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Transcription

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Altar and Sanctuary
An Exposition of the
Externals of the Mass
P R E P A R E D F O R T H E USE O F C A T H O L I C
STUDY CLUBS
BY
ANGELA A. C L E N D E N I N
W I T H A N I N T R O D U C T I O N BY
REV. LEON A. McNEILL, M.A.
DIOCESAN S U P E R I N T E N D E N T O F SCHOOLS
W I C H I T A , KANSAS
P U B L I S H E D BY T H E
CATHOLIC ACTION COMMITTEE OF
3 0 7 EAST C E N T R A L A V E N U E
WOMEN
Afioeia
A.
sancjuavu i
7
1 SSI')!'
1
Altar and Sanctuary
An Exposition of the
Externals of the Mass
P R E P A R E D F O R T H E USE O F C A T H O L I C
STUDY CLUBS
BY
ANGELA A. C L E N D E N I N
W I T H A N I N T R O D U C T I O N BY
REV. LEON A. McNEILL, M A .
DIOCESAN S U P E R I N T E N D E N T O F SCHOOLS
P U B L I S H E D BY T H E
CATHOLIC A C T I O N C O M M I T T E E OF
3 0 7 EAST C E N T R A L A V E N U E
PRICE 2 5
CENTS
WOMEN
Nihil Obstat
REV. JAMES G. MAHER, D. D.
Censor Deputatus
Imprimatur
*
AUG. J. SCHWERTNER
Bishop of Wichita
Wichita, September
9,1932
C O P Y R I G H T , 1 9 3 2 , A N G E L A A. C L E N D E N I N
'ji Spsoial '
l^Cokbaans.
NS)IVS?
DEDICATION
"Great was my joy in being allowed, to touch the Sacred
Vessels and prepare the Altar linen on which Our Lord was
to be laid. I felt that I must increase in fervor and 1 often
recalled those words addressed to deacons at their ordination: 'Be you holy, you who carry the vessels of the Lord'."
"You know, dear Mother, how fond I am of flowers. . . .
Well I never possessed so many flowers as I have since entering Carmel. . . . For His Altar I received, in abundance, all
the flowers I loved best, cornflowers, poppies, marguerites—
one little friend only was missing, the purple vetch.
I
longed to see it again, and at last it came to gladden me
and show that, in the least as in the greatest, God gives
a hundred-fold, even in this life, to those who have left
all for His love."
Autobiography of The Little Flower.
T O T H E SACRISTAN O F C A R M E L , T H E N ,
I BRING THIS H U M B L E
"PURPLE VETCH."
CONTENTS
Introduction .„•..•«{...,•'¡»^•.1.
II¿«[pi ••
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Organizing the Study ClubJRyt
The Christian AltariQgS
9
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Altar Furnishings and Decorations
Church Linens
The Sacred Vessek._* i lHHL«.
Light and Color in the Liturgy
J
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The Sacerdotal Vestments—I
The Sacerdotal Vestments—II
7
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Introduction
" A L T A R A N D S A N C T U A R Y , " an unpretentious treatise on the externals of the
Mass, is presented by its sponsors as a study club textbook. It has been planned and
prepared to meet the needs of average groups of the laity who wish to engage in
cooperative study of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Adult study is rapidly assuming an important place in the educational life
of our times. Men and women, busy with the affairs of daily life, and with only
a minimum of time available for cultural pursuits, have found the study club
a medium for serious study and for exchange of ideas on worth-while subjects.
Often study club groups work under great handicaps, one of which is the
absence of material suitable for their particular type of study. This booklet represents an attempt to organize a unit of study, to develop it in compact and readable
form, and to make it available as an individual textbook for members of study
clubs.
Experience has shown that the laity are eager to know more about the Mass,
in order that they may assist with greater devotion at the Holy Sacrifice and participate more abundantly in its fruits. Perhaps no subject is more popular with
Catholic study clubs.
A study of the form, use, history, and symbolism of the externals required in
the celebration of Holy Mass—things with which all of us are more or less familiar,
but about which we know so little—would seem to be a psychological approach to
the study of the Mass itself. If this booklet proves serviceable in the field for which
it is intended, it will be followed by others on the theology, the ceremonies, and the
prayers of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
We cherish the hope that this little book may take its place in the steadily
increasing list of popular publications which are contributing so much to the
liturgical revival in the Church. May it also stimulate in some slight degree the
growth of the study club movement, leading those who peruse its pages in quest
of knowledge to a more sincere contemplation and a more loving service of Him
who is the Fount of all Truth.
REV. LEON A . MCNEILL,
Feast of St. Joachim,
August 16, 1932.
7
M.A.
O R G A N I Z I N G
T H E
S T U D Y
C L U B
9
Organizing the Study Club
C A T H O L I C A C T I O N is the challenge, the call to arms which the Holy Father
sends out to the women of the world. It is a plea for them to become leaders in his
crusade for the defense of the Faith. Leadership among Catholic women is one of
the great needs of the Church today. Latent executive talent is often discovered by
means of the study club, which, when developed in the light of Catholic principles,
brings honor not only to the individual but to the Church, and frequently leads to
new and undreamed of fields of endeavor.
The articles in this manual have been planned with a view of meeting the
requirements of all groups of Catholic women engaged in following definite programs of study. They are particularly directed toward small, informal clubs established within larger organizations, such as altar Societies, sodalities, reading circles
and various parish guilds.
These little groups are formed for a single purpose and grow out of a mutual
desire of members to pursue an outlined course of study. If the group is sufficiently
enthusiastic, the club will run itself—and quite merrily, too—without officers, rules
or regulations. Constitutions, by-laws and parliamentary procedure are out of place,
but a combination of the formal and informal seems to be an ideal way of dividing
responsibility and keeping the club functioning without friction or loss of interest.
The practical suggestions which follow may be of some assistance to those who
desire to form study clubs within a parent organization. They have been initiated
with success by clubs operating as units in a diocesan educational program. As the
work progresses, new and original ideas for making the study more attractive will
continually present themselves. These ideas should be developed and, if found
practical and workable, adopted for the best interests of the club.
H o w TO O R G A N I Z E A STUDY C L U B
1. The president of the society in which the study club is to be organized,
should familiarize herself with the contents of this book. She should read each
paper together with the outline, so that she may be in a position to present the
course to the members. It is not necessary for every women in the society to follow
the study program. Each group, however, should have a membership of not less
than eight nor more than fifteen. If a greater number is interested, two or more
clubs may be formed.
2. When the membership is complete, a chairman and a secretary should be
elected by the members of the study club group.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
1. The chairman should preside at all meetings, appoint the leaders who will
present the programs and assign the topics to individual members for discussion.
It is advisable to select a new leader for each meeting.
2. The secretary should attend to all correspondence, and perform other duties
assigned to her.
D U T I E S OF LEADERS
1. The leader is responsible for the program and should prepare her work
carefully before the meeting. Since she is to guide the discussion, she must be
familiar with her subject and see that all the important points of the lesson are
10
A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
brought out. If possible, she should do something in the way of supplementary
reading. A leader, therefore, is expected to give more time to preparation than any
other member of the group.
2. The leader should be prepared to give a short review or digest of the lesson
before referring to the topics for round table discussion. Members who have been
given assignments should be encouraged to cover them thoroughly. Informality
should be the essence of this part of the program.
3. A leader must be firm but tactful. Differences of opinion sometimes arise,
but a successful leader can always keep a discussion free from personalities.
4. Exhibits of vestments and church linens will do much toward creating
interest and will lead to a better understanding of these externals of the Mass.
If it is convenient to hold such displays, the leader should make all the arrangements with the pastor or some one having authority to lend these articles. The
sacred vestments are sacramentals and should be handled reverently.
MEETINGS
1. Meetings should begin and end with prayer. If possible, they should be
held every week until the course is completed. They need not continue for more
than an hour, or an hour and a half at most, and should start promptly and end
on time.
2. Meetings may be held in the homes of the different members, in the parish
hall, or even in a class room of the parish school which may be procured for this
purpose.
H o w
TO USE T H E
TEXTBOOK
1. Every member of the study club should have a copy of "Altar and Sanctuary," and should read the lesson selected for study at least once before the meeting.
2. Special attention should be given to the outline which follows the lesson.
These topical sentences emphasize points to be remembered.
3. The questions do not always relate directly to the text, but are, at least,
suggested by it. The leader or some other member of the club should be prepared
to give the correct answers in the event they do not come readily from the membership at large.
4. Short .papers, running from three to five minutes, will add greatly to the
interest and value of the lessons, although they are not necessary. The subjects
given are merely suggestive. Leaders are urged to follow their own ideas in this
regard. They should, however, insist on brevity.
J. Books, magazine articles and pictures which have a bearing upon the subject ought to be brought to the attention of the club. Any of the books and
pamphlets listed in the bibliography would be excellent for supplementary reading.
The Catholic Encyclopedia will be found an invaluable source of information.
ORDER OF MEETING
Meeting called to order by chairman.
Prayer.
Short review of the lesson by the leader.
Informal round table discussion directed by the leader.
O R G A N I Z I N G
T H E
S T U D Y
11
C L U B
Questions.
Reading of papers.
Reports on supplementary reading of books and magazine articles.
Leader for next meeting appointed by the chairman.
Topics for next lesson assigned by the chairman.
Prayer.
Meeting adjourned.
B I B L I O G R A P H Y
In the interests of brevity and clearness, it has not been considered advisable
to list too many references and authorities, except in cases where a direct quotation
is made. The facts, however, have been carefully assembled f r o m the following
books, to the authors of which, acknowledgment is gratefully made:
The Catholic Encyclopedia -
-
UNIVERSAL KNOWLEDGE FOUNDATION
New York City, N . Y.
The Holy Sacrifice of the M a s s - J L I I I I I .
The M a s s . J i ^ i g J B B p K ^ - J
Externals of the Church
The Visible Church
REV. DR. NICHOLAS GIHR
B. Herder, St. Louis, Mo.
i l . R E V . J O S E P H A. D U N N E Y
Macmillan Co., N . Y.
__L. M O S T R E V . J O H N F . S U L L I V A N ,
P. J. Kenedy & Sons, N . Y—^„^¿FT
M O S T R E V . J O H N F. S U L L I V A N ,
P. J. Kenedy & Sons, N . Y.
Vestments and Vesture
.—
D.D.
D.D.
_ D O M E, A . ROULIN, O.S.B.
B. Herder, St. Louis, Mo.
The Thirteenth the Greatest of Centuries
JAMES J . W A L S H
Catholic Summer School Press, N . Y.
Arts and Crafts in the Middle Ages .____•_
JULIA D E W O L F ADDISON
Great Christian Artists
R E V . EDWARD F . GARESCHE, S.J.
The Page Co., Boston, Mass.
¿Mm
The Bruce Pub. Co., Milwaukee, Wis.
Daily Missal
'••i.^'V
'*R"*
D O M GASPAR LEFEBVRE, O . S . B .
E. M. Lohmann Co., St. Paul, Minn.
Liturgical Arts (Quarterly Magazine) _'__.. L I T U R G I C A L A R T S SOCIETY
New York City, N . Y.
Vestments of the Roman Rite
D R . ADRIAN FORTESCUE
Catholic T r u t h Society, London
The Liturgical Movement
— L I T U R G I C A L PRESS
Collegeville, Minn.
The Mass
S.J.
Our Sunday Visitor, Huntington, Ind.
¿I,-
The Ceremonies of the Mass
•.,, R F . V . ' G E O R G E M O O R M A N ,
¿.¿¿G
Sewing for the Sanctuary
^—REV.
C. C . S M Y T H
Paulist Press, N . Y.
W
O U R SUNDAY VISITOR
Huntington, Ind.
The A r t of Making Altar Linens
— O U R SUNDAY VISITOR
Huntington, Ind.
12
A L T A R
AND
S A N C T U A R Y
The Christian Altar
E V E R Y C A T H O L I C C H U R C H , whether it be a splendid old-world cathedral or
a humble frame chapel standing alone on the prairie, possesses an altar—a mystical
Mount Calvary—upon which a celebrant in union with the faithful and with
Christ as the invisible High Priest, offers the Sacrifice of the Mass.
Since the altar is the center of Christian worship, it is fitting that the Church
should enclose it within the holy confines of a sanctuary and lavish upon it the
richest and most splendid of gifts, always keeping in mind, however, the practical
demands and requirements of the liturgy. Emulating the Magi who brought to the
poor stable of Bethlehem princely offerings of gold, frankincense and myrrh, the
Church has encouraged her members to dedicate to the service of the altar the most
precious and beautiful productions of nature and the finest creations of art.
Commenting upon the pomp and magnificence with which ecclesiastical ceremonies are invested, Doctor J. T. Laurent says: "His temples are the most beautiful
of artistic edifices and the richest and most splendid of buildings; His altars are of
precious stones, His tabernacles are masterpieces of artistic carving; His sacred
vessels are of gold and silver, adorned with gems; His altar-cloths and corporals
are of fine and clean linen, ornamented with embroidery; as the king is surrounded
by his courtiers, here Christ is surrounded with the images of His saints; He is
served by priests and ministers in festive garments, amid the splendor of lights, the
sheen of variegated flowers and the sweet perfume of incense, amid melodious
chants, the harmony of the organ and the ringing of bells."
In a specific sense the altar represents the long, narrow table at which Christ
and his apostles partook of the Last Supper. In the Basilica of St. John Lateran,
in the city of Rome, there is preserved what is piously believed to be the first altar;
the wooden table upon which Christ Himself instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
While the evidence for this belief is not convincing, its historical interest rests
firmly upon the fact that it is an ancient table and one which may have come down
from apostolic times.
