The Tenebrae hearse arrived in time. I wanted it days ago, but it came.
I wanted it days ago so that we could check it out and solve problems (which, since I have read a lot of Augustine, and I know Zuhlsdorf’s Law, I knew there would be).
Unboxed by my colleague in the TMSM as I arrived.
We cleaned it a bit and got it assembled.
PROBLEM. We were told that the candles would be 1.5″. We got 1.5 candles.
Not true. 1.5 didn’t fit. They have to be smaller. We trimmed a couple but….
… that’s not going to work!
They are too close and there is no way that followers will work on them.
So… what to do? Stuff something into the brass bases and try to keep smaller candles straight?
That’s not a good idea.
We scrounged in the basement and salvaged some pieces off of a seriously tacky curved rack.
They look like flames.
The new bases hold 7/8″.
Then we found an old… I do mean OLD box of about 24 unbleached candles. 7/8″ They are a little bruised, but “by His stripes are we healed.
And we found a box of a couple dozed glass followers that are small enough to work.
What it looks like without the candles.
Since I know that Zuhlsdorf’s Law is an incontrovertible law of the cosmos, I knew we had to get on this hearse well before the moment it was needed. I’ve gotten to know the cosmos well. It’s a good think we got to this ahead of time.
A huge Fr. Z thanks to MB, who stepped up with a donation that covered the purchase and the shipping. We haven’t had the plaque made yet, because we wanted to see it first. But, thank you! Thank you!
I think that’s the hearse I had been wanting to buy, but hadn’t pulled the trigger on because I couldn’t get one of the parishes around here to take and use it …
IMHO, I think the flame things dressed it up a bit.
Well done!!
Good for you! This would never happen in our parish, because when our pastor arrived he claimed he was charged by the boys (no comment) in the chancery with cleaning the place out, so anything for which he could not see an immediate need went into the trash. Any need that arises is now the subject of a new purchase- fun! I could not the see the theological or practical need for empty cabinets and empty drawers, and decided that my lack of competence extended to my ability to contribute money to whatever fad or fancy occurred to the pastor.
Magnificent! Looks better with the updated candle holders.
looks great! a treasure for the tenebrae service and im sure that the wood of this element rejoices that once again, it has found a “home”….
It really does look great. The “flames” from the old, tacky, as you say, rack in my opinion really add to it. Tam antiqua, tam nova. How good that you have craftspersons who could do that in such a short space. And how good that it now can be used properly as it was intended to be. May God reward the donor.