Being Lutheran About Being Lutheran . . . The stole is a liturgical vestment first mentioned in the fourth century. The origin of the stole is uncertain, although it most probably is a modification of the colored band which formed the hem of the toga. Eventually, the bands evolved into a separate garment which was hung about the neck.
Bishops wear the stole hanging straight down.
The stole represents the yoke of Christ which the clergy put on in Ordination. The differing colors used today mirror the colors of the Church year and have no relationship to ecclesiastical rank. The stole, then, is THE identifying vestment of the ordain-ed minister and is properly worn only at celebrations of the Eucharist, when administering the Sacraments, and very generally when preaching. For, to repeat, the stole is the ordained's symbol of office - the visible sign of the authority to act in the Church's name by preaching and teaching the Word arid administering the Holy Sacraments. The Easter Vigil is a way of proclaiming and celebrating the death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.