The fragments of another table are in the church of St. Pudentiana. Senator
Pudens and his Christian family befriended Saint Peter and offered him the hospitality of their home which the apostle accepted. Because of this memorable association, Pope Pius I, about the middle of the second century, converted the house into
a church, where the holy table upon which, according to tradition, the Prince of
the Apostles offered the Divine Sacrifice, is preserved, encased in a marble altar.
Relentless persecutions which the Christians suffered in the early ages of the
Church, made it necessary to celebrate Mass in crypts, private homes, in the open
air and even in the dark, underground vaults of the catacombs. It is only natural
to suppose that, conforming with these two venerated models, many of the first
Christian altars were of wood and in the form of a table. Rev. Dr. Nicholas Gihr
in his scholarly book, "The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass," observes that this form of
altar characterizes the Eucharist not merely as a sacrifice but as a sacrificial banquet. The use of movable wooden tables, while never the rule, was continued until
about the sixth century.
Whenever it was practicable, however, stone altars were used for the celebration of the Mass. This was especially true of altars erected permanently in the
catacombs. They were often made by cutting an arch-like niche in the tufa wall
over a grave or sarcophagus. These graves rose about three feet from the floor, and
usually contained the remains of one or more of the martyrs. A slab of marble,
T H E
C H R I S T I A N
A L T A R
13
called a "mensa" or table, was placed horizontally across the top for the celebration
of the Mass.
Another form of stone altar found in sepulchral chapels or churches erected
above ground after the time of Constantine, consisted of a square or oblong slab of
stone or marble. It was usually detached from the wall and rested upon columns
from one to six in number. Then, again, the table was supported by a structure of
masonry in which the relics of the saints were exposed to view through folding
doors or a grating. This latter style of altar followed the lines of the table tomb or
"sepolcro a mensa" which was a chest hollowed out of the living rock, or built up
of slabs of stone.
Up until the seventh century there was a universal sentiment against disturbing the bodies of the martyrs, and no matter what difficulties were encountered,
the altar was either placed over the tomb or very near it, and a basilica erected over
the altar. These altars were called confessios, because they were the last resting place
of the Confessors of the Faith, the saints who gave their lives confessing Christ.
With these origins in mind, we readily observe that the altar as we know it
today still retains the form of the table and the tomb. In most instances it is a
combination of the two; the table at which Christ partook of the Last Supper, and
the chest or coffin of the catacombs.
Christian painters from the time of Fra Angelico down through the centuries,
have portrayed the scene of the "Last Supper" but the most sublime and spiritual
representation is that of Leonardo da Vinci in the refectory of the Dominican
Convent of Sta. Maria della Grazie in Milan. This once glorious fresco, which is
now little more than a ruin, has for more than four hundred years been recognized
as one of the masterpieces of painting; but the most unfailing proof of its greatness
is the fact that no other visual conception of the holy event fulfills so completely
the human ideal of the first Christian altar.
There are two kinds of altars: fixed and portable. The main difference between
them is that the fixed altar is attached to the wall or floor and is composed of a
long slab or table, a relic-grave or sepulchre, and a base. The table and base are not
only cemented together, but are consecrated as a whole. They cannot be separated
without losing the consecration.
A portable altar is a simple, small stone slab which is consecrated by itself.
It can then be inserted into any other altar and removed without losing the consecration. A portable altar is also called an altar-stone. An altar-stone usually
measures about ten by twelve inches and need only be large enough to hold the
Sacred Host and a greater part of the bases of the chalice and the ciborium. Five
Greek crosses are cut in its upper surface, one at each corner and one in the center.
Near the front edge is the sepulchre or cavity in which the relics of the saints are
entombed and sealed. This is the spot which the priest kisses so frequently during
the Mass.
Army chaplains, missionaries and priests who are obliged to travel long distances on horse-back or by automobile, very often carry with them an altar-kit,
which contains an altar-stone "about the size of two hands." The old and very
descriptive expression, "carrying one's sacristy in one's saddle-bags," originated
from the custom of strapping a Mass-kit upon a horse's back.
We are reminded that the first Mass which was offered almost four hundred
years ago in what is now the state of Kansas, was celebrated by a missionary who
carried his sacristy on his horse's back. He was the saintly and zealous Fray Juan de
14
A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
Padilla, the Franciscan companion of the Spanish conquistador, Coronado. Following the custom then prevalent among the Franciscans, Father Padilla may have led
his horse and traveled on foot, but in any case, his saddle-bags contained an altarstone and everything necessary for the celebration of the Mass. N o t only did Father
Padilla say the first Mass offered within the borders of the state of Kansas, but his
blood was the first to be shed for the cause of Christ on the North American continent, and his holy relics lie, in a symbolical manner, under its Christian altars.
The practice of entombing the relics of the saints in altars and later in altarstones, is traceable to the custom of saying Mass over the graves of the martyrs.
It is significant of their resemblance to the Lamb of God. "Rightly do the souls of
the just," says Saint Augustine, "rest beneath the altar, since on it the body of the
Lord is immolated." When Saint Ambrose, in the year 3 86, discovered the bodies
of the Martyrs Gervase and Protase, he placed them under the altar with the explanation: " . . . the martyrs are entitled to this resting place."
The relics so honored must be genuine, that is, portions of the bodies of at
least two canonized martyrs. To these may be added, whenever possible, a relic of
the saint in whose honor the altar is dedicated.
Enclosing the relics of the saints constitutes one of the most significant and
profound ceremonies in the consecration of the altar, and resembles very closely the
formula of the Ritual used in the burial of the bodies of the martyrs. Father Gihr
gives this description of the beautiful ceremony: " O n the day of the consecration,
the relics are carried in solemn procession with cross, lights and incense, first around
the church and then into the church. At the same time responses and antiphons are
sung; the Church calling out to the Saints: 'Arise from your abodes, ye Saints of
God; proceed to the place of your destination; sanctify all the places through
which you pass, bless the people and preserve us sinful men in peace.' Amid clouds
of incense, amid prayer and singing, they are placed in the receptacle anointed with
chrism, and the opening closed."
During the first centuries of Christianity, whenever there was danger of persecution, the faithful were permitted to take the Blessed Sacrament to their homes
for safe-keeping, where It was preserved in a box or chest called an area. As conditions became more favorable for the public practice of the new religion, this custom was abandoned. The Sacred Host was then reserved in the churches in a
receptacle of precious metal fashioned in the form of a dove which was hung from
the roof of a canopy supported by four columns, called a ciborium. The ciborium
was later replaced by the Eucharistic tower, an octagon-shaped tower made of wood
or stone which was erected on the Gospel side of the altar; the dove being suspended
from a staff designed like a bishop's crozier. These towers were used as receptacles
f o r the Blessed Sacrament until the end of the sixteenth century. Our present form
of tabernacle, built in the center of the altar, over which is sometimes erected a
canopy or "baldacchino," dates from that period. It takes its name from the Latin
"tabernaculum" meaning a tent. The name suggests the tent of the Israelites which
.served as their sanctuary before the erection of Solomon's Temple.
The earliest types of the altar did not have the superstructure at the back,
which today is such an important ornamental feature. About the tenth century,
however, a panel, later called a reredos, was introduced. The reredos, although admitting of much decoration, remained comparatively simple until the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries, when under the influence of the Renaissance, it became a great
structure, richly adorned and embellished, and sometimes reaching to the roof of
T H E
C H R I S T I A N
A L T A R
15
the church. It was usually made of wood and elaborately carved and painted. In
some instances the reredos was covered with gold leaf and set with precious stones.
Many contained niches for life-size statues of Christ, the Blessed Virgin and the
saints.
An interesting example of this style of reredos is now in the church of the
old California mission of San Juan Capistrano. It came from the ruins of an
ancient church in Barcelona, Spain, and while its age is uncertain, it is believed to
be several hundred years old. The material is Spanish cherry, the covering, gold leaf,
and more than fifty angel heads are carved upon it. The center niche of the reredos
is occupied by a statue of San Juan Capistrano, bearing a Crusader's banner, while
figures of Saint Peter, Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Francis of Assisi and
Saint Clare occupy positions on either side. The light from a high, long, narrow
window falls directly upon the altar, bringing into relief a great detail of symbolic
ornamentation and when viewed from the semi-darkness of the hundred foot nave
of the adobe church, it is a sight, the splendor of which lingers long in the memory.
Another reredos of the Spanish type is the great carved stone reredos which is
now one of the treasures of the Cathedral of Saint Francis in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is considered by artists to be one of the finest examples of eighteenth century
American ecclesiastical stone carving in existence. Little is known of the history of
the reredos except that it was formerly a part of the altar of a military chapel
which occupied a site on the city plaza near the present cathedral. This reredos is
preserved, with many other relics of artistic and historical value, in a small museum
situated back of the high altar.
Christian and Aztec symbols combined in its ornamentation, bear out the
belief that the reredos is the work of native artists from Old Mexico. Many favorite Spanish saints carved in bas-relief, occupy elaborately decorated niches, the
finest among them being the spirited equestrian figure of Saint James (Santiago)
slaying the Saracens.
A study of the history of the altar should not only encourage a greater reverence for the Sacrifice of the Mass, but awaken a finer appreciation of the heritage
which has come down from apostolic times. From the days when the first Christians
painted their Old Testament allegories on the walls of the catacombs until the
present, all schools of art and architecture have influenced the decoration and embellishment of the altar, but the Church, by her system of canonical laws, has for
almost nineteen hundred years, retained its original form and symbolic significance,
thus establishing not only a physical but a mystical link with the sacred past.
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
The great reverence which the Church shows for the altar.
Interesting tables which are believed to have come down from apostolic times.
The continued use of movable tables during times of persecution.
Forms of the first permanent stone altars.
The "Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci.
Fixed and portable altars.
The Mass-kit and the articles it should contain.
Father Padilla the first martyr of North America.
Entombment of relics of martyrs in altars and altar-stones.
The ceremony of the entombment of relics.
16
A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
11. The origin of the tabernacle.
12. The origin and purposes of the reredos.
13. The reredos of Mission San Juan Capistrano and St. Francis Cathedral in Santa
Fe.
QUESTIONS
1. What are the first words the celebrant says at the foot of the altar after making the sign of the cross?
2. Who was Fra Angelico and why is he called "The Blessed"?
3. What is the purpose of the sanctuary?
4. What do you consider the most interesting fact brought out in the lesson?
5. Why the designation, "Christian altar"?
S U B J E C T S SUGGESTED FOR PAPERS
Reference—The Catholic Encyclopedia
1. The Altar in Holy Scriptures
2. Privileged Altars
—Mii—
3. Saints Gervase and Protase —
—1-360
„1-348
VI-J 37
A-L T A R
F U R N I S H I N G S
A N D
D E C O R A T I O N S
17
Altar Furnishings and Decorations
T H E D I G N I T Y of the altar and the sublime purpose to which it is dedicated,
require that its furnishings follow strict liturgical canons. Its decorations ought not
only to be free from every element of personal taste, but should be churchly and
ecclesiastical, and embody the highest ideals of Christian art. Ostentation and cheap,
gaudy ornaments, while they may attest to the pious aspirations of individuals, are
entirely out of place on the altar, where, as Saint Augustine says, "everything
should speak of God."
When an altar is consecrated, the Bishop blesses the cloths, ornaments and all
other articles used thereon, so that they may be fit for the Holy Sacrifice. Joyfulness is the keynote of the ceremony and the verses which are sung sound a note of
gladness: "surround, ye Levites, the Altar of God, clothe it with spotless vesture
and sing ye a hymn saying: Alleluja . . . The Lord hath clothed thee with the
mantle of gladness and crowned thee. And He hath adorned thee with holy ornaments." Nothing should be placed upon the altar which does not pertain to its
adornment or to the Sacrifice of the Mass.
Before entering upon a detailed discussion of the subject of altar furnishings,
a notation from the twentieth chapter of the General Rubrics of the Missal will
acquaint us with the things which the Church lists as the essentials. The
translation which we use is taken from an article by the Reverend Edwin Ryan,
D.D., which was published in the fall (1931) number of "Liturgical Arts," entitled "The Liturgical Construction of the Altar." "The altar should be covered
with three cloths, or clean coverings, blessed by a Bishop or some other person having the authority; the upper being at least long enough to reach the ground at the
ends, the other two shorter, or consisting of one cloth folded double. The altar,
moreover, should be adorned with a frontlet of that color suitable to the feast or
office, if this is possible. On the altar should be placed a crucifix, in the center, and
at least two candlesticks containing candles on either side. At the foot of the cross
should be placed a mass card; on the Epistle corner, the cushion necessary for the
support of the Missal, and at the same Epistle side the wax candle (Sanctus Candle)
to be lighted for the elevation of the Sacrament. A small bell, small glass cruets for
water and wine, together with a small laver and clean towel should be ready on
the same side, in a small orifice or on a table."
The three altar-cloths which the rubrics prescribe, must be of pure, white
linen. Although linen, which was formerly spun and woven by a laborious process,
has always been used in the altar service, during early Christian times the altar
covering itself was sometimes made of gold or silver cloth and ornamented with
precious stones. The custom of using three altar-cloths began about the ninth century, but later their use became a strict obligation for the licit celebration of the
Mass; the practical reason for this rule being, that if any of the Precious Blood
should accidentally be spilt, it would be absorbed by the triple cloths before it
reached the altar-stone. It is not necessary that the lower cloths be of two distinct
pieces; one cloth folded so as to cover the altar twice from the Epistle to the Gospel
end will suffice. The top altar cloth must be single and long enough to reach the
floor on either end. Symbolically the altar-cloths are a reminder of the winding
sheet which enshrouded the body of Christ while It reposed in the tomb. They also
signify the purity and devotion of the faithful.
