Notre Dame de Rouen. The façade of the Gothic Church in France. Photographer: Hippo1947. Licence: SHUTTERSTOCK.

Sunday 30 October 2022

Our Lady Of Ushaw.




Our Lady of Ushaw,
Saint Cuthbert's Chapel,
Ushaw Seminary, County Durham, England.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.



Ushaw Seminary, County Durham, England.
Solemn High Mass 1960.
Available on YouTube at


“Ave Regina Cælorum”.
Composer: Tomas Luis de Victoria.
Sung by: The Sixteen
Director of Music: Harry Christophers
Available on YouTube at

Ave, Regina cælorum,
Ave, Domina Angelorum:
Salve, radix, salve, Porta,
Ex qua mundo lux est orta:
Gaude Virgo gloriosa,
Super omnes speciosa,
Vale, o valde decora,
Et pro nobis Christum exora.


Divine Holy Mass.
Saint Cuthbert's Chapel,
Ushaw Seminary, County Durham, England.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.


“Ave Regina Cælorum”.
Composer: Orlande de Lassus.
Sung by: The Tallis Scholars.
Director of Music: Peter Phillips.
Available on YouTube at


Solemn Requiem Mass.
With a very young Richard Hawker as Master of Ceremonies (MC). Mr. Hawker is now Head Sacristan at Westminster Cathedral. Our Lady of Ushaw statue can be seen behind the Deacon, who is sitting on the Sedilia.
Saint Cuthbert's Chapel, Ushaw Seminary,
County Durham, England.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.


Divine Holy Mass,
Saint Cuthbert's Chapel,
Ushaw Seminary, County Durham, England.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.


The following Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia.

Ushaw College is a former Catholic Seminary, near the village of Ushaw Moor, County Durham, England. It was Founded in 1808 by scholars from The English College, Douai, France, who had fled France after The French Revolution.

Ushaw College was affiliated with The University of Durham from 1968 and was the principal Roman Catholic Seminary for the training of Catholic Priests in The North of England, finally closing in 2011 due to the shortage of Vocations.

The buildings and grounds are now maintained by a Charitable Trust.


Solemn Requiem Mass,
Saint Cuthbert's Chapel,
Ushaw Seminary, County Durham, England.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.


Solemn Requiem Mass.
Saint Cuthbert's Chapel,
Ushaw Seminary, County Durham, England.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.


Dawn Mass.
The English Martyrs Side-Chapel.
Ushaw Seminary, County Durham, England.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.


Saint Cuthbert's Chapel,
Ushaw Seminary, Durham, England.
A perfect setting for the Celebration of The Divine Mass.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.


Saint Cuthbert's Chapel, Ushaw Seminary, Durham, England. A perfect setting for the Celebration of The Divine Mass.
Please God, one day this Chapel will be a regular Mass location, again. During the height of Ushaw Seminary
in the 1960s, over 400 Seminarians would attend 
Daily Divine Mass in this Chapel.
Photo: April 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Zephyrinus.

8 comments:

  1. Thank you, Zephyrinus for featuring this: what an extraordinary piece of religious art, the sculpture of Our Lady of Ushaw. Was it sculpted of (apparently pure white) Carrara marble? I understand it was sculpted in 1855 by the sculptor Karl Hoffman, if that is correct? -Note by Dante P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. While the statue is comprised of the most brillant White substance (? Marble ?), it is unknown whether it is Carrara Marble. Zephyrinus suspects it is. Any Reader with more information on this statue, please leave a Comment.

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  2. Most grateful, Dante P, for your welcome Comment. This photo was taken by Zephyrinus in 2011 and he was informed that the sculptor (no name given) was a Jewish man. There is, in fact, a Star of David sculpted on the hem of Our Lady's gown. Zephyrinus was also informed that, when the sculpture was finished, the Jewish man converted to Catholicism. It is unknown whether this is true or not. If any Reader has information on this fact, please leave a Comment. The proper title of this magnificent statue of Our Lady and The Infant was unknown to Zephyrinus. Therefore, he gave it the title of Our Lady of Ushaw, which he thought appropriate. It is heartbreaking that this most beautiful Chapel of Saint Cuthbert, within which stands the statue of Our Lady of Ushaw, is no longer used for Catholic Masses. When Ushaw Seminary was functioning in 1964, on a daily basis there were over four hundred Seminarians in this Chapel attending daily Mass. Zephyrinus was told this by a Priest who was a Seminarian at that time. Please God, one day this outstanding Chapel will return to offering God the Divine Mass on a daily basis. With hundreds of people and Seminarians in attendance.

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Zephyrinus: artuk.org lists the statue under the Ushaw Chapel as “Our Lady of Help”, Karl Hoffman (1816-1872) as the sculptor, but little else. Hoffmann also sculpted the marble (?) Saint Joseph statue that stands in the same chapel, and two other similar very fine statuary works of Our Lady at Ushaw, according to the same site.

    Perhaps someone else reading this knows more about Hoffmann. -Note by Dante P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank You, Dante P, for this update. We shall now await further Comments from our faithful Readership, who will, no doubt, add more information to this conundrum.

      Delete
    2. UPDATE: From artuk.org. This statue was treasured by the College community, often being referenced as "Our Lady of Ushaw". The College would gather around the statue for Marian Devotions in May and October, singing the "Salve Regina".

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    3. UPDATE: From artuk.org. There is a smaller version of "Our Lady of Help" that was specially commissioned by Miss Elizabeth Orrell, a great benefactor to Ushaw College, and was the early prototype. It was displayed in the Junior School Chapel of Saint Aloysius in the 1970s.

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    4. UPDATE: From artuk.org. Karl Hoffmann (1816-1872) sculpted four beautiful Marble statues at Ushaw Seminary: Saint Joseph With The Lily (1853); Our Lady Of Help (1855) (Large Statue); Our Lady Of Help (1853) (Small Statue. Carrara Marble. Donated by Miss Elizabeth Orrell in 1859); Our Lady Of Clemency (1852).

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