Whats the difference between an alb and a surplice?

Whats the difference between an alb and a surplice?

The surplice is meant to be a miniature alb, the alb itself being the symbol of the white garment received at Baptism. As such, it is appropriately worn by any cleric, by lectors and acolytes, or indeed by altar servers who are technically standing in for instituted acolytes for any liturgical service.

Why do priests wear Cinctures?

The Cincture This cord is used as a belt to gather the alb at the waist. It is most often white, but can be the colour of the day or liturgical season. White, violet or black is permitted to be worn at funerals.

What is the meaning of a cincture?

1 : the act of encircling. 2a : an encircling area. b : girdle, belt especially : a cord or sash of cloth worn around an ecclesiastical vestment or the habit of a member of a religious order under monastic vows.

What is a stole in the Catholic Church?

stole, ecclesiastical vestment worn by Roman Catholic deacons, priests, and bishops and by some Anglican, Lutheran, and other Protestant clergy. In the Roman Catholic Church it is a symbol of immortality. It is generally considered the unique badge of the ordained ministry and is conferred at ordination.

What is an alb in the Catholic Church?

alb, liturgical vestment worn in some services by Roman Catholic officiants, some Anglicans, and some Lutherans. A symbol of purity, it is a full-length, long-sleeved, usually white linen tunic secured at the waist by a cord or belt called a cincture. The equivalent vestment in the Eastern churches is the sticharion.

What is a priest’s scarf called?

stole
stole, ecclesiastical vestment worn by Roman Catholic deacons, priests, and bishops and by some Anglican, Lutheran, and other Protestant clergy. A band of silk 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimetres) wide and about 8 feet (240 centimetres) long, it is the same colour as the major vestments worn for the occasion.

Why priest kiss the stole?

As a priest dons his/her stole, the cross on the stole’s neckpiece is kissed acknowledging the yoke of Christ – the yoke of service. A bishop’s stole hangs straight down allowing space for a pectoral cross (often worn by bishops) to be symbolically close to the bishop’s heart.

What kind of cincture does an alb have?

First, we see a plain alb with a cincture: In this picture, I am wearing a plain alb. Albs are most often worn with a rope cincture. Natural colored cinctures are most common, but they also come in colors to match the church seasons.

Who is supposed to wear an alb with a stole?

Albs can be worn by anyone who leads worship, including lay people. Next, we see an alb with a stole: You can think of the stole as the first-century equivalent of a modern necktie. In modern ecumenical practice, the stole marks the wearer as ordained clergy. Originally the stole was a sort of kerchief.

What is the meaning of the word Alb?

The word alb is short for tunica alba, which means white tunic, and that is exactly what it is. Men and women of the first century wore tunics as part of their everyday clothing. Obviously, white tunics are hard to keep clean, so they weren’t practical as street clothes.

Which is larger the alb or the stole?

Notice that the stole that goes with the alb is larger than the stole that goes with the cassock. Finally, we see an alb with a stole and chasuble: The chasuble is generally only worn in services in which there is Communion, and then only by the principal celebrant—the one who handles the chalice and paten.