The frontal is the drapery or panel which covers the entire front of the altar,
18
A L T A R
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S A N C T U A R Y
and extends from the Gospel corner to the Epistle side. It is usually made of silk,
although gold cloth or gold or silver lace are sometimes used. Its color should correspond to that of the vestments. If the front of the altar contains mosaic or some
other rich ornamentation, the frontal may be dispensed with. During Requiem
Masses, when the beauty of the altar is hidden as a sign of mourning, it is customary to use a black frontal.
When the frontal is made of silk it may be decorated with embroidered monograms, or emblems which refer to the Blessed Sacrament, such as the lamb and the
Ichthys or sacred fish, alone or in conjunction with the basket and loaves. This
latter symbol, because it is the figure under which Christ was represented in the
catacomb frescoes, is especially appropriate. The origin of the frontal may be traced
to the curtains or veils which formerly hung in front of the altar as a protection
for the relics of the saints which were usually deposited there.
The cross, which is the principal ornament of the altar, is today elevated in
plain view of the celebrant and the people. In the early centuries of the Christian
era, however, it was disguised in some artistic or symbolic manner, for fear of subjecting it to the ridicule and insults of the pagans. One of the oldest of these
symbols was the anchor, representing hope, but interpreted by the faithful to mean
hope based on the cross of Christ. The similarity of the anchor and the cross made
the former an ideal Christian symbol. A favorite allegorical representation of the
crucifixion was that of the lamb lying at the foot of the anchor.
Another cruciform representation of the cross, which is found in the cemetery
of Saint Callistus, is the trident, familiar as the three-pronged fish-spear which, in
mythological art, Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, bears for a scepter. The
pagan unbelievers might interpret the use of the trident as relating to the worship
of Neptune; but to the followers of Christ, it possessed a new and mystical meaning. The cross as the sign of man's redemption, however, was kept close to the
hearts of the Christians and cherished by them in all their sufferings, long before
it came into use for public veneration, which was the beginning of the sixth
century.
The rubric of the Roman Missal prescribes that the crucifix,—a cross with the
image of the Crucified,—be placed in the center of the altar, and that' it be large
enough to be seen by the priest and the people during the celebration of the Mass.
Its presence is a reminder that the Victim offered on the altar is the same as that
which was offered on the cross. The Catholic Encyclopedia contains a very informative article in reference to the cross in art; and the following statements are
gleaned from that source.
The artistic treatment of the crucifix can be divided into two distinct periods.
During the first, which begins with the sixth century and ends with the twelfth,
Christ is represented wearing a long, sleeveless tunic which reaches to the knees. He
is depicted as being alive and triumphant on the cross, and with no signs of suffering. His head is erect, He wears a royal crown, and His body is fastened to the
cross with four nails. During the second period, realism comes into play with the
introduction of a crown of thorns. His head has fallen forward, blood flows from
all His wounds, there are signs of suifering upon His face, and His feet are crossed
and fastened with one nail. The living King has given place to the dead Redeemer.
This manner of treatment, while modified by some modern artists, is accepted today
as the most moving and devotional representation of the scene of the crucifixion.
The same rubric which prescribes that a crucifix be placed on the altar,
provides that it be elevated between two candlesticks containing wax candles. Be-
A-L T A R
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19
fore the tenth century, writers make no mention of the candlesticks on the altar.
Previous to that time the candelabra were usually of great size, and frequently made
of precious metal. They were carried by acolytes and placed on the floor of the
sanctuary near the corners of the altar. Durandus, a writer of the thirteenth century, says "that at both corners of the altar a candlestick is placed to signify the
joy of two peoples who rejoiced at the birth of Christ." The practice of retaining
six great candlesticks upon the high altar seems to date from the sixteenth century.
The Sanctus Candle is kept on the side table or credence or, in some instances, on the step of the altar where the server kneels. As the rubric is only
directive in this regard, the custom of lighting a third candle at the Sanctus, while
of considerable antiquity, is not universally practiced. The light is extinguished
after the priest has received Communion. If the celebrant is a bishop, two candles
are used. A bracket affixed to the wall may serve for this candlestick.
Altar-cards were introduced in the sixteenth century for the purpose of assisting the memory of the celebrant and to obviate the necessity of turning to the
various parts of the Missal. The large card, which is the only one prescribed by the
rubrics, is placed directly in front of the tabernacle. It contains the Gloria, the
Credo, the Offertory prayers, the words for the Consecration of the bread and wine
and certain other parts of the Mass as well. The card at the Epistle side contains
the prayer which is said for the blessing of the water, and the psalm, "Lavabo"
which is recited by the priest when he washes his fingers. The card on the Gospel
side presents the words of the first chapter of Saint John which is usually the last
Gospel in most Masses. A bishop does not use the altar-cards, but reads all the Mass
prayers from the Pontifical Canon.
The Missal or Mass-Book is an indispensable requisite for the celebration of the
Mass, and contains all that is read or recited during the Holy Sacrifice. The Missal
rests on a cushion or what is more practical, a wooden stand which may be covered
with a cushion or drapery of the color of the day's vestments.
The present form of Missal is the result of centuries of development, and
reproduces in substance the manuscript forms of the latter part of the Middle Ages.
Before the art of printing was developed, the transcription of books was one of the
chief occupations of religious houses. The making of a single volume occupied
years and sometimes the lifetime of one or two men. Julia deWolf Addison, in her
book, "Arts and Crafts in the Middle Ages," says: "The recluse monk, in the quiet
of the scriptorium, was, in spite of his seclusion, and indeed, by reason of it, the
chief link between the world of letters and the world of men."
The scriptorium was a room dedicated to the great work of copying the Holy
Scriptures, transcribing the Sacramentary, which was the first form of the Missal,
and to reproducing of such secular texts as were considered worthy of preservation.
When the scriptorium was consecrated, these words were used: "Vouchsafe, O
Lord, to bless this workshop of thy servants, that all which they write therein may
be comprehended by their intelligence and realized by their work."
Owing to the scarcity of writing materials, the time and labor consumed in
copying books, their great bulk and the general need for all forms of economy,
various parts of the Mass were inscribed in separate service books. According to
the Catholic Encyclopedia, the book used by the priest at the altar was called a
"Sacramentary" and usually contained nothing more than he was required to say.
Those portions of the service, like the Introit, the Gradual, the Offertory and the
Communion, which were sung by the choir, were collected in a separate book
known as the "Antiphonarium Missae" or "Graduale." The passages to be read to
20
A L T A R
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S A N C T U A R Y
the people, by the deacons or lectors in the pulpit—the Epistle and Gospel, with
lessons from the Old Testament on particular occasions—were collected in the
"Epistolarium" or "Apostolus," the "Evangeliarium" and other lectionaries.
The "Ordo" was required to determine the proper service of the Mass. It was
not until about the year 900, that the "Missale plenum" or the complete Missal,
a book somewhat like our present Missal, containing all the Epistles, Gospels and
choral antiphons, as well as the Mass prayers, came into existence.
The priceless examples of these medieval Mass-books, which are today treasured
in churches, monasteries and museums, attest to the sacrifice, zeal and artistic
genius of the holy men who devoted their lives to silence and to the most wearisome
manual labor, that the books of the Mass might be preserved and be made available
for the Holy Sacrifice.
The first printed edition of the Roman Missal was produced in Milan in 1474.
Many revisions have been effected since that time, the last authoritative one taking
place in 1884 under the direction of Pope Leo XIII.
In addition to the Mass prayers, the Missal contains a list of the movable and
and immovable feasts and the rubrics or rules for the guidance of the priest.
"Rubric" means red. Following the ancient Roman practice of writing the explanatory parts of legal documents in red, the Church uses two colors in all of her
liturgical books,—red for the explanation and rules, and black for the text itself.
During the Middle Ages, it was sometimes customary for the laity to join in
the chanting of the Latin psalms, responses and sequences of the Mass. Today,
because of the lack of knowledge of Latin, this beautiful practice has become
abandoned and with it much of the interest in the contents and the importance of
the Missal. The Liturgical Movement, which is today sweeping the world and is being so vigorously sponsored in the United States by the Benedictines, is bringing
thoughtful Catholics back to an active participation in the liturgical acts and
prayers of the Church. One of the purposes of this great revival is the encouragement of the faithful in the intelligent and devotional use of the Missal.
The cruets, the laver and the bell, while not placed upon the altar, may be
considered as altar furnishings. The cruets from which the wine and the water are
served, should be of glass. This is by far the most appropriate and suitable material
for cruets, because it is easily cleaned and the wine and water can be readily distinguished. The laver is the small basin over which the priest washes his fingers
during the ceremony of Lavabo.
The practice of ringing a bell, first at the Sanctus, and again at the Elevation,
came into use during the Middle Ages. Reverend Joseph A. Dunney in his book,
"The Mass," makes this very interesting comment: "Catholics in the Middle Ages
considered it very important to see the Blessed Sacrament at the Elevation. . . . No
doubt it was this eager desire to see the elevation that gave rise to the custom of
ringing the bell. First, at the Sanctus, so that the people could leave off their work
and start for the church; next, just before the Consecration, so that they might
enter the church in time; then at the Elevation, in order that they might see the
Blessed Sacrament. . . . There were two, sometimes three, kinds in use: 1. A little
bell, called a sacring bell, like one the altar boy rings. 2. A middle-sized one, that
hung in the roof over the sanctuary, the rope reaching down near the server who
rung it. It was called the Sance (Sanctus) bell. 3. The great bell of the church
which was tolled when the Sacred Host was raised at the Consecration to let the
people far and near know that our Lord had come down upon the altar."
A-L T A R
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21
Flowers, like candles and incense, have their liturgical meaning in the divine
service; and their use in the ornamentation of the altar is of ancient origin. Fresh,
bright, fragrant flowers gathered from the garden, wood or meadow, are a fitting
and appropriate adornment for the altar, since they not only contribute to its
beauty, but, like burning candles and incense, they are offerings which partake of
the nature of a sacrifice.
Flowers are the emblems of spiritual joy; and the Church recognizes this symbolical significance, when, on Laetare Sunday, (fourth in Lent) the Holy Father
blesses the golden rose. On this day rose-colored vestments are substituted for the
penitential purple, and Holy Mother Church bids the faithful to look beyond Calvary toward the first rays of Easter morning and the risen Christ.
The golden rose is a valuable and sacred ornament made of pure gold and set
with precious stones, which for many centuries the popes have blessed each year.
While the blessing of the rose takes place every year, it is not always a new one;
the old rose is used until it has been given away. The popes have upon many occasions presented the golden rose to Catholic kings, queens and princes, or to governments, cities, and churches, as a special token of their regard and in recognition for
conspicuous loyalty to the Holy See. The latest recipient of the golden rose is the
now exiled Queen Victoria of Spain who received it from the present pontiff, Pope
Pius XI.
The date of the institution of the golden rose is unknown. It is thought, however, to have originated between the eighth and eleventh centuries. At first it was
but a single rose, made of pure gold and slightly tinted with red. Later a ruby was
placed in the heart of the rose; afterwards many gems were set in the petals. During the fifteenth century, Pope Sixtus IV substituted a rose bush with leaves, buds,
and full blown roses. The principal rose contained a tiny cup with a perforated
cover. When the blessing took place, the pope filled the cup with musk and balsam.
Though it varies in size, weight and decoration, the Sixtine design is still retained.
For many generations the golden rose has been designed by members of a family of
expert goldsmiths, whose skill and workmanship have gained for them the title of
papal artificers.
In the study of the golden rose, together with the other decorations and f u r nishings of the altar, all of which have long and interesting histories, we follow
the high purpose of the liturgy whose province it is to preserve, direct and regulate
so that not only the altar, but its appurtenances may attain dignity, beauty and
permanence.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Artistic ideals which should characterize altar furnishings and decorations.
The significance of the blessing of altar-cloths and ornaments.
The essential altar furnishings prescribed by the Roman Missal.
Altar-cloths, the rubrical prescriptions regarding them and their symbolism.
The frontal, its origin and ornamentation.
Allegorical representations of the cross used by the first Christians.
Canonical prescriptions regarding the use of the crucifix on the altar.
The artistic treatment of the crucifix.
Candlesticks in the sanctuary and on the altar.
Altar cards and their use during Mass.
22
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
A L T A R
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S A N C T U A R Y
The illuminated Sacramentary and the present form of the Missal.
Service books of the Middle Ages.
The scriptorium, the writing room of the medieval monasteries.
The liturgical movement which is encouraging the use of the Missal by the
laity.
The cruets and laver.
The origin of the practice of ringing a bell during solemn parts of the Mass.
Flowers as an adornment for the altar; emblems of spiritual joy.
The golden rose.
QUESTIONS
1. What is an ambry and where is it placed in the sanctuary?
2. What are the names of the holy oils and how are they used in the administration of the sacraments?
3. What are the four kinds of holy water? How are they blessed and what are
their uses in the ritual?
4. What is the origin and the history of the blessed palms? How are blessed ashes
obtained and what are the words used in the ceremony of their imposition?
5. What is the symbolic significance of incense? In what parts of a solemn Mass
is it used? What are some of its other uses in church services?
S U B J E C T S SUGGESTED F O R P A P E R S
1. Symbolism in the Catacombs
2. The Cross in Christian Art—
3. Ecclesiastical Use of Bells
III-422
IV-533
..11-241
C H U R C H
L I N E N S
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Church Linens
P U R E , W H I T E L I N E N has always been considered the proper liturgical material
for certain textile accessories of the altar. The group includes corporals, palls,
purificators, amices, albs and altar-cloths. It is permissible to make surplices, finger
towels and credence-table covers of cotton and linen mixture or cotton alone. The
desire of the Church, however, is that pure linen be used in the service of the sanctuary. Altar guilds and societies whose duty it is to provide church linens, or the
funds for their purchase, should, if possible, insist that the spirit of the liturgy be
obeyed in this regard.
