Appendix D – Glossary V 1.1 Places In the Church Altar: The table on which the Sacrifice of the Mass is offered. During Mass, the altar must be covered by at least one cloth (the altar cloth). During the Eucharistic Prayer, it is also covered with the corporal on top of the altar cloth. Ambo: An elevated pulpit from which the readings, the psalm, the Gospel, and the Universal Prayer are proclaimed. The homily may also be offered from the ambo. Ambry: The place where the oil of catechumens, the oil of the sick, and the sacred chrism are kept. At St. Louise, this is on a shelf in the front of the baptistry. Baptistry: The place in the church building where the font for Baptism and the ambry are located. At St. Louise, the baptistry is at the front, stage left of the sanctuary and includes the ambry. Sometimes spelled baptistery. Baptismal Font: A stone, metal, or wooden receptacle, usually ornamented, for holding baptismal water used in the solemn administration of the sacrament. According to cannon law, every parish church must have a baptismal font. Credence Table: A table where vessels and other necessary items are placed for the celebration of Mass. At St. Louise, there are two credence tables on the (stage) right of the sanctuary near the tabernacle: the one closest to the altar is used to hold the Roman Missal (on the shelf under the table) and the vessels before Mass and the table further away holds the used vessels after communion. Lectern: A movable reading stand used to support written materials in liturgical ceremonies. At St. Louise, the lectern is just outside the front of the sanctuary on the (stage) left side. It’s used for pre-Mass announcements and presentations or announcements at the end of Mass. Nave: The central open space in a church. Colloquially the nave refers to the part of the church reserved for the assembly, including the central and side aisles and crossing transepts. At St. Louise, the nave is separated from the sanctuary by a three-step rise. Offertory Table: A small table where the gifts of bread and wine are placed to be brought forward in procession by members of the assembly. At St. Louise, the offertory table is at the back of the church (nave) under the large stained glass windows. Presidential Chair: The chair from which the celebrant presides during the Liturgy of the Word and during the concluding prayers of the Mass. The adjacent chairs may be used by concelebrating priests or deacons. Sacristy: The room where the priests, deacons, and altar servers vest and prepare for Mass. Many of the items used in the celebration of Mass are stored in the sacristy. Sanctuary: The area of the church that contains the altar, the ambo, and the presidential chair. At St. Louise, like most churches, the sanctuary is separated from the body of the church by being raised on steps. Tabernacle: A cupboard or boxlike receptacle for the consecrated hosts reserved in a church building. At St. Louise, the tabernacle is elevated behind the altar. Above the tabernacle is a sanctuary (or vigil) light – a candle that is kept lit whenever consecrated hosts are in the tabernacle. Figure 19: St. Louise Sanctuary Items Used In Mass Candles: In all liturgical celebrations candles are required to express reverence and to indicate the various degrees of solemnity. At St. Louise, there are two candles flanking the ambo and two flanking the tabernacle that are lit for every Mass. There are also two candles used for the processional (at the beginning and end of Mass) that are placed on holders to the (stage) right of the altar. Paschal Candle: A special, large candle in which five grains of incense have be incased as a symbol of Christ’s wounds. It is blessed on Holy Saturday and lit at all Masses during the Easter season and at any Mass with baptisms throughout the year. When the paschal candle is to be lit, it is lit before the other candles in the sanctuary and extinguished after them. Holy Oils: The oil of catechumens, holy chrism, and oil of the sick are sacramentals blessed by a bishop and are symbols of spiritual nourishment and the light of grace. They are kept in the ambry and used for baptism, confirmation, and anointing of the sick. BOOKS Book of Gospels: The large book containing the Gospel readings for Mass. It is carried during the entrance procession by a deacon or minister of the Word and displayed prominently on the altar until used in the Liturgy of the Word; it’s then displayed in front of the ambo. Book of Rites: One or more smaller books of prayers and rubrics used for specific rites such as weddings, funerals, and baptisms. Lectionary: The