Assumpta

Here's my latest veil, I'm calling it "Assumpta."

• Long triangular veil.
• Made of gold Casa lace.
• Finished with gold Venice lace trim in the front and gold fringe trim on sides and in back.
• Measures 19" x 42".

On November 1, 1950, before thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, Pope Pius XII declared that  "the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory." This is a dogma of the faith. 

Here it is in his encyclical,  "Munificentissimus Deus" . 

The feast day is August 15th, and it's a Holy day of obligation. 

Assumption of the Virgin (1516-1518) is an altar painting by Titian. All of Heaven rejoices at the gaining of their treasure, and as the heavenly Father draws Our Lady to Himself, a little cherub holds her crown. The Apostles are left here on earth to suffer and carry out their great commission. They are at once with their mother, and without their mother. The Apostles will imitate Mary's perfect example in doing the will of God. Although no longer present, the good mother will remain attentive to their needs.  

There are three levels to this painting: the the dense, entangled and compact earth, glorious light of the heavens above and the mother who is in between. I think the painting shows that Titian understood the way Mary is always between heaven and earth. She continually pleads our cause before the throne of God; she intercedes for us.

Nothing like this had ever been done before Titian; the movement, the large figures, the angles and gestures. The vivid Venetian colors that were characteristic of the painters from this region...  The way these elements all come together to create drama had great influence on the world of art in it's day.

It's located on the high altar in the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice. Here it is below, a High Renaissance painting fitting in so beautifully and harmoniously in it's Gothic setting.