The corporal, so named from "corpus" meaning body, is the most important
of all the altar linens, because upon it the Body of Christ is laid during the Sacrifice
of the Mass. It has a mystical affinity for the shroud in which Joseph of Arimathea
wrapped the Body of Jesus before laying it in the sepulchre. A Roman ordo used
during the time of Charlemagne states that the corporal "ought to be pure linen
because our Saviour's body was wrapped in a white winding sheet."
Originally the corporal covered the entire table of the altar and was looked
upon as a fourth altar-cloth. It was laid upon the altar by the deacons and served
not only as a cloth whereon to repose the Sacred Host, but also to envelope and
cover the chalice. It was only since the twelfth century that the corporal has been
reduced to its present dimensions. The rubrics do not prescribe any specific size but
it should be large enough to hold the chalice, paten, host, other hosts whether in or
out of the ciborium, and the ciborium cover. The size varies according to the width
of the altar. It should be a square of not less than fifteen or more than eighteen
inches or an oblong measuring fourteen by eighteen inches. The corporal is folded
symmetrically so as to form virtually nine equal squares when opened on the altar.
There is no prescription requiring the embroidering of any cross, but it is
customary to place a very small, flat cross in red thread in the center of the front
fold of the corporal, indicating which side should be towards the celebrant. A onehalf inch hem, sewn by hand or on the machine, is a proper finish for this piece of
altar linen. While it is permissible to put a narrow lace edging around the corporal,
rubricists discourage the practice for reasons which will be presented in another
section of this paper.
The corporal must be blessed by a bishop, or by a priest having the faculty to
do so, before it may be used the first time. It must never be allowed to remain lying
on the altar, or carried in the bare hand, but should always be placed in a special
case called a burse. In the tenth century a council of Reims decreed that the corporal should be put in the Missal or shut up with the chalice and paten.
During the twelfth century when the corporal was reduced from a large altarpiece to its present size, a small square of linen, called a chalice pall, was introduced.
It is used to cover the chalice during Mass. The pall, however, is still considered
a portion of the corporal; both are blessed with a formula in which they are designated in the singular. It is not allowable to bless the pall without the corporal.
Commenting on the attitude of the Church in this regard, Doctor Gihr makes this
interesting observation: " A t the close of the thirteenth century the names of the
corporal and pall were distinguished and used just as at present. The chalice pall is
also called an 'animetta' (little soul) and in the Mozarabic Ritual, 'filiola' (little
daughter) as it formed the inmost part of the folded corporal and was only a piece
of it. Among the Carthusians the old (somewhat inconvenient) practice of covering the chalice with the corporal, is maintained to the present day."
24
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There are two accepted methods of making palls. One is to sew together two
or four thicknesses of linen so as to form a six-inch square, and starch to a proper
stiffness so that it may be placed over the chalice and removed easily. This is known
as "a little pall made of linen." A pall which is, possibly, more convenient to use,
is made by inserting a linen covered square of thin cardboard into a slip made of
two six-inch squares of linen sewn together on three sides. The open end is finished
with a tiny hem.
The rubrics do not provide for any ornamentation of the pall, but it is customary to work a simple Saint Andrew's cross in red floss in the center. Palls which
are used on feast days may be elaborately embroidered, if so desired. It is even
allowable to have the upper surface made of silk and decorated with an emblem,
monogram or cross, provided the under surface be of plain linen. The Congregation
of Sacred Rites forbids the use of black for the upper layer of the pall. The embroidering of mortuary symbols upon it is also prohibited. Small, simple tatting
rings make an inconspicuous finish for the pall, if lace is desired; but a thin
cording along the edge is much more appropriate.
The purificator is a small linen cloth which should measure about twelve by
eighteen inches. It is really a linen napkin which is used by the celebrant for cleansing the chalice and wiping the mouth and fingers after Communion. It is folded
twice on itself so as to give it three thicknesses. If it is desirable to make a purificator for a particular chalice, the width of the folded cloth should be the diameter
of the cup of the chalice; its length twice the height of the chalice plus the
diameter of the cup. As chalices vary in height, it is not easy to keep rigorously
to these precise measurements. Since one of the essential qualities of the purificator
should be absolute flexibility, it should never be starched. No provision is made for
ornamentation of any kind, although the rubricists generally allow a small red cross
in the center to distinguish it from the finger towels used at the Lavabo. The purificator is not blessed.
Since the corporal, pall and purificator come in such close contact with the
Body and Blood of Christ, they should be kept spotlessly clean and handled reverently. When soiled, these linens must be washed and rinsed twice by a person in
sacred orders before they are laundered in the usual manner.
The finger towels which are used at the Lavabo and after administering Holy
Communion, are not subject to any canonical legislation. They may be of any size
and of any material, but linen, of course, is preferable. For solemn Masses, where
the celebrant washes his hands instead of merely the finger tips; and all Masses celebrated by bishops, the towels should be larger and made of more absorbent material.
The amice, which is the first vestment assumed by the priest in vesting for
Mass, is a square or oblong piece of linen. Approved authorities direct that it ought
to be at least thirty-two inches long by twenty-four inches wide. Linen is the only
permissible material, but for the sake of the convenience and comfort of the celebrant, a finer quality is often selected for the amice than is used for making the alb.
A proper finish is a one-inch hem around the four sides. A linen tape about one-half
inch wide and forty-five inches long should be sewn at each upper corner, so that
the length of the garment goes across the shoulders. In the Middle Ages when the
amice was worn back over the chasuble, it was sometimes ornamented with gold,
embroidered or even bejeweled with pearls. The usual decoration consisted of oblong
pieces of colored embroidery which were sewn upon it. These were called apparels.
Today a narrow lace edging seems to be permitted for amices intended for use on
festal occasions, and the strings may be of colored silk ribbon. The rubrics mention
C H U R C H
L I N E N S
25
only a cross which must be sewn to or worked upon the amice; and this the priest
is directed to kiss when he puts it on. The cross is placed in the center of the back
about an inch below the hem.
The requirements of the liturgy in reference to altar coverings have been fully
explained in a preceding paper. Altar-cloths must be made of pure linen which
should be fairly heavy and not too fine a weave. The upper cloth is always white,
but the two lower ones may be of natural color or unbleached linen. If the sides
and ends of the cloth are finished with a two-inch hem, the front and back are
changeable, and the wear caused by the rubbing of the chasuble can be distributed.
A lace finish may be sewn across the front and at the ends. Since altars vary in size
and height, no exact measurements can be given. Societies who sew for the missions,
however, follow fixed rules and measurements, which insure an economical use of
material as well as a standard and uniform set of linens. Altar cloths are, perhaps,
the greatest need of the missions.
Credence-table covers should fit properly and harmonize with the other textile
furnishings of the altar and sanctuary.
The alb and surplice are vestments and as such will be discussed in another
paper. Since, however, they are linen vestments which are frequently made by altar
guilds for home churches or for the missions, a word might be said about their
ornamentation.
The essential character of the alb is often lost sight of in an effort to make it
more beautiful by the addition of a deep flounce of lace. Liturgists, while they admit that good lace used in moderation is permissible and desirable for festal occasions, especially when used upon the surplices of prelates, emphatically contend that
linen and not lace is the correct liturgical material for these vestments.
It may be difficult for one to realize the beauty and quiet dignity of simple,
unadorned linen garments; but even a casual study of the paintings of certain early
Italian artists will convince the most skeptical that long, graceful flowing lines
should be the fundamental and outstanding characteristics of church vesture.
The use of lace as an adornment for church linen is discussed at some length
by Dom E. A. Roulin, O.S.B., of Ampleforth Abbey, England, in his recent book,
"Vestments and Vesture." He writes: "It is quite certain that before the fifteenth
century, in spite of some innovations in the vestments of the church, a predominant consideration was given to beauty of proportion. . . . In more concrete terms,
those ages confined themselves to good proportions, to beautiful lines, and to substantial material, and lace was entirely unknown. . . . The Renaissance brought with
it a very considerable change in ideas and taste, and destroying many ancient
things, substituted for them much that was new and deplorable. . . . To this category belongs lace. It was, in fact, a pretty thing which won the favor of the rich
and became an indispensable accessory of various articles of feminine dress, and of
various parts of masculine wardrobe as well. And then, and quite soon, it began to
decorate the vestments of the liturgy. . . . It remains to us now, as a symbol, as a
sign significative of the frivolity of mind, manners and taste of that period. . . .
At the same time we are very ready to allow its use in domestic life, for graceful
mantilla, for dress and linen, for table cloths and curtains. But, because it is rather
a frivolous material, we have a right to ask that it should not invade the costume
which we wear in church. Sound ideas on such subjects are natural to us priests,
or at least they ought to be.
26
A L T A R
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S A N C T U A R Y
"The price of lace is such as nearly always reacts unfavorably on the Church
linen, that is to say that if we dispensed with lace, we might have linen of better
quality, we might have more of it, and we might be able to change it more
frequently.
"But let us hasten to add that there are no rules in these matters. Although
we have alleged liturgical, aesthetic and economic reasons against lace yet we have
not said that all lace without distinction should be banned."
Father Roulin's attitude toward the use of lace may appear rather severe and
uncompromising, but it is in accord with the point of view of many other writers.
The discussion is of especial interest to the laity because it brings out the fact that
individual priests may not favor lace-trimmed linens, but are obliged to use them
for the reason that simpler ones are not provided. The pastor's wishes in regard to
such matters should always be respected. Then, again, it reveals the present-day
tendency toward the older and more artistic traditions which, although they have
their roots in the past, are advancing and progressing to a greater and more consistent degree of perfection.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Linen, the liturgical material for altar accessories.
The corporal, its history and rubrical requirements.
The pall, its original form, directions for making and ornamentation.
The purificator.
Finger towels.
The amice.
Altar cloths.
Alb and surplice, linen vestments whose essential character is often lost sight
of by elaborate ornamentation.
9. Dignity and beauty in vestments achieved without the use of lace.
10. Father Roulin's comments on lace as an ornament for vestments and altar
linens.
11. The wishes of the pastor a safe rule to follow.
S E W I N G FOR T H E MISSIONS
This lesson on church linens may awaken a desire among some of the members
of the club to take up the work of sewing for the missions. The work can be organized as a unit of a diocesan project with the idea of supplying linens for the
altars of needy mission churches in the diocese; or it may be carried on within the
membership of either one of two well known societies who have successfully
directed such activities for a number of years.
"The Order of Martha" is sponsored by the Catholic Church Extension Society, 360 N . Michigan Ave., Chicago, while "The Order of St. Veronica" is under
the direction of Our Sunday Visitor, Huntington, Indiana. An inquiry addressed to
either or both of these societies would bring information which might be of assistance to anyone interested in the work.
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The Sacred Vessels
I N T H E A C T S of the Apostles, the Eucharistic Sacrifice is called "the breaking
of bread," a name which strongly emphasizes its dual character of sacrifice and
banquet. The sacred vessels used in the celebration of the Mass imply, by their very
names, that the banquet feature is an integral part of the sacrifice. The word
chalice comes from the Latin, "calix," or cup; "patina," a flat dish, rendered into
English becomes paten; and "cibus," meaning food, is the root of the word
ciborium.
The chalice and the paten occupy the place of honor among the sacred vessels
because of the use that is made of them during the Consecration of the Mass; the
chalice holding the Precious Blood, and the paten, the Holy Body of the Lord.
Many of the mystical meanings which are attached to these two vessels are enumerated by Doctor Gihr. He concludes with this paragraph:
"Finally, the chalice and the paten jointly represent the sepulchre, within
whose dark recesses the Lord reposed in death, after accomplishing the great and
painful work of redemption; for the Church prays, that these vessels, 'by the grace
of the Holy Ghost, may become a new sepulchre for the Body and Blood of the
Lord.'"
No reliable tradition has been preserved regarding the vessel used at the "Last
Supper," but under the name of the "Holy Grail," it became the subject of many
romantic legends, the sources of which came into existence between the years of
1180 and 1240. Nothing has been added since the thirteenth century. The most
famous modern versions are Tennyson's "Holy Grail" in the "Idylls of the King,"
and Wagner's music-drama, "Parsifal." The Church has ignored these legends, because the sources, which are of modern origin, are completely at variance with
historical truth.
The cup which Christ used at the "Last Supper" was, very likely, the ordinary
drinking goblet of those times. Saint Chrysostom says of it: "The table was not
silver, the chalice was not gold in which Christ gave His blood to His disciples to
drink, and yet everything there was precious and truly fit to inspire awe."
The little evidence available in reference to the material of the chalices used
by the early Christians, points to the prevalence of glass, although they were sometimes made of ivory, wood and even clay; but the tendency to use precious metals
seems to have developed at a very early period. Ancient wall paintings and mosaics
show that the chalices of this period were fashioned with a deep cup which was
joined to the base by a ball. The ball became a characteristic feature of the chalices
of the Middle Ages.
Since it was customary for the laity to receive Communion under both species,
the "cálices ministeriales," which were used for the Communion of the people, were
of considerable size and usually fitted with handles which afforded greater security
against accidents. As an added protection, the Sacred Contents was absorbed
through a pipe or reed.
One of the finest examples of this type of chalice is known as the "Chalice of
Ardagh," so called from the place in Ireland near which it was accidentally discovered in 1868. It is considered one of the most exquisite pieces of metal work
ever executed in any period of the world's history. This magnificent relic of Irish
art is now preserved in the Museum of Dublin; the following description of it is
quoted from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
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"This is a 'ministerial' chalice, and it has two handles. It is seven inches in
height but as much as nine and a half inches in diameter; and the bowl is capable
of containing nearly three pints of liquid. The material is silver alloyed with copper, but gold and other metals have been used in its wonderful ornamentation, consisting largely of interlacing patterns and rich enamels. An inscription in very
interesting ancient characters, gives simply the names of the Twelve Apostles, a
list of course highly suggestive of the Last Supper. The date conjecturally assigned
to this masterpiece from the letters of the inscription is the ninth or tenth
century."
