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Home , Amice, Antependium, Intinction, Piscina, Stripping of the Altar

GLOSSARY . Assisting minister who serves anointing. Marking the head or body roles such as , torchbearer, banner with oil. bearer, book bearer, candlelighter, and server. . Parament for and . . Season of the church year beginning four Sundays before December ashes. Symbol of repentance and 25; a time of preparation for celebrating mortality used in the the birth of Christ. liturgy; made by burning palms from previous year. . A wreath with four candles, used during the four weeks of assembly. The people gathered for Advent. worship. affirmation of . Rite in which assisting minister. Liturgical leader who previously baptized persons make public assists the assembly in worship, preferably affirmation of their baptismal promises a layperson. and the church affirms God’s baptismal baptism. The of water and gift. the Holy Spirit, in which we are joined . White robe worn by liturgical leaders; to Christ’s death and resurrection and may be worn by newly baptized. initiated into the church. alms basin. Large plate or basket in which baptismal font. See font. the smaller offering plates or baskets baptismal garment. White robe with are received and carried in the offering which the newly baptized may be clothed; procession. see also alb. , altar-table. A principal furnishing baptistery. The area in which the in the worship space, the altar is the table baptismal font is located. and place where is celebrated and around which God’s baptized family blue. Liturgical color for Advent; gathers to share this meal. symbolizes hope. ambo. Single reading stand for the bobeche (BOH-besh). White plastic or proclamation of the readings and cardboard drip protector for a candle. preaching. brazier. A container for holding fire, (AH-miss). White linen cloth especially the “new fire” at the Vigil of resembling a collar, which may be worn Easter. with an alb.

Glossary 131 burse. Square fabric-covered case in Christmas. A twelve-day time of rejoicing which the communion linens are often over the birth of Christ; also the Nativity carried to and from the altar. of Our Lord (December 25) and its vigil, Christmas Eve (December 24), which candlelighter. Long-handled device used begin the Christmas season. to light and extinguish candles. (sih-BOR-ee-um). Tall, candlestick. Ornamental base holder for covered vessel that holds wafers for holy candle. communion.

cassock. Full-length black “undergarment” cincture (SINK-chur). Rope belt worn worn under or cotta. with an alb.

catechumen (cat-eh-CUE-men). Youth columbarium (KOLL-um-BARR-ee-um). or adult preparing for baptism and first Wall or other structure with niches for communion. burial of ashes from cremation.

catechumenate (cat-eh-CUE-men-ut). commemorations. Days on the calendar Process through which youth or adults celebrating persons or events, sometimes may prepare for baptism and first distinguished from the more important communion. lesser festivals.

. Vessel in which is burned; compline (COM-plun). See night prayer. also called a . confirmation. See affirmation of baptism. cercloth (SEAR-kloth). Traditionally, with stone , the first cloth placed on the . Long cape worn by worship leader mensa; usually made of wax-treated linen. for certain processions and ceremonial occasions. (CHAL-iss). See cup. . Square white linen cloth placed chancel. Section of the worship space on the center of the fair linen on the where altar-table, ambo/pulpit, and mensa, on which the communion vessels leaders’ chairs are located. are placed.

(CHA-zuh-bul). Poncho-like corpus. Carved figure of Christ attached often worn over an alb and to a cross; together, cross and corpus are by presiding minister at the communion a crucifix. service. cotta (KOTT-ah). Short white vestment (krizm). Oil used for anointing at worn over cassock by and baptism. (unless are worn).

credence (KREE-dentz). Shelf or table at chancel wall, which holds sacramental vessels and offering plates.

132 Altar Guild and Handbook crosier (KROH-zher). Crook-shaped staff evening prayer. A form of daily prayer often carried by a in his or her own designed for and prayed in the evening, synod as a sign of shepherding authority. traditionally near sunset; vespers. crucifer. The acolyte who carries the ewer (YOO-er). A pitcher used for . carrying water to the baptismal font. crucifix. Cross with a corpus attached. fair linen. Top white linen cloth covering the mensa of the altar and thus serving as . Glass vessel containing wine for the tablecloth for the Lord’s supper. holy communion, oil for anointing, or water for the . fall. Old term sometimes used for paraments on altar-table, pulpit, and cup. Primary vessel used for serving the lectern. wine of holy communion. feast. A day on which Christ’s death and daily prayer. A form of prayer service, resurrection is celebrated; includes every originating in monastic worship, Sunday as well as principal and lesser including morning prayer (matins), festivals of the church year. evening prayer (vespers), and night prayer (compline, prayer at the close of the day). festivals. See feast; also, particular celebrations of God’s saving action in (dal-MAH-tik). Eucharistic Christ, often focused on events in the life vestment sometimes worn over the alb of Christ or on the lives and witnesses of by the principal assisting minister during apostles and other followers. festive celebrations of holy communion. flagon (FLAG-un). Pitcher-like vessel Easter. A fifty-day time of rejoicing over from which wine is poured into the the resurrection of Christ; also the festival chalice for holy communion. of the Resurrection of Our Lord, the beginning of Easter. font. The basin or pool of water where the sacrament of holy baptism takes place; . See Vigil of Easter. one of the principal furnishings of a worship space. elements. The earthly elements used in the celebration of the : bread freestanding altar. An altar-table that and wine in holy communion, and water is not attached to the wall, and behind in holy baptism. which the ministers stand (facing the assembly) for the celebration of holy . Festival of Christ’s incarnation communion. on January 6. frontal. Parament that covers the entire (YOO-ca-rist). From the Greek front of the altar-table, from the top edge for “thanksgiving”; a name for holy of the mensa down to the floor; see also communion; the celebration of the word Laudian frontal. of God and the eucharistic meal.

