Holy Cards (Hardcover)

~ Sandra di Pasqua (Author), (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Holy cards offer comfort, consolation, and encouragement to Catholics, who often carry these portable images of their favorite saints with them and use them in daily religious ritual. Given as remembrances at wakes and funerals, communions and confirmations, holy cards are also a widely popular-and highly collectible-form of folk art. This handsome volume, the only book available on the subject, is both a rich illustrated survey of this devotional art and a gallery of saints organized thematically along with brief biographies, attributes, and powers.

Prophets and angels, disciples and evangelists, martyrs and hermits, visionaries and mystics are among the religious figures in Catholicism represented here-in exquisite turn-of-the-century depictions that are at times dramatic or disturbing, at times moving or comforting. Barbara Calamari and Sandra Di Pasqua, who also collaborated on Novena and Holy Places, explain the often enigmatic symbolism in these cards in a beautiful book that makes an ideal gift for first communion, confirmation, or graduation.

About the Author

Barbara Calamari is a freelance writer who has worked in both film and television. Sandra Di Pasqua is a graphic designer and art director. Both authors live in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810943387
• ISBN-13: 978-0810943384
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #263,017 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, December 20, 2004

By	N. Thomas "LibraryFiend" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a compendium of wonderful images of Our Lord, the Virgin Mary, saints, and angels, which will assuredly tug at the hearstrings (and memories!) of many a former Catholic schoolchild. I've collected holy cards most of my life and was thrilled to see such "rarities" as St. Liberata, St. Elias the Prophet, St. Walburga, and St. Aemydius. I did have to wonder about some of the content...why the explanation of a book held by some of the saints was said to have represeneted "mysterious knowledge" or "secret wisdom" seemed a tad too New Age-y to me. St. Anne is shown holding the SCRIPTURES in depictions of herself with her daughter, the Virgin Mary, ideally pointing to the quote "...and a blossom shall spring from the root of Jesse",
from the prophet Isaiah, indicating the origin of Christ from Mary's (and St. Anne's) human lineage. I was also surprised to see the holy card which the authors claim shows St. James the Greater. It's actually St. Wenceslaus of Bohemia defeating the Turks, not the apostle of Jesus.

What few flaws I found do nothing to deter from the overall beauty of the book...holy cards from Germany, France, Italy, and other countries depict martyrs, apostles, religious, missionaries, and mystics. I was secretly pleased whenever I saw the copy of a holy card I actually have in my possession! While some non-Catholics may find the book of interest, I would heartily recommend anyone who can recall Sister solemnly bestowing a St. Joseph on the winner of the class spelling bee or Father visiting at the holidays and distributing Nativities to pick up this volume and stroll down parochial memory lane.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunningly Beautiful and Chock Full of Information, October 25, 2004

By	Lisa M. Hendey "Lisa, CatholicMom.com Webmaster" (Fresno, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In my personal library, I have many volumes dedicated to the lives of the Saints. Now that I have acquired Holy Cards, it holds a special place in my library, but can be found more frequently displayed in my living room. The book is a beautiful collection of 110 cards from the exquisite collection of Father Eugene Carrella, one of the foremost collectors of this art form.

The book is divided thematically into groupings of cards, each of which contain a brief biography of the saint pictured. One might be tempted to purchase this book for the joy of looking at the artwork, but the insights presented on the lives of these holy men and women are not to be overlooked.

I highly recommend this book either as a gift or as a treasured addition to your own library.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Art and a Wonderful Cast of Characters, July 16, 2004

By A Customer

I am not a religious person, but when I saw the book Holy Cards on display at a local book store, I was drawn to it by its beautiful artwork, its colors, and the expressions on the faces of these saints. This is a fascinating depiction of human possibilites, with a wonderful cast of characters.

The book is divided into sections with heading such as martyrs, Hermits, Prophets and Angels, and Visionaries and Mystics. Each saint's story is told, triumphs and frailties and all, making them seem very real even to a nonbeliever. Saint Sebastian and many of the more well-known saints are here, but you'll also learn about Saint Emyidius, patron of earthquakes, Saint Paul the Hermit, patron of clothing industry workers, and Saint Rita of Cascia, saint of impossible causes.

I found this book fascinating and would recommend it to anyone, religious or not, who loves good art and wants to delve into the world of the human spirit.