A chalice which has held the attention of artists and historians and excited the
admiration of the entire Christian world, is the "Great Chalice of Antioch," discovered in 1910. It was found by some Arab workmen while excavating for a
foundation of a house, when they accidentally broke into a subterranean passage,
which local tradition described as the site of the ancient Church of Antioch of
Syria, the Mother of the Gentile Churches of the World.
The chalice consists of two parts; an inner cup of plain silver and an outer
goblet-shaped "shell" designed as a holder. The holder is elaborately ornamented
with a pierced design showing twelve grape-laden vines springing from the base
and forming a setting for twelve sculptured figures, two of which are identified as
representing Christ and the others as apostles and evangelists. Every sculpture, none
of which is even a half an inch in height, is a distinct character study expressing
a unique personality, a fact which has led some historians to declare that it is the
work of an artist who lived in the first century, and one who had actually seen
Christ and the apostles. It is quite evident that the cup is more ancient than the
holder, and that the holder was made expressly as a shrine for a sacred object,
which, in the opinion of some writers, is none other than the Holy Grail itself.
Present legislation in regard to the chalice, as presented by the Catholic Encyclopedia, is as follows: "According to the existing law of the Church the chalice,
or at least the cup of it, must be made either of gold or silver, and in the latter
case the bowl must be gilt inside. In circumstances of great poverty or in time of
persecution a calix stanneus (pewter) may be permitted, but the bowl of this also,
like the upper surface of the paten, must be gilt. Before the chalice and the paten
are used in the Sacrifice of the Mass they require consecration. This rite is carried
out according to a form especially provided in the 'Pontificale' and involving the
use of holy chrism. The consecration must be performed by a bishop (or, in the
case of chalices intended for monastic use, by an abbot possessing the privilege),
and a bishop cannot in an ordinary way delegate any priest to perform this function
in his place."
The paten is a circular, slightly concave dish resembling a saucer, made of
precious metal, upon which the element of bread is offered to God at the Offertory
of the Mass. Later, after the "Pater Noster," the celebrant blesses himself with it,
kisses it reverently and places upon it the Consecrated Host.
In the first centuries of the Church, flat, open vessels were used to collect the
offering of bread made by the faithful for the Sacrifice; and again to distribute the
consecrated fragments which were brought to the people, each of whom received
a portion with his own hands. Silver dishes which were sometimes used for this
purpose, were called "patinae ministeriales" and seem to have been closely connected with the "cálices ministeriales" in which the consecrated wine was given to
the people. In the earliest times the patens, like the chalices, were made of glass,
wood, copper and silver.
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The custom of giving Communion to the laity from the deep "patinae minìsteriales" seems to have declined about the end of the ninth century, but the priest
began to use a small paten at the altar to obviate the danger of scattering the
particles after the breaking of the species.
The paten, like the bowl of the chalice, must be of gold, or of silver gilt with
gold. The formula used in the consecration refers to the vessel as blessed "for the
administration of the Eucharist of Jesus Christ, that the body of our Lord may
be broken upon it." A Communion paten resembles a Mass-paten, but it is usually
provided with a handle by which it is held beneath the chin of the communicant
It does not require a blessing.
"Hie two sacred vessels used for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, are
the ciborium and the pyx. The ciborium is a receptacle in which the consecrated
particles are kept in the tabernacle for distribution in Holy Communion. The pyx,
which in reality is a miniature ciborium, is the small round box in which the Holy
Eucharist is carried to the sick.
While some writers trace the word ciborium to a Greek root meaning "cup "
it is generally understood to be derived from the Latin "cibus" which means food
because it serves to contain the Heavenly Bread. From our study of the altar we
learned that in early Christian times, ciborium was the name which was applied
to the canopy over the altar. The modern liturgical use of the word, however
exclusively denotes the vessel in which the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in thè
tabernacle.
The ciborium resembles the chalice in shape, but the bowl is larger and is provided with a closely fitting cover surmounted by a cross or some other symbolic
device. The bottom of the cup is slightly raised in the center so that the last particles may be more easily removed. Like the chalice and paten, the ciborium should
be made of gold or silver. If baser metals are used, they should be heavily lined with
gold. The ciborium is not consecrated but is only blessed by a bishop, or in this
country, by any priest. When the ciborium contains the Blessed Sacrament it
should be covered with a white veil or drapery of silk or cloth of gold.
The name pyx was formerly applied, in a general sense, to all vessels used to
contain the Blessed Sacrament, and especially to the cup in which It actually rested
when during the Middle Ages, the pyx was suspended above the altar. The Custumal of Cluny, which is a written collection of the customs of that famous French
monastery tells of the "deacon taking the golden pyx out of the dove which hangs
permanently before the altar."
The pyx is made of gold or silver-gilt and resembles a watch, being formed
ot two hollow cups hinged together and fastened by a spring catch, which is
operated by a stem. It is carried in a burse, or silk-lined leather case, to which is
attached a cord which the priest wears around his neck.
The ostensorium was introduced during the thirteenth century for the purpose
ot exposing the Blessed Sacrament, or carrying It in procession with proper solemnity. Originally the name ostensorium and the kindred word, monstrance, were
applied to all vessels made by goldsmiths which were fashioned for the purpose of
venerating a sacred object, whether it be the Consecrated Host or a relic of a saint
Modern usage however, has limited the term to mean a vessel intended for the
exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
The practice of adoring the Sacred Host at the moment It was elevated after
« - o p e r a t i o n in the Mass, was a favorite devotion during the thirteenth cen-
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tury, and led, as we have learned, to the practice of ringing a bell at the Elevation.
The people yearned to look upon the uplifted Host, and it became a very meritorious practice to "salute the Body of the Lord." Various devices were employed to
make the Host visible to everyone in the church, such as a black curtain hung back
of the altar, or lighted torches held high by the deacon or server.
This zeal of the people to gaze upon the Host was not confined to the time of
the Mass. By the fourteenth century, throughout Germany and the Netherlands,
the Blessed Sacrament was reserved in the churches all day long in a transparent
monstrance. This custom led to the erection of "Sacrament houses" in the most
conspicuous parts, of the churches, generally near the sanctuary. They were made
of stone and beautifully carved, and the monstrance was kept behind a locked door
of lattice work, through which the Consecrated Host could be dimly seen by the
people who prayed outside.
Medieval ostensoria were designed along architectural lines, very much like the
facade of a Gothic church, with an upright cylinder of crystal in which the Sacred
Host was held in a lunette. During the fifteenth century, a cluster of metallic rays
radiating from a transparent center, like a sun, was adopted as more suitable for
attracting all eyes to the Sacred Host itself. A modern tendency is toward a more
simple style, a design in the form of a Celtic cross being especially favored. In
England the form of the monstrance sometimes reproduced the figure of Our Lord,
the Host being inserted back of a crystal door in the breast, while in Spain there
was a preference for ostensoria of great size. One splendid triumph of goldsmiths'
skill is the great monstrance made for the Cathedral of Toledo. It is more than
twelve feet high, and a hundred years were devoted to its construction. Two hundred and sixty statuettes adorn it, the largest of which is said to have been made
from gold brought by Columbus from the New World.
Old liturgical manuals refer to the ostensorium as a "tabernaculum." The
name "custodia" was also used in this connection, but it applied more specifically
to the transparent pyx in which the Sacred Host was secured when it was placed
in the ostensorium. This receptacle is now called a "luna" a moon, or a "lunula"
a little moon.
This discussion of the sacred vessels would not be complete without some
reference to the goldsmiths' schools of the Middle Ages which were conducted
under the guidance and patronage of the monasteries. While the School of Alcuin
was celebrated more particularly for its illuminated manuscripts, much fine church
plate was made under the direction of this famous Benedictine educator of the
eighth century. Saint Odo, the second Abbot of Cluny, was a distinguished patron
of the arts. Saint Bernward, Bishop of Hildesheim, Germany, who lived in the tenth
century, was not only a student of art all his life, but a practical craftsman, as
well. After performing his episcopal functions, he visited the workshops of the
Guild School of the Cathedral, and with his own hands manufactured silver vessels
for the enrichment of the altar. Many exquisite examples of his workmanship are
still preserved in his See City of Hildesheim, which after ten centuries is still under
the influence of his great personality.
Abbot Sugar of St. Denis was a leader of medieval arts in France. While he
was engaged in conducting a crusade, making laws and acting as regent during the
absence of the king, he was also directing craft shops and propagating the arts in
connection with the life of the Church. Upon being reproved by Saint Bernard for
encouraging a too luxurious ritual, the Abbot replied: "If the ancient law . . .
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ordained that vessels and cups of gold should be used for libations, and to receive
the blood of rams, . . . how much rather should we devote gold, precious stones,
and the rarest of materials, to those vessels which are destined to contain the Blood
of Our Lord."
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
. 7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Names of sacred vessels stress the banquet feature of the Holy Sacrifice.
Symbolism of chalice and paten.
Legends of the "Holy Grail."
Material of chalices in early Christian times.
"Cálices ministeriales" and the "Chalice of Ardagh."
"The Great Chalice of Antioch."
Present legislation in regard to the chalice.
Paten and "patinae ministeriales" of early times.
The ciborium and pyx, two vessels used for reservation of the Blessed Sacrament.
The ciborium.
The pyx and the use which was formerly made of it.
Ostensorium or monstrance.
Origin and use of ostensorium during the thirteenth century.
"Sacrament houses."
Various forms of ostensoria, both ancient and modern.
The goldsmiths' schools of the Middle Ages.
Abbot Sugar's appreciation of the dignity of the sacred vessels.
QUESTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why is St. Thomas of Aquinas represented in art as bearing the Sacred Host?
What legend accounts for St. Clare's symbol, the monstrance?
How many of the sacred vessels are required to be consecrated?
What are the rules in regard to the laity touching the sacred vessels?
What is the Forty Hours' Adoration and why was it instituted?
1. The Pectoral Cross..
2. The Crozier
3. The Episcopal Ring
XI-601
— IV-51J
XIII-
59
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Light and Color in the Liturgy
THE USE of light, color, incense, vestments, bells, music and floral decorations
as adjuncts to Christian worship, was adopted by the Church at a very early date.
For this reason she has frequently been accused of embracing the ceremonial practices of the pagans. This accusation was directed particularly against the use of
light; but the Church seems to have taken it over as a harmless ceremonial to
which a Christian significance might be given. She adopted it just as she employed
many other things, indifferent in themselves, because they are really a part of the
natural language of mystical expression.
The custom of using light for purely liturgical purposes must have been
fairly well established during the time of Saint Jerome (420) for he says: "Apart
from honoring the relics of the martys, it is the custom through all the churches
of the East, that when the gospels are read, lights are kindled, though the sun is
already shining, not indeed to dispel darkness, but to exhibit a token of joy . . .
and that, under the figure of bodily light, that light may be set forth of which we
read in the psalter 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths.' "
There is little or no evidence, however, that there was any liturgical significance in the use which was made of lamps in early Christian times. The fact that
many services took place at night and in the gloomy chambers of the catacombs,
made it necessary to carry lamps for the purpose of illumination. It is interesting
to note that a great number of the terra cotta lamps found in the catacombs were
decorated with religious symbols, the favorite being the monogram of Constantine.
In some instances they were ornamented with the figure of a saint accompanied by
a proper inscription. Lamps in the form of the symbolic fish, were frequently
fashioned of bronze, but seldom made of clay. Only one in terra cotta has been
preserved.
Multitudes of candles and lamps were a feature of the baptismal ceremony,
which, in ancient times, took place on Easter eve. It is thought that some of the
prayers used today for the blessing of the new fire on Holy Saturday, were inspired
by Saint Jerome who insisted that wax, a product of the working bee, which has
always been regarded as a type of virginity, was a symbol of the body of Christ
born of a virgin mother. From this beautiful figure has sprung the further conception that the wick is the emblem of His soul, and the flame, His Divinity. Thus the
great paschal candle represents Christ the true light of the world.
The feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which occurs on the
second of February, has been chosen by the Church for the solemn blessing of the
candles. The day is often called Candlemas—Mass of the Candles. In former ages
this blessing was given by the Holy Father himself, and the candles so blessed were
distributed among the members of the congregation and sent as presents to distinguished persons.
Candles are used during the administration of all the Sacraments except that
of Penance. They are lighted at Mass and at other Church services, at the imparting of certain blessings, such as the dedication of a church or the blessing of a
cemetery. During an Ordination Mass, an offering of candles is made at the Offertory by the priests who have just been ordained.
The candles which are used for liturgical purposes should be made of pure,
unadulterated beeswax. The color, as a rule, should be white, although gilded and
painted candles are permitted under certain restrictions. During Requiem Masses
and Holy Week services, candles of yellow or unbleached wax are used.
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The custom of placing lighted candles on the altar did not come into general
practice until the eleventh century. Before that time they stood in tall candlesticks
on the pavement of the sanctuary or in brackets affixed to the wall. The Most Rev.
John F. Sullivan, D.D., in his book, "Externals of the Catholic Church," gives this
explanation of the use of candles during Mass: " A t solemn Mass six are lighted on
the altar. At a Missa Cantata, sung by one priest, four are sufficient. At a Pontifical
Mass, sung by a bishop in his own diocese, seven are lighted. Four are used at .1
bishop's private Mass, and two at all others. These rules, however, do not prohibit
the use of more candles on occasions of special solemnity. Bishops and certain other
prelates have a right to use a reading candle, called a 'bugia', at their Masses. At
Vespers, six candles are lighted on the more solemn feasts, four only will suffice
on other days."
The custom of burning votive candles has become very general during the
past few years. These candles are not blessed, and, therefore, are not sacramental*.
