Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-20
CATHOLIC VESTMENTS.
Tho Different COlors Used by
 Priests and Bishops.
Significance of the Cassock, the Amice. the Maniple, the Chasuble s.nd Other Sacred Garments-The Pal!ium
 of the Prinates.

 The vestments worn by the Roman Cath oiic clergy in the celebration of the sacred rites of that church are many, and each garment has special and spiritual mean ing. The veStmentS worn here in America to-day, says the New York Euening San, are just the same in shape, form and number as those used in the churches of the East-in Asia Minor, Armenia snd Koordistan, etc. The cassock is a black robe reaching to the ground, and is an emblem of the seamless garment worn by Christ. It is generally of black material. The Bishops cassocl1 is of purple, the Cardinals red, and the Pope's | white. In Catholic countries it is publicly worn, but in this country it is generally dis penSed with ill the streets, except by the Christian brothers. The beretta is the | three-coSnered cap worn by the clergy at almost all the sacred services except the celebration of mass. The color IS always black, except in the case of Cardinals, who wear a red beretta. The surplice is white l garment coming down only to the hips. It l is used by acolytes, those in minor orders, and by the clergy themselves when engaged | in the ordinary services of the church, the mass always excepted.
 When priest or Bishop is about to celebrate | the mass he first washes his fingers and l then takes up the amice, a piece of white | linen about a half yard square, and places it over his shoulders.
 It recalls the cloth with which the Jews | covered the head of the Saviour on the | night before He suffered, saying: 'Proph- l esy unto us, o Christ. who is he that struck l Thee!" The alb is 2 long garment of white 1 linen reaching to the ground. It signifies l the spotless purity of soul which the cele | brant should carry to the altar, and it also recalls the mocking garment with which | King Herod clothed the Saviour when he l l.. H. with girdle or cincture, which represents the one worn by Christ, who, after the Jew l ish fashion of the time, bound His clothes with girdle. The cincture is also an en- blem of the rope with which the Saviour was 1 bound to the pillar and scourged.
 The maniple, which is of the same texture 1 as the chasuble or outer garment, is worn on the left arm. In the early ages of the | church and in the warm countries of the | East the priests carried a little cloth on the left arm as handkerchief and at length became from custom part of the sacred vest l ments. When Bishop is celebrating mass l he removes the manipie from the ara just before the offertory, or the principal DOT l tion of the sacrifice The stole. which is the | next garment put on when veStng for the | celebration of the mass, is a long and mar | TOW band, enlarged at either end It is l placed on the neck, crossed over the breast
 and fastened by the girdle. Bishops do not l cross the stole. It is a sign of spiritual power and authority, and for that reason a l priest never administers one of the sacra- l ments without the stole, and the Blshop
 when administering holy orders, places it on the neck of the postulant as badge of spiritual authority.
 The chasuble is the last or outer garment
 Put over the head it hangs down before and
 behind. On the back is the figure of cross
 to remind the people of the cross of Cal
 vary, and in front is symbol of the pillar l to which Christ was bound and scourged. 1 It represents the purple robe of derision
 with which the Roman soldiers clothed
 Christ.
 The garments and ornaments worn by 1 Bishops are moro numerous than those used | by priests. The sandals which were worn l in oldcn times have been dispensed with
 A vail is placed on the knees coming up to
 the breast, the purpose of which is that the
 Bishop may place his hands upon it so as
 not to soil the vestment. He wears a cross
 on his breast-the pectoral cross-han ging
 from his neck. Incased in the cross are al
 ways some sacred rplieS, In putting it on ! or taking it off he always kisses it to show
 his love and reverence for the cross of
 Christ, After the alb he puts on the tunic
 and then the dalmatica. The surplice is
 worn by the inferior clergy, the tunc by
 the subdeacon, the dalmatica by the deacon,
 the chasuble by the pries., but the Bishop
 wears all to show that he has power over
 all the clergy. The Bishop next puts on the
 gloves to signify the prudence and discre-
 tion he should use in the exercise of his
 cpiscona, poWers After the chasuble is
 put oI4 the hitter is placed on his head by a
 deacon. This he must remove when he ap-
 breaches the altar to say mass, The tiara
 worn by the Pope has also to be re-
 moved When he celebrates mass Next
 comes the ring, emblematic of Christ's es- pousal with the church. The pastoral staff
 is emblem of apostolic authority. The Pope, though he is Rishop of Rome, has no crozier,
 because it's first Bishop, St. Peter, history
 says, gave his Grozier to another to work
 miracles, and never used one after that. 1 The palilum IS a garment worn only by
 Archblshops, primates and patriarchs dur
 ing Divine service. It goes around the
 neck and Shoulders. It is always made of 1 the wool of lambs blessed in St, Agnes | Church in Rome,
 The colors used in the vestments at differ
 ent times of the year arc five in number
 white, black, red, green and violet. White
 is used on all joyous festivals. the great
 feasts of the Redeemer, the Virgin Mary
 and tine eminent confessors of the church.
 Black is the color of death and at funerals
 and masses for the dead, and on good Frl- l day it is the color used. In case of a child
 who dies before the age ot committing sin,
 and when mass is said for it, white is the
 color worn. Red is used on all the feasts of
 the martyrs, who shed their blood for the
 faith 1t IS also worn on Pentecost Sunday
 in memory of the fiery tongues with which
 the Holy Ghost descended on the apostles.
 On all Sundays and ferias pretending to
 the Holy Ghost green Is used, except in the
 case of Pentecost. It is symbolic of the
 green which covers the earth, and the vari- l ous plants, herbs, etc, that are the nour-
 ishing principle of all life as the Holy Ghost
 is the principle of all our good thoughts and
 actions and gives everlasting and perpetual
 youth to the church. Violet is the peniten-
 tial color, being nearest the color of ashes,
 and is used during Lent and Advent.
 To Protect Firemsn.
 A new helmet for firemen has been in-
 vented in Bremen. It consists principally 1 of a copper mask, which is very light. The I wearer's nose, mouth and eyes receive
 through an India rubber tube constant
 stream of pure air, which leaves the helmet
 by an opening opposite the eyes and pre- vents the entrance of smoke. The helmet
 has been practically tested and is to be used
 by the Berlin firenen, 1t is said.