch, which had the theme of Hidden Histories – Our Stories Unearthed.
Coordinated by Barbara Te Miha, the exhibition featured goldwork as well as whitework embroidery and laces.
embroidery detail
“The Carmelites were happy to display their work — it was a way of thanking the people of Christchurch for their help and support over the years, especially since the recent earthquakes,” said Mrs Te Miha.
“The sisters have an historical reputation for their fine embroidery and coupled with the ‘mystique’ surrounding an enclosed order, people were keen to visit and experience something of Carmel spirituality,” she added.
Carmelite Sr Teresa Kelleher, OCD, said on a video on the Christchurch City Council’s
website that this exhibition was their “gift” to the people of Christchurch.
The sisters have a reputation for fine embroidery.
“It’s good to share with people especially those with interest in embroidery, interested in heritage and interested in things from the past,” Sr Teresa said.
The nuns do their embroidery work in the recreation time allotted in their daily schedule, an hour at noon and another at dusk. This meant that most of the pieces were done over a long period of time.
“We have two hours of recreation each day to do the work we want to do, to come together and talk. Most of our work is done in silence, so that’s when we sit, and like people watching TV, I suppose, and do our work. That’s when we get our stitches in,” explained Sr Dorothea Wilkes, OCD, on the video.
Fr Chris Friel lent three vestments:
a dalmatic, cope and humeral veil.
Mrs Te Miha said apart from the pieces embroidered by the Carmelite nuns themselves,
St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral administrator Fr Chris Friel lent three vestments: a dalmatic, cope and humeral veil. These were heavily embroidered in gold threads.
She said that sisters from the Anglican Community of the Sacred Name contributed
delicate altar cloths and burse covers in gold and silk shading.
The Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions loaned several items to the exhibition, among which was a piece of lace made in 1888 by one of the early French sisters.
Fr Peter Conaghan’s Divine Mercy stole presented to him in Poland.
Fr Peter Conaghan also lent a Divine Mercy stole, which was presented to him in Poland.
“Many people spoke of the nostalgia of being amongst such religious regalia, of how spiritually uplifted they felt seeing everything and of being able to do so in the environment of Carmel,” said Mrs Te Miha.
“One person commented, ‘You walked through the door and — POW! — it just grabbed you’.”
The Vietnamese Carmelite nuns also showcased their handmade clay flower decorations.
“These were hand painted so realistically that they were mistaken for the genuine article,” Mrs Te Miha said.
The exhibition also presented the first book published by the Christchurch Carmelites,
Reflections in a Monastery Garden, by Sr Teresa.
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