large book containing the readings (except the Gospel) for the Mass. It’s placed on the ambo before Mass so the ministers of the Word can easily access the appropriate reading and then placed on the shelf under the ambo by the last reader before the Gospel is proclaimed. Liturgical Binder: A small binder used by the celebrant containing special notes, announcements, and standard prayers. The sacristan usually places this binder next to the presidential chair before Mass after the celebrant has a chance to review it. Roman Missal: The book that contains all the prayers and directives (rubrics) for Mass and (sometimes) the readings for the Mass. It also contains includes the rubrics for celebrating the sacraments. It’s the book used by the celebrant for Mass. May be referred to as the Missal. Sacramentary: This is an outdated term for the part of the Roman Missal that contains the prayers and rubrics for Mass, and a number of sacramental formulas, but does not include the readings of the Mass. In modern usage, the Sacramentary is referred to as the Roman Missal (or Missal) whether it includes the readings or not. VESSELS Aspersory and Aspergillum: The pail (aspersory) to carry holy water and brush or instrument (aspergill or aspergillum) used to sprinkle the holy water during liturgical services. The aspergillum may be a live branch – usually evergreen. Chalice: A specially consecrated cup used to hold wine for consecration and communion. The priest celebrant will often have his own personal chalice he prefers to use. The chalice contains the Sacred Blood of Christ so must be purified before washing. Ciborium: A covered vessel used to hold consecrated hosts. Ciboria are rarely used at St. Louise; we usually use uncovered communion bowls. Communion Bowls: Bowls used to hold consecrated hosts during the distribution of communion. The deacon or sacristan empties the unused consecrated hosts from the communion bowls into a single bowl to be placed in the tabernacle after communion. At St. Louise, we generally use communion bowls instead of ciboria. The bowls contain the Sacred Body of Christ so must be purified before washing. Communion Cups: The goblets used to hold and dispense the consecrated wine during communion. The cups contains the Sacred Blood of Christ so must be purified before washing. Lavabo (Bowl and Pitcher): Technically, the liturgical washing of his hands by the priest before the consecration. Sometimes meaning the pitcher and basin used for that washing. At St. Louise, the same water pitcher is used before the lavabo to pour a drop or two of water into the wine in the chalice before the consecration. The water pitcher (and basin) contains ordinary water so does NOT need to be purified before washing. Luna: A circular receptacle with glass sides, metal circled with gold or gilded metal to hold the consecrated host upright in the monstrance. It is a sacred vessel, having received the priest's blessing. Sometimes called a lunette. Monstrance: A transparent vessel in which a consecrated host is placed so as to be seen by the faithful. Paten: A consecrated small plate used by the priest to hold a large host for the consecration. Rarely used at St. Louise: we generally use a larger bowl with the large host on top of enough hosts for the assembly. The paten holds the Sacred Body of Christ so must be purified before washing. Pitcher, Cruet, or Decanter: A small or large (depending on how many people are in the assembly) pitcher that contains the wine to be used at Mass. At St. Louise, we generally use one pitcher with the wine and another with the water (for the lavabo). The wine pitcher contains the Sacred Blood of Christ after the consecration so must be purified before washing. Pyx: A small container, usually of metal, used for holding consecrated hosts. For Mass at St. Louise, you’ll most often see a pyx (or more than one) on the credence table before the consecration: it contains gluten-free hosts that will be consecrated with the other hosts. The pyx contains the Sacred Body of Christ so must be purified before washing. Thurible and Incense Boat: The thurible is a vessel for carrying incense in procession. It’s usually made of metal and hangs from a chain. The thurifer is the minister who carries the thurible. A thurible is sometimes called a censer. The incense boat is a covered container with a spoon to carry the incense to be burned in the thurible. LINENS Altar Cloth: The cloth that must cover the altar for every Mass. Similar to a table cloth in a secular setting. Chalice Veil: A cloth that covers the chalice during Mass when the chalice is not in use.