1987
Commissioned by the Archdiocese of San Antonio, these communion vessels were used by Pope John Paul II to celebrate the Papal Mass in San Antonio, Texas on September 13, 1987. The design goal was to create pieces that reflected the man, John Paul, himself: simple yet strong, dignified yet unpretentious. Each piece incorporates elements native to the culture of the American Southwest – silver, gold and Texas limestone.
The four pieces are (left to right): a ciborium, which holds the bread of communion, a chalice, a flagon from which the wine is poured, and (in the foreground) a paten, a plate on which the host is presented.
Replicas of the original vessels are on permanent display in our Visitors’ Center in Kerrville, Texas.
