04/02/2010 ***Preparing the church for Easter*** Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in the church? Sometimes, there isn't much time to prepare the sanctuary for major celebrations. This is what it looks like after Good Friday Veneration of the Cross. Because it is still Good Friday, the Tabernacle is empty and there is no Altar cloth on the Altar. But because Easter begins on Saturday evening with the Easter vigil, the decorating has begun. This is my favorite place to be, behind the scenes.
04/01/2010 ***Holy Thursday Procession to the Garden. Holy Thursday marks the beginning of the Triduum, the Three High Holy Days of Christianity. On Holy Thursday, Catholics celebrate the Last Super, the institution of the Eucharist, the institution of the Priesthood and the call to service. At the end of the Mass, there is a procession to an Altar of Repose where the consecrated Host remains until midnight for adoration. This commemorates the agony in the garden when Jesus asked his Apostles to stay awake while He prayed. In this picture, my son, Dominic is incensing the Host at the beginning of the procession. This is one of the most solemn moments in the Catholic year. I wasn't sure if I should take the picture. But as you can see, I did.
03/31/2010 The last time we produced a shot like this, it was accidental. But we really liked the effect. So when the opportunity presented itself to do it again, I took advantage. It was not dark in the church when I took this shot. The sun was shining through a window directly on the flowers. When I focused on the hot spot, it fooled the meter in the camera causing the rest of the image to appear dark. This was the resulting image. You can see the first image done like this last year at http://www.sundayschildsnapshots.com/Portfolio/Todays-Child/8837237_oAHk7#587864128_cW2Ay-A-LB.
