The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-06-21

significance which Prostestants, except
Episcopalians of the ritualistic sort, fail
to comprehend. Not understanding this,
they ars inclined to sneer at the often
gorgeous robes, a. doubtless did the Phil
istines at the elaborate vestments Of the
Jewish priests Of old, from which the
Catholic costumes are derived. Not q
single article worn by the Catholic clergy
when officiating ct services OF the church
but has . sacred significance calculated
to inspire the wearer with the proper
spirit in which to perform his different
ecclesiastical functions. Even the re-
moval Of his ordinary attire by priest
to don the simplest vestment has a sig
nificance. for 1t is considered symbolical
Of putting of the old man. who is Of
earth earthly, and putting on the new
man, who is OF God. The priest, too,
wears his vestments to add dignity to his
ministrations. as judges wear gowns and
sovereigns their royal robes.
For the Same reason the vestments are
a. costly a. circumstances will allow.
The vestments worn by the bishop and
priests at the grander functions in cathe-
drals, when worship Is conducted With
ell the pomp and circumstances pre-
scribed BY the Roman ritual, sometimes
cost immense sums. There are vestments
in the old world which are emblazoned
, with precious stones and are worth q
kings ransom. There are several cathe-
drals in this country whose complete
sets Of vestments represent small for
tuna. The ecclesiastical wardrobe Of St.
Patrick's cathedral in New York could
not be duplicated probably for less than
$1,000 or SO, 900 were the vestments paid
for at regular rates.
Some Of the garments worn by priests
were once the ordinary costumes Of the
laity. Now that they are no longer in
general use, they have been adopted for
sacred attire, as Latin, once the common
tongue Of the civilized world, is still pre-
served in the services Of the church. In
Catholic countries the ordinary attire OF a
priest Is conspicuously different from q
layman's. 1t consists Of the csssock, q
long black robe reaching to the feet,
which be wears for distinctive garb as
q soldier wears his uniform. In Difference
perhaps to Protestant prejudices. priests
here do not wear the cassock In the
streets, but the high waistcoat, reaching
to the Roman collar, which reminds one
ofthe old-fashIoned cboker, together with
the peculiar cut Of the clerical coat, still
forms almost rs distinctive garb. 1t is
not 20 distinctive as it used to be, per-
haps, for the ritualistic clergy imi ate the
everyday attire Of the priest as they do
the Catholic vestments.
The Catholic priests cassock or other
attire for every day is black, because that
ID the color for death and 1t signifies that
be ID dead to the world. The cassock is
meant 10 recall the seamless robe worn
by Christ. While Ii is now reserved for
the use Of priests, it was formerly one Of
the garments generally worn by men In
the east In the days Of the Roman en-
pire, and 1t il still worn in a modified
form by the denizens Of the deserts.
The square cap, with the raised tri-
angle at the top, worn by the Catholic
clergy, and called the beretta, is as sym.
bolical NJ the cassock. Its four squares
represent the four quarters OF the globe.
Cardinals wear red berettas and cas-
socks. Bishops purple. A priests Der
etta IL black. to correspond with the
cassock.
Contrasting with the cassock is the
white surplice worn over 1t by the Clergy
when before the altar, but not officiating.
It ID white, to signify the cleanness Of
heart with which sacred ministrations
should be conducted. 1t ia worn especi.
ally by the Inferior clergy. and reaches
only to the hips, signifying that the
wearer Is not wholly perfect. The com.
panion garment, the alb, worn by the
higher clergy, covers the whole body, In.
dicsting attainment of the highest form OF
perfection belonging to their state.
There are six vestments worn by
priests and bishops in the celebration OF
maes. These are the amice, alb, girdle,
naaniple. stole and chasuble. Generally
these are all put on in the robing room
before the wearer appears at the altar.
The amice 10 the first put on. It is q
white cloth which the priest, after put
ting On bis head, let's drop on his shout
ders, saying:
place. Lord, helmet OF salvation on
my head to repel the attacks Of the
DEVIL
The various ways the amice ia worn are
symbolical. Fer instance, when its rib
bons are crossed and tied around it signi-
fes that the one who SAYS mass must be
pure Of soul and body. The amice is de-
rived from Q similar garment worn by
Aaron a. high priest. 1t has small cross
in the middle.
The alb, as its Latin derivation i'm
plies, IL white. 1t is made with linen
and ID often richly ornamented with lace.
As has already been said, It covers the
entire body. The garment is white, to
symbolic the purity Of heart and free.
dom from sin which priest should have
when ministering on the altar. II is oil
linen, because as linen becomes white
only by much washing and bleaching, &C
man becomes perfect only through la
Dor Of soul and spiritual modification
When putting on the alb the celebrani
says:
sfWhiten me, o Lord, and clean my
heart. that, whitened in the blood OF the
Lamb may reioica In everlasting han.