Glossary 133 frontlet. Narrow altar-table parament . Set of three scripture readings usually hung in pairs and extending only and a psalm appointed for each Sunday partway to the floor; not now commonly and principal festival of the church year; used. or a book containing these readings; see also Revised Common Lectionary. funeral pall. A large covering draped over a coffin while it is in the church; if an urn . See also . is used for ashes, a small white cloth is used to cover it. . The season of the church year beginning with Ash Wednesday and gold. Liturgical color for the Vigil of concluding with the Three Days (or Easter and Easter Day. ).

Greek cross. Ancient form of the cross in lesser festivals. Days in the church year which the four arms are of equal length. that fall in importance between the principal festivals, such as Christmas, green. Liturgical color for the time after Ascension, and , and Epiphany and the time after Pentecost. commemorations.

Holy Week. The week between the Sunday linens. Refers to three groups of white of the Passion () and Easter. linen cloths: altar linens (cerecloth, protector linen, and fair linen), host. Wafer made of unleavened bread. communion linens (corporal, pall, host box. Short, round, covered container purificators, and ), and other linens that holds the supply of hosts for (lavabo towel and baptismal towel). communion; see also . liturgy. The patterns, words, and actions incense. Mixture of resins for ceremonial that form the worship of the Christian burning, symbolic of our prayers rising assembly; in some settings, used to God. interchangeably with worship.

. Method of distributing lucernarium (loo-cher-NAHR-eeum). communion in which the bread is dipped From the for “light”; the service of into the wine and then eaten. light at the beginning of evening prayer.

Laudian frontal. A type of frontal that matins. See morning prayer. entirely covers the top and all sides (to the memorial garden. Usually a courtyard floor) of a freestanding altar. garden on church property in which ashes lavabo bowl (lah-VAH-boh). Bowl used are mixed with the soil for interment after for the act of cleansing the minister’s cremation. hands before the great thanksgiving or mensa. From the Latin for “table”; the top after the imposition of ashes. surface of the altar. lectern. Reading stand, sometimes distinguished from pulpit; see also ambo.

134 Altar Guild and Sacristy Handbook missal stand. Stand or cushion on the paraments. Cloth hangings of various altar-table on which the leaders book or seasonal liturgical colors used to adorn ritual book is placed. the altar-table and ambo/pulpit. miter (MY-ter). A liturgical hat worn by paschal (PAS-kul). In Christian use, the a bishop. passage of Jesus Christ from death to life. morning prayer. A form of daily prayer . Tall, white candle lit at designed for and prayed in the morning; the Easter Vigil, during the Easter season, matins. and at and funerals. morse. The clasp used to fasten a cope. (PAT-un). See plate. narthex. Gathering space, foyer, entryway pectoral cross. A cross on a chain, worn to the worship space. around the neck by a bishop. nave. Main section of the worship space, Pentecost. The third of the great festivals where the assembly is located. of the church year, celebrating the giving of the Holy Spirit; occurs fifty days after new fire. The bonfire kindled at the Easter Sunday and is the last day of Easter. beginning of the Easter Vigil. . A special drain in the sacristy night prayer. Daily prayer service for use that goes directly into the ground, used at the end of the day, just prior to retiring for disposal of wine remaining in the for the night; compline; prayer at the close communion cup. of the day. plate. Vessel often used to hold order. Way in which the parts of the communion bread for distribution; paten. service are arranged; a section within a full service, such as order for baptism, Prayer at the close of the day. See night order for gathering; rite. prayer. . In traditional communion Presiding minister. The ordained liturgy forms, the unchanging parts, e.g., minister who presides and preaches at the , “Glory to God,” creed; sometimes communion service. refers to the “green Sundays” as those in “,” meaning numbered or prie-dieu (pree-DYOO). French term counted Sundays. for “prayer desk”; used in the chancel for daily prayer services and weddings as pall. Linen-covered square placed atop a well as by ministers at other times when communion cup when it is not in use; see kneeling for prayer is desired. also funeral pall. processional cross. A cross or crucifix on Palm Sunday. See Sunday of the Passion. a tall staff used to lead processions.

processional torch. See torch.

