The exhibition showed liturgical art for the celebration of Holy Mass.

The objects originate from Handeni in Northern Tanzania. Around 1985, F. Odilo Hüppi OSB (1918-1998) brought them to the Missionsmuseum. He was the first Catholic pastoral worker who attended to the Maasai nomads. He worked together with Sr. Karin Kraus, a Missionary Benedictine sister and veterinarian.

Sr. Karin toured the country to contact the far scattered camps of the Maasai herdsmen, attended to their livestock and acquainted the people with biblical stories. F. Odilo established the Handeni parish, worked there as a priest and celebrated mass.

As bread and wine are of fundamental importance to the Eucharist, paten and chalice (as displayed) are needed. Other details had to be improvised because Holy Mass was celebrated in different places. Often an ordinary little table had to serve as an altar for a "mass in the fields".

For the only partly alphabetized Maasai congregations figurative representations were very important. 

All objects are made of materials typical for the Maasai. Pearls serve as ornaments, cowhide is the basic fabric.
 

Pfeil runterChalice velum and chalice

The leather chalice velum richly decorated with beads, in our Divine service made of cloth or brocade, covers the wooden chalice.

 

Pfeil runterBasket for the Hosts

Beads threaded on wire shape the small basket.

 

Pfeil runterCorporal

The corporal, a square piece of linen cloth is spread on the altar to place the chalice on it. The corporal of the Maasai is made of leather with beadwork (representing the life of Jesus).

 

Pfeil runterStole and liturgical pectoral decoration

The stole as well is made of leather, the pectoral decoration is beadwork.

 

Pfeil runterPluvial

The pluvial (Latin for “raincoat”) is also called cappa, smoke mantel or Vespers mantle, is worn at Divine services where the usual chasuble is not used; for Solemn Vespers, at prayers and processions etc.
The beadwork on the stole shows Mary with the Child and Archangel Michael.