The word votive comes from the Latin "votum" and literally signifies that the
candles are burned in fulfillment of a vow. The intention in most cases, however,
is to honor the saint before whose shrine the candles are lighted. A burning candle
is symbolic of prayer and sacrifice; and there is little wonder that such a devotion
appeals so strongly to Catholics who believe in the communion of saints.
The practice of burning votive lights goes back to the Middle Ages, and the
Catholic Encyclopedia gives this very interesting information concerning the devotion: Old English wills reveal the fact that a great number of lights were founded
every year by private beneficence, while each guild and association endowed its own
light. Besides these, such names as the "Jesus light," the "Rood light," the "bachelor's light," the "maiden's light," the "Soul's light," and the "egg light" (probably
supported by contributions of eggs) lead the student into fascinating fields of
speculation. In England and France it was customary to offer a favorite shrine a
candle or a number of candles equalling in measurement the height of the person
requesting a favor. This was called "measuring up" to a saint.
The sanctuary lamp, which is always kept burning wherever the Blessed Sacrament is reserved, did not become a matter of strict obligation until the sixteenth
century, although it had its inception about three hundred years earlier. Eustace,
Abbott of Fleay, in the year 1200, ruled that in London, there should be in every
church, whenever it was possible, "a burning lamp or some other perpetual light
before Our Lord's Body." The Roman Ritual prescribes that "both by day and
night two or more lamps, or at least one, must burn continually before the Blessed
Sacrament." The oil consumed in the sanctuary lamp should be olive oil, but if
this cannot be obtained, the bishop may permit the use of other vegetable oils.
Sanctuary lamps are often very beautiful and costly in design. They are
usually suspended before the altar with a counterweight device, by which they
may be lowered for the convenience of refilling. Lamps of gold and silver, sometimes set with jewels or inlaid with enamels, hang before splendid altars in the
great cathedrals of the world. They are the work of artisans and craftsmen who
were inspired not only by the religious significance, but by the poetic idea of the
ruby flame which burns perpetually before the altar of Him, whom Saint John has
called "the lamp of the Heavenly Jerusalem," "the morning star that knows no
setting," and "the sun that shines with unfailing splendor."
Colors which are produced by the refractions of rays of light, occupy an intimate and mysterious relation to the spiritual life of man. Recognizing the fact that
the bright, vivid colors incite a feeling of joy, while dark, somber tones depress the
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spirit, the Church directs that the vestmentsi worn by her ministers in the Mass
shall correspond to the color prescribed for the office of the day; moreover, she
makes use of the symbolism of colors to interpret her liturgy and to enrich her
ceremonials.
The five colors prescribed by the Church in her liturgy, to the exclusion of
all others, are white, red, green, purple and black. "Rose-colored" vestments, when
obtainable, may be used at the solemn Mass on Gaudete Sunday in Advent and
Laetare Sunday in Lent, because these Sundays reflect a spirit of joy in the midst
of a penitential season, and rose-color is less penitential than violet.
According to Pope Benedict XIV, white was the only liturgical color in use
until the fourth century. By the thirteenth century, white, red, green and black
were in general use; but it was a hundred years later before violet was permanently
accepted. Blue and yellow were in common use between the twelfth and sixteenth
centuries, but both colors are now forbidden. In some dioceses in Spain, however,
by virtue of a special papal privilege, sky blue vestments may be used at all of the
Masses of the Immaculate Conception, whether of the feast itself or votive. Gold
colored vestments are also excluded from use, but vestments made entirely, or for
the most part, of real gold cloth, may be tolerated or permitted to take the place
of white, red and green vestments, but not for purple or black. Cloth of silver may
be used instead of white. White and red are the festive colors; green and violet are
used on Sundays and week days, while black, the color of mourning, is proper for
Masses for the dead and for Good Fridays.
The variety of liturgical colors which the Church employs, arose from the
mystical meanings which are attached to them. These colors do not only impart to
the vestments rich, symbolic significances but add beauty, variation and splendor
to the liturgy.
White is a symbol of light and typifies innocence, purity and joy. It is the
color of heavenly glory for the evangelists relate that at the transfiguration on
Mount Thabor, Christ's garments became white and shining.
Red, the language of fire and blood, indicates fervent charity and the sacrifice
of the martyrs. It is also a reminder of Christ's Passion and the blood which He
shed upon the cross.
Green, the hue of nature, the color of the fields and trees, expresses hope of
eternal life. As green occupies an intermediate place between the light and dark
colors, it is used on days that have no particularly festive or joyous character.
Violet is the penitential color and denotes mortification and the sorrow of
a contrite heat. Since it resembles the dark gray of ashes, it is worn on those days
which bear the character of penance.
Black is the color essentially opposite to white and is, therefore, the color of
extinct life. On Good Friday, the Church mourns the death of her Divine Spouse
in garments of black and, likewise, offers the Holy Sacrifice for her departed children in this color of grief and sorrow. The clergy wear black garments as a constant
reminder of their obligation to lead a life that; is mortified, retired and hidden from
the world. Saint Jerome says: "Black garments should be a sign of a pure, white
soul."
Patrick Morrisroe in an article in the Catholic Encyclopedia designates the
use of the five liturgical colors as follows: "White is the color proper to Trinity
Sunday, the feasts of Our Lord, except those of His Passion, the feasts of the
Blessed Virgin, angels, confessors, virgins and women, who are not martyrs, the
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Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the chief feast of St. John the Evangelist, the
feast of the Chains and the Chair of St. Peter, the Conversion of St. Paul, All
Saints, to the consecration of churches and altars, the anniversaries of the election
and coronation of bishops; also for the octaves of these feasts and the Offices 'de
tempore' from Holy Saturday to the Vigil of Pentecost; it is used for votive Masses
when the feasts have white, and for the nuptial Mass; also in services in connection
with the Blessed Sacrament, at the burial of children, in the administration of
baptism, Holy Viaticum, and matrimony.
"Red is used the week of Pentecost, on the feasts of Christ's Passion and His
Precious Blood, the Finding and Elevation of the Cross, the feasts of Apostles and
martyrs; and in votive Masses of these feasts. It is used on Holy Innocents if the
feast occur on Sunday and always on its octave.
"Green is employed in Offices 'de tempore' from the octave of the Epiphany
to Septuagésima, and from the octave of Pentecost to Advent, except on emberdays and vigils during that time, and on Sundays occurring with an octave.
"Violet is used during Advent and from Septuagésima to Easter, on vigils that
are fast days, and on ember-days, except the vigil of Pentecost and the ember-days
during the octave of Pentecost. Violet is also used for Mass on rogation-days, for
votive Masses of the Passion, and of penitential character, at the blessing of candles
and of holy water. The stole used in the administration of penance and of extreme
unction and in the first part of the baptismal ceremonies must be violet.
"Black is used in offices for the dead, and on Good Friday."
The liturgical colors effect not only the vestments worn at the Mass, but also
the antependium or frontlet, the tabernacle veil, the burse and the chalice veil.
Light, and color which is revealed by light, have been consistently used by
the Church for the purpose of interpreting the moods of her liturgy, and revealing
more completely the meaning of her ecclesiastical feasts. A burning candle as it
consumes itself upon the altar is a perfect symbol of prayer, while the liturgical
colors represent the nature of prayer. Joy, love, hope, mortification and sorrow, all
emotions which sweep the human soul, are expressed in this mystical language
which had its source in a bow God set in the clouds as a sign of His covenant between earth and heaven.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Light and color, the natural language of mystical expression.
The use of light by early Christians as described by St. Jerome.
The terra cotta lamps of the catacombs.
Symbolism of the candle.
The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin chosen for the solemn blessing of candles.
Material and color of candles and their use in the liturgy.
Number of candles burned during Masses and other ceremonies.
Votive candles, an ancient devotion.
The sanctuary lamp.
Color and its effect upon human emotions.
The five liturgical colors.
36
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
White, the symbol of light.
Red, the language of fire and blood.
Green, the expression of eternal hope.
Violet, the color of penitential seasons.
Black, the sign of mourning.
The use of the liturgical colors in divine services.
A burning candle, a symbol of prayer; the liturgical color, a representation of
the nature of prayer.
QUESTIONS
1. Where: does the ceremony of the blessing of the new fire on Holy Saturday
take place?
2. What words are chanted during the ceremony of the lighting of the triple
candle?
3. What do the five grains of incense in the paschal candle typify?
4. How is the paschal candle used in the blessing of the baptismal water?
5. How long after Holy Saturday is the paschal candle left on the Gospel side of
the sanctuary and lighted during solemn services?
S U B J E C T S SUGGESTED FOR P A P E R S
1. The Ceremonies of the Tenebrae
2. The Feast of the Purification—
3. "Lumen Christi".
X I V - 5 06
...-111-24 5
IX-430
T H E
S A C E R D O T A L
V E S T M E N T S — II
37
The Sacerdotal Vestments—I
T H E SACRED V E S T M E N T S , which today still retain, more or less faithfully,
their ancient and archaic forms, had their origins in the ordinary dress of the
Romans who lived in the second and third centuries. With the possible exception
of the amice, every vestment worn by the priest at the altar, represents an article
of the Roman costume of that period. Their history brings us in close and vital
contact with the lives of the early Christians, because the style of the very clothes
they wore as they followed their every-day occupations or went joyfully to martyrdom, remains in the form of ecclesiastical vesture.
They are sacred heirlooms which the Church has preserved for the edification
of her children and, like the other externals of Christian worship, they have become
richly endowed with symbolic meanings. The Church, always a wise teacher, has
seen fit to employ them as a sign language by which she may impart not only
mystical lessons to the faithful, but also moral lessons to her ministers.
Under the Jewish law every detail of the vestments worn by the high-priest
in the service of the temple, was provided for by divine command; and the vestments themselves were venerated to such a degree that a light was kept burning
constantly before the repository of the sacred robes.
With the establishment of Christianity, Christ gave no instructions as to the
dress which the apostles and their successors should adopt for the performance of
their sacred duties. The matter rested entirely upon "Apostolic prescription and
tradition." With the exception of the "toga," they wore the long, flowing, beautif u l robes which the Greeks and Romans, the unquestioned masters of art, taste and
culture, had adopted as their mode of dress. That the Church has appropriated
beauty wherever she found it, cannot be denied; but that beauty which once graced
a pagan world, became purified and transformed when employed in the service of
the Christian altar.
Referring to the absence of the Roman toga or its counterpart among the
sacerdotal vestments, Reverend Doctor Adrian Fortescue in a paper entitled "The
Vestments of the Roman Rite," read before the London Westminster Cathedral
Altar Society, makes this pointed comment: "The toga has gone altogether. This is
significant. The toga could be worn only by Roman citizens, and most Christians
were not Roman citizens. It was an aristocratic garment, a symbol of national
pride. It did not suit the people who stood for a universal Church which gave equal
rights to slaves, freedmen and barbarians. Tertullian wrote a playful treatise defending the usual Christian cloak, the poor man's dress (the pallium) against the
lordly toga. He writes: 'Rejoice, O Pallium, and be glad! Thou hast adopted a better philosophy since thou didst begin to cover Christians.' He would triumph now
to see what has happened. The poor pallium, since Christians wore it, survives as
the most honored symbol in Christendom; the sign of metropolitan jurisdiction,
around which a whole ritual and a whole liturgy has gathered. And the proud toga,
just because Christians did not or could not wear it, has disappeared from the face
of the earth. All other articles of late Roman dress remain."
Since there was no difference in the fashion and cut of the garments used for
ordinary dress and those worn during the performance of sacred functions, it was
necessary to make some distinction between profane clothing and liturgical vesture.
This was accomplished by making the latter as rich and beautiful as possible and
using it exclusively for the celebration of the Mass. As soon as these garments were
worn at the altar they became, according to Pope Stephen I (257) "vestes sacratae"
or sacred vestments.
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A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
While fashions in secular dress gradually changed, the sacred vestments remained unaltered. When a bishop died his successor reverently wore his vestments,
keeping in mind their hallowed and ritualistic associations; when new ones were
required, it was but natural that they, too, should follow the old shapes and designs
which had already become traditional in the minds of the people as being especially
suitable for divine service.
It was not until the early part of the Middle Ages, that the liturgical costume
became fixed and permanent. About this time also, the secular clergy, obeying the
dictates of canon law, began to wear distinctive dress, which consisted of a garment
corresponding to the modern cassock, and a cape, or "closed cope."
For many centuries the Church was spiritualizing and transforming these corporeal garments into ecclesiastical vestments; and it is little wonder, then, that
even though they were not chosen for their symbolism, they lend themselves admirably to the mystical and allegorical interpretations which have been assigned to
them. Liturgical and ascetical authors differ more or less in their views of these
various meanings, but Doctor Gihr has given the explanations which have been
generally accepted. These refer to the different scenes in Our Lord's passion. The
amice brings to mind the veiling of the Savior's eyes when the Jews called out to
him: "Prophesy to us, Christ, who struck Thee?"; the alb corresponds to the white
garment in which Christ was mockingly clothed by Herod and his court; the
cincture recalls the cords which bound Him to the pillar for the scourging; the
maniple refers to the fetters with which His hands were tied; the stole indicates the
heavy burden of the Cross, while the chasuble brings to mind the purple robe in
which Christ, already crowned with thorns, was reviled and mocked by his blasphemous tormentors.
When a priest is vested for Mass he wears an amice, alb and cincture, all white
and made of pure linen (the cincture is sometimes an exception to this rule); also
a maniple, stole and chasuble, fashioned of silk or some other appropriate material,
and colored according to the office for the day.
All of these vestments must be blessed before they can be used in the Sacrifice
of the Mass. The blessing, which today is strictly enjoined, may be given by a
bishop or a priest especially empowered to do so. This blessing is imparted by means
of prayer, the sign of the cross and holy water, and it is retained as long as the
vestments preserve their original shape and are suitable for use. Worn out vestments and those which have become too soiled and shabby for further use, should
be burned and the ashes thrown into the sacrarium.
