Funeral Pall Commemorates Victims of Titanic Disaster

The 1,517 lives lost in the Titanic tragedy will be commemorated in a hand–crafted funeral pall which will be dedicated in St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, a century after the disaster. The 12ft X 8ft pall has been made by Helen O’Hare and Wilma Kirkpatrick, textile artists at the University of Ulster. After commemorative events this year, it will remain in the cathedral to be used at funerals when required.

For images of the pall and more information, please visit the Church of Ireland’s Web site.

H/T: Martin Browne.

Editor

Katharine E. Harmon, Ph.D., edits the blog, Pray Tell: Worship, Wit & Wisdom.

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Comments

9 responses to “Funeral Pall Commemorates Victims of Titanic Disaster”

  1. Brigid Rauch

    The pall is deep blue instead of black.

    They must not be taking the deaths seriously.

    Reply
    1. Paul Inwood

      Brigid, the preferred colour is white, not black!

      Reply
      1. Samuel J. Howard

        The required color is white in the revised funeral rites of the Catholic Church. Anyone have any idea what the Church of Ireland practice is though? That would, seem to be controlling here!

      2. Cody C. Unterseher

        No color is specified in the Irish BCP for funeral rites.

        Exciting Holiness, the sanctoral propers for the Anglican Provinces of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, specifes “Purple, or Black, or White” for November 2.

        Violet and black palls are common in traditionally Romanized Anglo-Catholic settings (pre-Vatican II-style); white is customary in more contemporary settings — and this not just in Ireland, but the UK and the US as well.

    2. Cody C. Unterseher

      In some northern European medieval uses, dark blue, indigo, and violet were all considered liturgically to be suitable realizations of “black.”

      Reply
      1. Karl Liam Saur

        Yes. Especially when you consider that black-dyed cloth would often fade into those shades over the years.

  2. Brigid Rauch

    Guys! It wasn’t a comment on the very lovely pall; it was a comment on those here who insist that unless the funeral vestments are black, the people at the funeral are in denial.

    Reply
  3. Jack Rakosky

    I guess we needed an irony alert. I did think it was an unusual comment from you.

    Wonder what relation the blue color has to the blue of the Dean’s gown? cassock?

    Maybe someone can elaborate on the rules for gown or cassock colors. I think I have seen gray sometimes.

    The local Orthodox pastor wears a white cassock during paschal time.

    Reply
  4. Tom Kostrzewa

    Jack – maybe he has a strong to devotion to Mary? Just a guess. I thought it was interesting that he mentioned the cathedral didn’t have a pall. Imagine that.
    In all seriousness, this pall sounds (and looks) beautiful – and at least it have some thought behind it.

    Reply

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