Glossary 135 propers. The liturgical texts appointed for Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). a given day, e.g., readings, prayer of the Three-year set of Sunday and festival day, acclamation. readings for worship shared (with some variations) among many church bodies protector linen. White linen cloth placed worldwide. on the mensa between the cerecloth and the fair linen, to which the parament may rite. Liturgical orders or sections that take be attached. place within a full assembly service, e.g., baptism rite, ordination rite, gathering pulpit. Reading stand, sometimes rite; may be used synonymously with distinguished from lectern and used for order. preaching; see also ambo. ritual. A symbolic action or grouping of purificator. Square linen napkin used actions, with or without words. to cleanse the rim of the cup during the distribution of holy communion. rubric. A direction for the conduct of a worship service; notes on the service. purple. Liturgical color for Lent. sacrament. The physical sign of an pyx (piks). An alternative container for unseen promise; rites of the church distributing the bread of communion, that convey God’s forgiveness, life, and usually taking the form of a small, salvation through words and physical cylindrical, covered box; see also host box. means; baptism and communion.

reader. The assisting minister or other sacristy. A room used for storage and person, usually lay, appointed to read preparation of items needed in worship; from scripture in worship. also used for vesting before services.

readings. The scripture texts appointed sanctuary. Technically, the area for public reading in the liturgy. immediately surrounding the altar.

red. Liturgical color used for the Day of . A constantly burning Pentecost and festivals associated with the candle sometimes suspended from the Holy Spirit; also used for days celebrating ceiling or mounted on the chancel wall. events in the church, such as . scarlet. The deep red liturgical color used responsive prayer. Brief liturgical order of from the Sunday of the Passion (Palm versicles and responses. Sunday) through Maundy Thursday.

retable (REE-tay-bel). A step or shelf at service. Full liturgical order; communion the rear of the mensa of an east-wall altar, service, baptism service, service of on which cross, candlesticks, and flowers morning prayer. are placed. . Tracing the cross on the forehead or over the body.

136 Altar Guild and Sacristy Handbook . Perforated utensil sometimes used Three Days, the. The three days of Holy to remove foreign particles from wine Week that focus intensely on Christ’s in the communion cup; also used with passage from death to life: Maundy granular incense. Thursday (evening) through the Resurrection of Our Lord (Easter Day, stole. Long fabric band worn by ordained sometimes including evening); triduum. ministers over the shoulders. thurible. Censer; vessel in which incense . Ceremony at the is burned. conclusion of the Maundy Thursday liturgy in which all appointments, linens, thurifer. The person who carries the and paraments are removed from the thurible. altar-table and chancel. time after Epiphany. Variable number Sunday of the Passion. Beginning of Holy of weeks after the Epiphany of Our Lord Week and last Sunday in Lent; often called (January 6) and before Ash Wednesday. Palm Sunday because of the entrance with palms traditionally used on that day. time after Pentecost. Variable number of weeks after the Day of Pentecost and superfrontal. Short parament that hangs before the first Sunday of Advent. over the front of the mensa of an east-wall altar; now rarely used. torch. Large candle on a staff carried in processions. surplice. White vestment worn over the cassock; used especially for daily prayer torchbearer. An acolyte who carries a services. processional torch. thanksgiving at the font. Prayer at holy triduum (TRIH-doo-um). See Three baptism preceding the baptism of a Days, the. candidate. . Eucharistic vestment less ornate thanksgiving at the table. Prayer at than a dalmatic; may be worn over the holy communion that includes Jesus’ alb by an assisting minister during festive ; often also includes celebrations of holy communion. thanksgiving to God for acts of salvation urn. Small container holding the remains and prayer to the Holy Spirit; eucharistic after a cremation. prayer. veil. A cloth placed over the communion thanksgiving for baptism. Service vessels before and after the communion element, often part of the gathering rite service. in the communion service, that may include a prayer of thanksgiving for versicle. A short verse or sentence said or baptism coupled with a visible reminder sung by a leader, followed by a response of baptism. by the assembly.

vespers. See evening prayer.

Glossary 137 vigil. A liturgical service on the eve of a worship space. Entire area in which festival, such as the Easter Vigil. the assembly worships; may encompass chancel, nave, and gathering space. Vigil of Easter. Celebration of the resurrection on the night before Easter; first celebration of Easter.

white. Liturgical color used for festivals of Christ, the weeks of Christmas and Easter, Holy Trinity, All Saints, and certain other days.

worship. The primary gathering for Christians in which we encounter God; see liturgy, service.

138 Altar Guild and Sacristy Handbook