Rimini, 22 August 2026 – On the occasion of the Solemn Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Pope Leo XIV in the city of Rimini, the Holy Father will wear the sacred vestments crafted by Atelier LAVS of Santarcangelo di Romagna and Mondolfo, directed by Filippo Sorcinelli. The event carries a profoundly symbolic and institutional significance, coinciding fittingly with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the renowned sacred-art manufactory (2001–2026).
The pontifical vestment reflects the principles of Catholic liturgical theology, visually translating the magisterium expressed by the conciliar constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium on the harmony and dignity of the arts in the service of worship. The chromatic fulcrum of the work is green, the colour of Ordinary Time, which doctrine identifies as the season of hope, of ecclesial growth, and of the Church’s fruitful journey through history. The chosen tone — a deep and solemn shade — is traversed by gold and silver inlays, evoking the spiritual itinerary of humanity which, redeemed, moves from the earthly dimension toward the light of the heavenly Jerusalem.
From a historical-artistic perspective, the decorative apparatus draws upon the great aniconic and geometric tradition of the Christian Middle Ages, in particular the theological aesthetic that saw in sacred geometry the mirror of a cosmos ordered by God (Vestigium Dei). The rigorous sequence of squares, lozenges, and circles takes up medieval symbolic wisdom: the square expresses the earthly dimension, measurable spatiality, and the four cardinal points; the circle, lacking beginning or end, is the archetype of eternity and divine perfection. The intersection of the two figures — the circle enclosed within the square — thus becomes the plastic image of the Incarnation: the Mystery of the Eternal that dwells within and redeems the history of man.
To embellish and seal the entire composition, the Atelier has integrated a setting of green agate. In the great biblical tradition and in medieval lapidaries, agate is historically linked to the gems of the Breastplate of the High Priest in Exodus and is considered a symbol of justice, integrity, and spiritual protection against adversity. The chromatic rendering of the green agate, placed at the focal points of the geometric ornamentation, is theologically linked to the virtues of fortitude and perseverance in faith. In the language of sacred historiography, this stone embodies the virtue of those who, rooted in divine grace, keep their inner balance steadfast and their pastoral journey fruitful, reflecting the incorruptible freshness of the Spirit.
The design of the vestments also pays homage to the specific identity and maritime vocation of the host city. The arrangement of the circular medallions recalls the structure of ships’ portholes — windows reaching out toward the Adriatic horizon. This iconographic suggestion evokes one of the oldest and most effective ecclesiological metaphors of the Patristic era: the Navis Ecclesiae, the bark of Peter that sails the seas of history, resisting the storms of time to lead the faithful toward the port of salvation.
The iconographic programme is completed by the theological use of metals and plant motifs:
- Silver, with its shimmering reflections, recalls the transparency of waters and the purity of baptismal grace;
- Gold, the sign par excellence of royalty and divine glory, introduces the eschatological dimension of the majesty of Christ;
- Interwoven floral motifs recall an ecclesiology of communion, symbolizing the multiplicity of the faithful united in the one Church and the vitality of the sap of the Holy Spirit that makes the community blossom.
For Atelier LAVS, this celebration represents the culmination of a quarter of a century dedicated to theological research and to high ecclesiastical tailoring. From 2001 to 2026, the atelier has worked in the service of the Magisterium and of the most solemn Roman liturgies, positioning itself as a bridge between the immutable tradition of the symbol and contemporary aesthetic sensibility, in the constant awareness that sacred art has the cardinal task of making visible, through beauty, the invisible mystery.
LAVS is the acronym for Laboratorio Atelier Vesti Sacre (Laboratory Atelier of Sacred Vestments), but also Laus/Laud in Latin — the praise that man renders to God through the work of his own hands.
Based in Santarcangelo di Romagna, the atelier is engaged in the study, design, and creation of sacred vestments, of furnishings, and of accessories for the Catholic sacred liturgy.
The LAVS adventure begins in Mondolfo, a small enchanted village in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, where Filippo Sorcinelli was born in 1975. His strong fascination with the sacred began in childhood, when, attending the village church, he was captivated by the vestments kept there and by the sound of the organ.
After undertaking a course of study centred on art, which led him first to obtain the Licence of Master of Art and then the Diploma in Applied Arts, he graduated from the Rossini Conservatory of Pesaro, perfecting himself at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome and, over the years, becoming titular organist at the cathedrals of Fano, Rimini, and San Benedetto del Tronto — particularly appreciated internationally for his organ-improvisation abilities.
Meanwhile, observing his aunt and his sister, both seamstresses, he began to learn the art of tailoring and embroidery. It was thanks to a telephone call, arriving at the end of 2000, that his professional path took a new and unexpected direction: a friend was about to take his vows, and for him Filippo decided to craft his first chasuble. And so, driven by the desire to experiment in a new and unexplored territory, in 2001 he founded LAVS.
But there is more: Filippo Sorcinelli also decided to perfume the cases that hold the sacred vestments at the moment they are shipped, and so in 2013 he also founded the art-perfume brand FILIPPO SORCINELLI.
In addition to the Atelier in Santarcangelo di Romagna, LAVS has two stores — one in Rome in Borgo Vittorio, a few steps from Vatican City, and another in Assisi.
Photo credits: LAVS
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