The amice, which is an oblong piece of linen with strings attached, is the first
garment which the priest puts on when vesting for Mass. It seems that the amice
did not develop into a liturgical vestment ; until about the year 800. The name
"amictus" from "amicire," suggests a garment, a covering, or the literal idea of
"wrapping around." Its utilitarian purpose is rather difficult to determine. Some
writers believe it was introduced as a covering to hide the bare throat of the celebrant, or again as a kerchief to protect the rich fabric of the chasuble from perspiration. There is evidence, too, that it originated as a sort of muffler to be worn
by those, who in the interest of Church music, found it necessary to protect their
throats against cold and drafts, so that their voices might be clear for singing the
chants and antiphons. In this connection, the amice is regarded as a symbol of "due
restraint of the voice" and self-control over speech.
By the twelfth century the amice covered not only the neck and shoulders,
but the head also; however, at the beginning of the Mass it was allowed to fall back
T H E
S A C E R D O T A L
39
over the shoulders thus forming a collar and a protection for the chasuble. In many
of the older religious orders whose members wear the hood or cowl, the amice is
still worn after the fashion which prevailed in the Middle Ages. It is put on over
the hood and worn until the priest reaches the altar. On leaving the sanctuary the
hood is again pulled up over the head, and thus in coming and going it serves as a
head-covering. Such priests use the hood and amice where the secular priests wear
the biretta.
A ceremonial survival of this practice remains in the manner in which the
priest puts on the amice which, according to rubrical directions, is first placed on
the head before it is adjusted about the neck and shoulders. The rite is carried still
further in the prayers which he recites as he puts it on: "Place, O Lord, on my head
the helmet of salvation, that I may overcome the attacks of Satan."
Commenting upon the signficance of the amice as a sacred vestment, Doctor
Gihr says: "As soon, therefore, as the priest has put the amice on his head, neck and
shoulders, he should close up all entrance to everything foreign, preserve a holy
silence and a profound recollection, carefully guard his eyes, with a reverent deportment approach the altar, and perform his sacred functions, as the mystical
language of the amice admonishes him to do."
The alb takes its name from "albus" meaning white, and is a liturgical garment which from the beginning was a wide, white linen robe, full of folds, reaching to the feet and covering the entire body. It corresponds to the tunic which was
part of the ordinary attire of the Romans under the Empire. The soldiers and
working men wore a short tunic that came only to the knees, but the philosophers
and persons of distinction wore the "tunica talaris," a long gown which lent grace
and dignity to their bearing. Both were bound at the waist with a girdle or cincture.
It is impossible to ascertain just when the alb began to be considered as a
strictly liturgical vestment. Formerly it was worn at all religious functions, but
since the twelfth century the alb is little used outside of the time of Mass. The
cotta or surplice has been substituted for Benediction, the administering of the
Sacraments, giving blessings and other functions.
The symbolical meaning of the alb is based on its color and material and is
expressed by the prayer which the priest recites when putting it on: "Purify me,
0 Lord, from all stain and cleanse my heart, that washed in the blood of the Lamb
1 may enjoy eternal delights." Linen acquires its purity and brilliant whiteness by
repeated washings and bleaching in the sun and rain. "Is not this the case," Doctor
Gihr asks, "with the whiteness and brilliancy of the purity of life?"
The ornamentation of the early albs consisted of a deep colored border near
the bottom of the skirt and a similar decoration at the neck and on the sleeves.
During the Middle Ages oblong patches of colored embroidery, called apparels]
were sewn pn the bottom of the alb at the front and back and also at the wrists.
The Church was the first patron of the lace-making industry in Europe, and
many of the finest examples of lace made during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries which are now in existence, are in the form of decorated albs and Mass vestments. One historic relic is the lace-worked alb of Saint Francis of Assisi which is
wid to have been made by Saint Clare and her nuns and worn by Saint Francis.
This alb is of fine, hand-woven linen and no less than twenty different symbolic
figures appear in the lace design, among them the Coptic cross, chimeras and various animals. It is now preserved in the convent of Saint Clare of Assisi. The
famous lace and linen alb worn by Pope Boniface VIII is a thirteenth century
treasure of the Sistine Chapel.
40
A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
It should be borne in mind that many lace trimmed articles made for church
use in these early times are much admired for their historic interest and as testimonials of zeal and devotion; but they would not be approved for use in the sanctuary by the rubrics now in force. The lace flounce on the alb, to be liturgical,
should not be more than twelve inches deep. There should be no lace frill at the
neck.
The cincture or "cingulum" has come down to us with the alb and is the
proper name for the girdle with which it is confined at the waist. It is merely a
simple cord decorated with tassels and has been considered as an article of liturgical
attire since the ninth century. There is no legislation in regard to the material of
the cincture. It may be of silk, wool or cotton, but white linen is preferable. In
Rome and in some foreign countries the cincture follows the color of the day.
Throughout the Scriptures the girdle is referred to as a symbol of strength;
in its ecclesiastical character it typifies priestly chastity. This meaning is clearly
suggested by the vesting prayer: "Gird me, O Lord, with the girdle of purity, and
extinguish in me all concupiscence."
We shall now consider the vestments which vary in color from day to day
according to the liturgical season or feast. The first is the maniple, a small ornament
in the form of a band about a yard in length, which the celebrant wears on his left
arm. The Latin name, "manipulus," signifies a bundle or more properly, a handful
—something which may be folded together. In the beginning the maniple was not
an ornament, but a small folded piece of cloth used for wiping perspiration from
the hands. Later it became an ornamental handkerchief of fine linen which was
carried in the hand but seldom put into actual use. Under the name of "mappa"
it was employed by the Roman consul to give the signal for the commencement of
the games.
According to Doctor Fortescue, the maniple was mentioned in the first Roman
ordo (seventh century) as still being made of linen. Pictures depicting scenes in
the ninth and tenth centuries show it carried in the left or sometimes in the right
hand. By the end of the tenth century it seems to have become a mere ornament in
the form of a long, narrow band made of colored silk and embroidered. Four hundred years later the ends began to broaden into the spade shape which is so familiar
to us today.
Great importance was attached to the ornamentation of the maniple as evidenced by old inventories which mention costly ones adorned with gold, silver,
precious stones and pearls. Favorite trimmings for the ends were fringe, tassels and
little bells. Many of these costly maniples are still preserved in the churches and
monasteries of France. A modern decorative note is the cross which appears at the
ends and in the center. The central cross, which the priest kisses when vesting and
unvesting, is the only one prescribed by the Missal. Even in medieval times, as is
the case today, the maniple was seldom worn except during Mass.
The Church has retained the maniple because of its symbolism, which arose
from its original use in the Holy Sacrifice. As a handkerchief, it was employed for
cleansing the hands arid face; as a vestment, it suggests that the mind and heart be
disposed toward suffering and sorrow. This interpretation is borne out in the vesting prayer: "Let me merit, O Lord, to bear the maniple of tears and sorrow so that
one day I may come with joy into the reward of my labors."
The stole is a strip of material about eighty inches long and from two to four
inches wide. During Mass it is worn over the alb, crossed in front and fastened
securely with the cincture. Like the other vestments, it developed from an article
T H E
S A C E R D O T A L
41
of Roman attire. The Roman "lorum" was a long scarf worn by certain dignitaries
and magistrates as a sign of their official status. The stole is a distinctive mark of
priestly orders and is worn only by deacons, priests and bishops. According to the
Catholic Encyclopedia: "The Sacred Congregation of Rites has given a large
number of decisions concerning the use of the stole. As a general rule it may be
stated: the stole is used and must be used, at a function peculiar to the deacon,
priest, and bishop, a function that presupposes the order (e. g„ at the celebration
of Mass when the Blessed Sacrament is touched, when the sacraments are administered) but not for example in processions, or at Vespers. The wearing of the "Stole
by a bishop at Solemn Vespers is an exception; its use by a priest while preaching
depends on local custom. The stole is not a specific mark of parochial jurisdiction."
In the ninth and tenth centuries the stole, like the Roman collar today, was
the badge of priesthood. Throughout the Frankish Empire the clergy were oblieed
to wear it constantly, and especially when traveling.
Little is known concerning the development of the stole. It came into use as
a vestment about the fourth century and in the beginning was, very likely, a piece
of cloth folded so as to form a band, which gradually became simpler until the
present form was adopted. Its decoration, like that of the maniple, was often very
costly and elaborate the finish for the ends being the usual fringe, tassels or little
bells. It was not until the sixteenth century that the familiar design employing some
lorm of the cross was placed in the center and at the ends of the stole. The central
cross has become a matter of canonical prescription and marks the place where
the vestment is kissed.
A stole, which is a work of art as well as a venerated relic of a saint, was
tound in Saint Cuthbert's tomb in Durham, in 1827. This stole is a splendid example of English needlework of the tenth century and has an interesting history
Saint Cuthbert was an English bishop whose devotion to the Mass was so great that
he could not celebrate it without tears. Shortly after his death in 687 his tomb
became the scene of many remarkable miracles, and, in 698, his body was exhumed
and found incorrupt. For almost four hundred years, because of wars and invas.ons, it was carried about from place to place, an object of devotion and much
solicitude. In 1104, however, it found a permanent tomb and was buried in vestments which are described as being "a mass of gold." A Latin inscription on the
vestments in which the body was clad is translated by Julia deWolf Addison:
"Queen to Alfred's son and successor, Edward the Elder, was one Aelflaed who
caused this stole and maniple to be made for a gift to Fridestan, consecrated Bishop
of Winchester, A.D., 905." After the death of Bishop Fridestan, Athelstan, as King
or tjigland, made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint Cuthbert, bringing the vestments as a gift to the sacred shrine.
The stole is a symbol of immortality and as such is the inspiration for the
vesting prayer: "Return to me, O Lord, that stole of immortality which was lost
to me by my first parents, and though unworthy I approach Thy great Mystery
nevertheless grant me to merit joy eternal."
TOPICS FOR
1.
l.
3.
4.
DISCUSSION
The sacred vestments as articles of Roman dress of early Christian centuries.
Means of teaching mystical and moral lessons.
Jewish vesture provided for by divine command.
Christian vestments regulated by apostolic prescription and tradition.
42
A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
5. The aristocratic Roman toga not represented by a vestment.
6. Articles of dress once worn for the celebration of the Mass became "sacred
vestments."
7. Traditional shapes and designs became permanent during the Middle Ages.
8. Accepted mystical and allegorical interpretations.
9. Blessing of vestments.
10. Amice introduced for utilitarian purposes.
11. Present manner of vesting with amice a continuation of medieval use as head
covering.
12. Alb, the tunic of Roman dress. Symbolism based on color and material.
13. Alb of St. Francis of Assisi.
14. Rubrics now in force in regard to lace on alb.
15. The cincture.
16. The maniple, an ornamental vestment retained for its symbolism.
17. The stole, the distinctive mark of priestly orders.
18. The story of St. Cuthbert's stole.
QUESTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why are vestments classed as sacramentals?
Why is the cassock not a vestment?
How many vestments is the priest directed to kiss when vesting for Mass?
What are the priestly orders?
What vestment was considered the badge of the priesthood before the introduction of the Roman collar?
S U B J E C T S SUGGESTED FOR P A P E R S
1. The Biretta
_
-ip 4 -2. The Mitre
_
_
3. The Sacred Congregation of Rites
_ 11-577
X-404
XIII-144
T H E
S A C E R D O T A L
V E S T M E N T S —
II
43
The Sacredotal Vestments—II
T H E C H A S U B L E , the principal and most conspicuous vestment worn during
the Mass, is a development of a very ancient and lowly garment of Roman dress,
the "paenula." It formerly consisted of a square or circular piece of cloth with an
opening for the head in the center and, when the arms were down, covered the
entire person. During the first ten centuries this bell-shaped mantle or weathercloak came to be called a "casula" meaning a small hut, from "casa" a little house.
Another name for it was "planeta" which in the Greek suggested a wandering star.
This name referred to its movableness. The casula, generally made of sheepskin or
wool and provided with a hood was, indeed, a portable house in which soldiers,
travelers, peasants and artisans were afforded protection against the elements.
One of the oldest allusions to the chasuble and the crosier occurs in Muirchu's
"Life of St. Patrick." The Druid diviners and sorcerers, who were bitter opponents
of Christianity, foretold the coming of Saint Patrick to Ireland (440) in these
strangely prophetic words: "Adze-head (this is an allusion to the peculiar Irish
form of tonsure) will come with a crook-head staff (crosier): in his house headholed (chasuble) he will chant impiety from his table (altar): from the front
(eastern) part of his house all his household (attendant clerics) will respond, 'So
be it! So be it!"
The catacomb frescoes show Christians wearing the casula, and sixth century
mosaics at Ravenna depict Saint Apollinaris in a long, white tunic with a chasule
drawn up over the arms. From the thirteenth century onward, paintings, sculptures, stained glass, miniatures and seals represent popes, abbots and priests wearing
ample chasubles of dignity and grace. The inconvenience of the primitive vestment
was somewhat overcome when the deacon and subdeacon assisting the celebrant,
rolled back the chasuble to relieve the weight on the arms. There is a survival of
this practice today, when in solemn Masses, the deacon and subdeacon hold back
the edges of the vestment, although there is now no need for it, the act being
merely a ceremonial.
Beginning about the sixteenth century, chasubles became shortened and opened
at the sides to admit of free use of the arms. This is the type generally in use today,
of which there are two styles, the Roman and the French. The Roman chasuble
is ornamented with orphreys, or gold and silver bands, forming a pillar in the back
and a cross in the front. The French form reverses the order, the cross appearing
at the back and the pillar in front.
