Textiles
Fabric arts inspired by the liturgy
By its shape liturgical garb bespeaks the role of the minister in the community as well as the kind of liturgy is being celebrated. By its color, liturgical garb refers to a specific liturgical season or feast. Other paraments such as altar hangings are often created to match the liturgical garb so as to heighten the feast or season.
Our vestments represent the best design qualities Roman Catholic worship is known for. Though we have some splended antique vestments as show above, the better part of our collection is the work of contenporary textile artist Phylis Lehmberg.
The colors of liturgical garb:
Liturgical colors are specific to liturgical seasons and feasts. There are four major liturgical colors:
- Green: ordinary time
- Purple: Advent and Lent
- White/Gold: Christmas, Easter, certain solemnities and feasts, and funerals
- Red: Pentecost, Passion Sunday, Good Friday and feasts of martyr
Other liturgical colors:
- Rose: third sunday of Advent known as Gaudete Sunday and the fourth Sunday of Lent known as Laetare Sunday
- Black: though not common, black may still be used for funerals
The shapes of liturgical garb:
Alb
This white tunic (which takes it name from the Latin albis for white) is the common vesture for all the baptized. Liturgical ministers wear them to indicate that they minister by virtue of their baptism.
Chasuble
A chasuble, derived from the Latin casula, meaning little house is an outer garment worn by a priest for the celebration of the Eucharist. Originating as a simple cloak over the centuries the chasuble has varied in shape and became more and more elaborate incorporating elaboate designs and heavy brocade. More recently chasubles, like all liturgical garb have returned to their more simple orgins.
Cope
Shaped like a long cape a cope is worn by ordained ministers during non-Eucharistic celebrations or at the beginning of a long and solemn liturgy such as Palm Sunday or the Easter Vigil.
Dalmatic
A dalmatic is the T-shaped often square cut vestment worn by a deacon during the liturgy.
Stole
A long scarf-like garment worn by the deacon, the priest, and the bishop. The deacon wears the stole on the left shoulder. The priest and the bishop wear it over both shoulders.