Thursday, August 30, 2012

Know your vestments

What is this?

You probably think you know a lot about vestments, right?   Well, let's find out if you know as much as you think you do.  We'll start with a hard one.  What is that cloth on the bishop's lap called?

Well?

It's a gremiale.  According to Wikipedia, a gremiale is:

"a square or oblong cloth which a bishop, according to the "Cæremoniale Episcoporum" and "Pontificale", should wear over his lap, when seated on the throne during the singing of the Kyrie, Gloria and Credo by the choir, during the distribution of blessed candles, palms or ashes, during the washing of feet in the Mass of the Lord's Supper, and also during the anointments in connection with Holy orders.

The primary object of the gremiale is to prevent the soiling of the other pontifical vestments, especially the chasuble."

Those who answered correctly are entitled to an Inigo Hicks refrigerator magnet.   These handy devices don't exist yet, but if and when they do, those who answered correctly will certainly be entitled to one.

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