When the priest assumes the chasuble in vesting for Mass, he recites this
prayer: " O Lord, who has said: 'My yoke is sweet, My burden light,' grant that I
may carry this yoke and burden in such a manner as to obtain Thy grace. Amen."
Each set of vestments contains a chalice veil and burse. They follow the color
and are usually made of the same material as the vestments, although this is not
necessary. The chalice veil is a rectangular piece of silk or other material which
covers the chalice at the beginning and end of Mass, to express reverence for this
sacred vessel. N o especial ornamentation is prescribed for the chalice veil. The burse
is an envelope, about nine inches square, which contains the folded corporal to be
used during the Mass. It is made of the same material as the chalice veil and is lined
with pure white linen. No precise rules regulate its decoration. Crosses, emblems
and monograms are appropriate designs for the ornamentation of these two
accessories.
In addition to the Mass vestments that have been described, there are others
44
A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
which may be worn at certain church services; such as the surplice, the cope and
the humeral veil; also those which belong to sacred orders lower than the priesthood; the dalmatic and broad stole for the deacon and the tunic for the subdeacon.
The surplice is a wide-sleeved half-length tunic made of fine linen or cotton.
It differs from the alb, its parent garment, inasmuch as it has large sleeves, is
shortened and is worn without a girdle. As a liturgical vestment, "It is," says
Reverend Joseph Braun, S.J., "the choir dress, the vestment for processions, the
official priestly dress of the lower clergy, the vestment worn by the priest in administering the Sacraments, when giving blessings, at Benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament, etc.; in the last-mentioned cases it is a substitute for the alb, which
according to present custom, is worn only at Mass and a few other functions."
The surplice may be blessed but this is not strictly prescribed.
The surplice is thè most modern of vestments and was originally worn only as
a choir garment, during processions and funerals. Its use became general about the
thirteenth century. The name comes from the Latin "superpellicium," a dress worn
over furs. In cold countries during the Middle Ages, the clergy and monks wore
f u r garments in the sanctuary during winter. The difficulty of putting the long,
narrow-sleeved, girdled alb over them was obviated by the introduction of the more
practical surplice. Originally it was a full length tunic, without ornamentation,
reaching to the feet, but after the lace industry developed in Europe it became
customary to shorten the surplice and finish the sleeves and hem with lace.
The cope can best be described as a long, liturgical mantle open at the front
and fastened at the neck with a band or clasp. As a Roman garment it was the
ordinary rain-coat, as indicated by its Latin name, "pluviale." The cape which is
now attached and is merely an ornamental appendage, was once a hood which could
be drawn up over the head in stormy weather.
This vestment which bears a strong resemblance to the original form of the
chasuble, has come down to the present time with very little change. Saint Isidore
of Seville held the view that in the beginning, the chasuble and cope were identical;
the chasuble being only a cope with the front edges sewn together. It was not considered as a sacred vestment until the twelfth century at which time it was regarded
as a special vestment for the cantor, or chief singer in the ecclesiastical choir. In
many monasteries it was the custom to vest the entire community, except the celebrant and sacred ministers, in copes during the high Mass on great festivals. On
lesser feasts, albs were the rule.
Reverend Herbert Thurston, S.J., writing in the Catholic Encyclopedia says
óf this vestment: "At the present day it is still, as the 'Caeremoniale' directs, worn
by cantors on certain festal occasions in the Solemn Office; but it is also the vestment assigned to the celebrant, whether priest or bishop, in almost all functions in
which the chasuble is not used, for example in processions, in the greater blessings
and consecrations, at solemn Vespers and Lauds, in giving Benediction of the
Blessed Sacrament, at the absolutions and burial of the dead, at the Asperges before
Mass, etc. At a pontifical high Mass it is worn by the assistant priest who especially
attends upon the bishop. As regards color, the cope follows that of the day, and
it may be made of any rich or becoming material."
The cope seems to have been a vestment particularly favored by medieval
embroiderers for the reason that its unvarying shape and ample dimensions admitted of the most elaborate of decorative schemes. The Cope of Ascoli is considered by experts to be one of the most magnificent examples of thirteenth century needlework in existence. The Synon Cope in the South Kensington Museum,
T H E
S A C E R D O T A L
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45
London, was made by the nuns of a convent near Coventry and dates from the
same period. The design which covers the entire vestment, is solid stitchery on a
canvas ground and is laid out in a series of interlacing square forms, each of which
depicts a scene from the life of Christ, figures of the apostles and evangelists, or
wheeled Cherubim. In the central design of the Crucifixion, the figure of Christ
is rendered in silver on a gold ground. The orphreys, or straight borders which run
down on both sides of the front of the cope, are decorated with the heraldic devices of most of the noble families of that day. The brooch or clasp, also called a
morse, was always costly and usually an exquisite piece of the goldsmith's art. The
morse which Benvenuto Cellini made for Pope Clement VII, on which the figure
of God the Father surmounts a diamond, is considered one of his greatest achievements and was really the beginning of his later fame and fortune.
The humeral veil is an oblong vestment worn over the shoulders. The name
is derived from the Latin word "humerus" meaning shoulder. The vestment is
worn by the priest at Benediction when he holds the monstrance containing
the Sacred Host and during processions of the Blessed Sacrament. At these services
the veil is either white or gold. It takes the color of the vestments when it is worn
by the subdeacon who holds the paten at solemn high Mass. There is no black
humeral veil for the reason that at Masses for the dead and on Good Friday, the
paten remains on the altar. A humeral veil is also worn by the acolyte who bears
the bishop's mitre during a pontifical Mass. The "Caeremoniale Romanum" requires
that the humeral veil be made of silk.
The dalmatic and the tunic are the upper vestments of the deacon and subdeacon, respectively, and are worn during solemn Masses and other functions. The
dalmatic originally came from Dalmatia and was introduced into Roman society,
during the reign of Diocletian. It became popular and partially took the place of
the toga because of its comfort and simplicity.
The tunic is merely a shorter and plainer dalmatic. It was at first a long, linen
garment, but as early as the ninth century silk tunics were mentioned in church
inventories. Gradually the tunic was shortened; by the twelfth century slits appeared in the sides reaching up to the sleeves. Finally the sleeves also were slit and
the tunic attained its present form. Together with the dalmatic and the chasuble,
the tunic is subject to the canon regulating liturgical colors.
"The dalmatic," says the Catholic Encyclopedia, "is worn by the deacon at
Mass and at solemn processions and benedictions, except when these processions
and benedictions have a penitential character, as in Advent, during the period from
Septuagésima Sunday to Easter, at the blessing of candles and the procession on
Candlemas Day, etc.; this is because the dalmatic has been regarded from the
earliest times as a festal garment. . . . As the dalmatic is the distinguishing outer
vestment of the deacon, he is clothed with it at his ordination by the bishop, who
at the same time says: "May the Lord clothe thee with the garment of salvation
and with the vesture of praise, and may he cover thee with the dalmatic of righteousness forever."
The custom of dispensing with the dalmatic during the penitential season
has been followed since ancient times. At high Masses during Lent the rubrics
direct that the deacon wear the broad stole instead of the dalmatic. The broad stole
was originally a folded chasuble which was later replaced by the present stole-like
vestment worn diagonally over the left shoulder, crossed at the right side and held
in place with the cincture.
English needleworkers were especially partial to the dalmatic and found it an
ideal vestment for ornamentation. Embroidered dalmatics, both ecclesiastical and
46
A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
secular, now preserved in the treasure houses of churches and monasteries, show
the ingeniousness with which the medieval embroiderer achieved unusual effects.
The famous "opus Anglicanum" or English work, a stitch which runs zig-zag and
closely resembles painting in form and design; "opus plumarium" a straight overlapping feather stitch similar to the plumage of a bird, and the ancient cross stitch
or tent stitch on canvas, were all employed to enrich and beautify the dalmatic,
the garment of righteousness and charity.
The dalmatic is still worn as a supertunic or surcoat by the sovereigns of
England on the occasion of their coronation. One of the most unique and valuable
coronation dalmatics in the world is now in the Treasury of the Vatican at Rome.
It is embroidered chiefly in gold on a delicate bluish satin ground. The central,
circular composition which appears both on the front and back, represents Christ
surrounded by angels and saints and has all the grace and rhythm of figures on a
Greek vase. There is a tradition that this dalmatic was worn by Charlemagne on
Christmas day, 800, when as he knelt at Mass before the high altar, beneath which
lay the bodies of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope Leo III anointed him and placed upon
his head the imperial crown of Rome.
Mention has frequently been made of the older forms of vestments of the first
Christian period which came to an end with the eighth century. Many changes and
transformations have taken place since that time. The Romanesque, the Middle Age
and the Gothic periods, all had an influence upon the various forms of ecclesiastical
wardrobe, and while certain elements of simplicity and beauty were sacrificed,
contact with the traditional antique style was not wholly lost.
Commenting on what he terms the "secular evolution" of the period which
immediately followed, Dom Roulin, O.S.B., has this to say: "During the three
centuries next after the Gothic period, tailors, embroiderers and manufacturers . . .
diminished the width of vestments, and on the other hand exaggerated the accidental ornament. We have a riot of elaborate orfreys and crosses, on which are
embroidered numerous figures in theatrical postures and with pathetic expressions.
. . . Gilt and lace and other finery—these things are used to excess, and ecclesiastical
vesture groans under a heavy mass of ugly elaboration. Such was the disastrous
performance of the craftsmen of this period. . . . And so we come to the end of the
eighteenth century. The decadence is complete. The liturgical vestment has ceased
to be a vestment and has become an ornament, and an ornament in a style either
of pompous affectation or of stilted ugliness.
"But this degradation could not last, and the nineteenth century saw the beginnings of a revival in the domain of ecclesiastical vesture. In proportion as the
ancient monuments of the Church were examined, and the more her devoted sons
studied the Catholic and Roman liturgy, so did there grow a practical zeal for the
dignity and beauty of vestments. This revival has spread over the world; we find
it in Germany, England, Austria, Belgium, France, Holland, and even as far afield
as in America."
This desolating wave of bad taste to which Father Roulin refers, had its effect
not only on the sacred vestments but secular dress as well. It was evidenced, too,
in the music, painting, architecture and all other forms of art of the period. Since
Pope Pius X issued his "Motu Proprio" in 1903, a reform in church music has been
in steady progress. Religious artists and all students of the historic liturgy are
confident that in time the fuller, more ample and more ancient forms of vestments
will, like the Gregorian chant, be again restored to their rightful place in the
sanctuary.
.
T H E
S A C E R D O T A L
II
47
Turning once more to Doctor Fortescue's Tittle classic, "Vestments of the
Roman Rite," we find a reflection which may well conclude not only these brief
studies of the vestments, but all the lessons in the series, for the externals of the
Mass are, indeed, each and every one of them, unfailing witnesses to our unbroken
continuity. He writes:
"Does this account of the origin of our vestments seem prosaic and uninspiring? It is at any rate certainly the true one, and why should we not know the
truth? And there is a consideration which does not lack inspiration. To me, more
than fanciful symbolic interpretations, the true idea appeals enormously. Namely:
these vestments, they are but a little detail of ritual, yet they, too, are a wonderful
witness of our unbroken continuity. Here, too, the old Church is the one thing
in the world which has kept unchanged a custom of the old world. To me it is
a most inspiring reflection that, while empires and kingdoms have tumbled down,
while language and custom of every kind have changed beyond recognition, still
day by day the humblest Catholic priest in the remotest mission stands at his altar
dressed in the garb of old Rome. If Ambrose or Augustine or Leo came back now
they would find hardly a single thing in our world intelligible. Our language,
dress, manners, even food, would be utterly barbarous and strange to them. And
then, if they wandered into a Catholic church, there and there alone they would be
at home. They would see the sacrifice they offered still shown forth in the same
way. They would recognize the prayers and understand the language that they used.
And as they gazed from the barbarous clothes of the congregation to the altar,
they would see at least one man dressed as they were. They would recognize the
tunica talaris girt, the lorum, the mappula on his left arm, and I think—I hope—
that they would recognize that he wore over all a planeta, as they had done. So the
ghosts of the mighty men who spread the name of Christ throughout the dying
Empire would know that, in spite of all changes, their Church still stands, after
sixteen long centuries."
TOPICS FOR
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
DISCUSSION
The development of the chasuble.
Druid diviners' prophesy of the coming of St. Patrick to Ireland.
Primitive form of chasuble as shown by mosaics and catacomb frescoes.
The distinguishing characteristic of Roman and French styles of the chasuble.
Chalice veil and burse, accessories of the vestments.
The surplice as a development of the alb.
The cope and its use in the liturgy.
Historic copes, examples of thirteenth century needlework.
Humeral veil.
The tunic, the vestment of the subdeacon.
The dalmatic, a festal garment which especially distinguishes the deacon.
The broad stole worn in place of the dalmatic during the penitential season.
The dalmatic, a favorite vestment with English embroiderers.
The dalmatic of Charlemagne.
Influence of the centuries upon the form and ornamentation.of vestments.
Comments of Father Roulin, O.S.B.
16. The return of ancient forms.
17. Dr. Fortescue's reflections upon vestments as witnesses of unbroken continuity.
48
A L T A R
A N D
S A N C T U A R Y
QUESTIONS
1. Do you know of any country or locality where a bell-shaped mantle similar to
the chasuble is still worn?
2. Who were the Druids?
3. What is the official position of a cantor?
4. What period in history is designated by the Middle Ages?
5. What is the meaning of the term Gothic?
Reference^The Catholic Encyclopedia
1. Ecclesiastical Embroidery.
2. Mosaics
3. Benvenuto Cellini
-V-400
-X-J84
.111-489
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1 SSI`)!` Altar and Sanctuary

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