Holy-Water Stoup
A basin placed near a church entrance to hold holy water for the faithful, ranging from simple stone vessels to elaborate sculptural wall pieces.
Catholic Art
Crucifix
A cross bearing the figure of the crucified Christ, distinguished from a bare cross by the presence of the corpus.
Annunciation
The scene in which the Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive Christ; one of the most enduring subjects of Catholic sacred art.
Antependium
A decorative frontal covering or panel on the front of an altar, historically made in textiles, precious metal, carved wood, stone, mosaic, or relief.
Corpus
The sculpted body of Christ affixed to a crucifix; a distinct object that may be carved, cast, modeled, or assembled separately from the cross.
Sacra Conversazione
A Renaissance compositional type placing the Virgin and Child together with saints in a unified shared space rather than in separate compartments.
Cathedra
The official chair of a bishop, from which a cathedral takes its name; often treated as an important work of ecclesiastical architecture, carving, and symbolic sculpture.
Stations of the Cross
A devotional cycle, traditionally of fourteen scenes, tracing Christ's journey from condemnation to burial; often realized as reliefs or sculptural groups along church walls.
Virgin of Mercy
A Marian type in which the Virgin spreads her mantle protectively over kneeling groups of the faithful, clergy, confraternities, or patrons.
Processional Cross
A cross mounted on a staff and carried in liturgical procession, often richly carved, cast, gilded, or ornamented.