In her seminal book Spiritual House – Home & Lifestyle 2019, Lidewij Edelkoort, a specialist in fashion and trend forecasting, explained that the home was becoming a true place of spiritual renewal. The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic a year later undoubtedly further solidified this aspiration.
Apple green, Atlantic blue, bubblegum pink, ochre, or even gleaming gold. Ex-votos come in every color. A devotional object reimagined in some twenty shades, ranging from classic gold, silver, or copper to more vibrant hues. Perfect for hanging on the wall or, why not, placing under a glass dome.
The Covid-19 pandemic has visibly prompted many Catholics who lack regular practice to enrich their prayer space. Others seem to have found a beautiful way to connect with the essential by placing votive offerings throughout their homes.
Having a votive offering of the Sacred Heart hanging on the bedroom wall or above the prayer corner can help bring us back to what is essential and maintain hope. This is especially true now that the presence and meaning of votive offerings in churches has been somewhat forgotten.
The idea is all the rage in Europe. In 2021, sales of ex-votos on the online store J'ai vu la Vierge increased by 30% compared to the previous year, meaning 8,000 copies were sold in a single year.
The same has been confirmed by Catho Rétro, the leading Christian digital concept store with a selection of essential Catholic items to proclaim the faith in style
Having noticed the trend, Armelle Pecqueriaux, its founder, greatly diversified the selection of votive offerings in the online store. Among the most popular are the Holy Family, the Miraculous Virgin, and even the Sacred Heart, with a multitude of materials and motifs ranging from natural candles, brass, or tin to gold, silver, floral, or even pearl-decorated pieces.
Forty items in total, purchased by both believers and non-believers. “If for Catholics ex-votos are associated with prayer, non-believers buy them both for the beauty the object itself inspires (religion has always nourished creation!) and for its powerful symbolism: there is nothing more expressive than love, gratitude, trust, and hope,” explains Armelle, who believes that devotional objects, like books or flowers, create the soul of a home.
Making the house a place for the soul
In her seminal book Spiritual House – Home & Lifestyle 2019, Lidewij Edelkoort, a specialist in fashion and trend forecasting, explained that the home was becoming a true place of spiritual renewal. The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic a year later undoubtedly further solidified this aspiration.
Although the clients of Anne-Christine Gromnicki, a Parisian interior designer, aren't necessarily practicing believers, they have been seeking a sense of protection, comfort, and serenity in their homes since the start of the pandemic. "Indeed, I've noticed a real interest in objects with history, objects that have meaning, that illuminate in every sense," she says. Enhancing the soul of a place seems much more important to them than before.
While a few years ago Anne-Christine was asked to create modern interiors, today the word "modern" is never uttered: "It has been replaced by ' ambiance,' by 'history ,' and, precisely, by ' soul.' Placing votive offerings in the home fulfills this last desire. It's like hanging a beautiful Russian icon on the wall," she confirms.
As a sign of the times, on the first floor of Le Bon Marché, the Parisian department store, a wall of cheerfully arranged votive offerings appeared among the ephemeral Christmas stalls. They accompanied the high-tech on one side and the reissues of 18th-century wallpaper on the other throughout December.
Camille and Justine Bonneville, the two sisters who created Boncœurs, a Lyon-based brand inspired by sacred art, did not hesitate to present their new collection there: sculpted, printed, embroidered, and engraved votive offerings. Attentive to the aesthetics of religious paintings and sculptures since their childhood, in which "no trip was complete without a visit to the chapel or the village church," these sisters point out that their clients are looking for "a way to imagine the future, but better."
What is an ex-voto?
It is an offering made to God to ask for a favor (often through the intercession of a saint) or to thank Him for a favor received as a result of a vow made to that effect. "Ex voto" in Latin means "from a vow" ("in accordance with what has been desired"). Its forms can vary: a painting, a crucifix, a statuette, a model, or even a ship representing an adventure at sea.
Taken from Aleteia Catholic news and information
