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Inside the Sacristy
by Pat Crane

 

(Note that today "linen" means "clean white cloth")

Clergy — Ordained ministers of the church

LEM’s — Lay Eucharistic Ministers

Linen Pall — A stiff, linen-covered square used to cover the chalice.

Purificator — Square of linen used to wipe the edge of the chalice.

Corporal — Square of linen placed on the altar, large enough to hold all of the vessels used in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Post Communion Veil — A large square of linen used to cover the communion vessels when they contain consecrated elements. Also, it is an appropriate covering for ashes during a funeral service.

Lavabo Towel — A small towel placed over the arm of an acolyte, used by clergy to dry their fingers after water has been poured over them.

Baptismal Towel — Placed on the edge of the font or nearby shelf, used to wipe excess water from the baptized person’s forehead.

Fair Linen — The clean white cloth used to cover the altar.

Credence table cover — White cloth covering the small table that holds communion vessels before the altar is prepared for the celebration.

Pentecost has begun, the hangings have been changed to green, and the altar guild will do some housekeeping during this quieter season of the church year. It is a perfect time to review and update the sacristy inventory.

Linen or white work (a generic term for any clean white cloths in liturgical use) is one of the categories of an inventory. In order to complete this section it will be helpful to review the proper names of the different pieces of linen. The finished sizes listed are approximate. Knowing whether the piece is square or rectangular and where the embroidery is placed will also help with identification.

The smallest pieces of linen are the pieces used by the clergy and LEM’s in the private communion kits. The stiff linen palls are about 3" square. Small purificators are about 7" square and usually have a simple cross embroidered in the center. The corporals measure about 12" square. If they have embroidery it is in the center of the lower third of the piece.

The altar linens have the same names as those above but are larger in size. The stiff linen palls are 7" square; the purificators are square and custom dictates they be finished in odd numbers of inches – 11,13, or 15. The ideal size is three times the diameter of the top of the chalice. Corporals are square and may be 18, 22, or 24 inches. Your sacristy may also have a post communion veil. It is a large, tissue-thin square of linen with a wide hem and ornately-embroidered designs in the center or above the edges of the hem. Lavabo or baptismal towels are also used during the Eucharist. They are narrow, about 11" wide and 18" long. A cross or other appropriate symbol may be embroidered in the center of the lower half. The towel used for baptism may be the same size as the lavabo towel or may be somewhat smaller. Baptismal towels often have a shell embroidered on the lower half of the front side. Also included in this category, fair linens and credence table covers are much easier to recognize because of their sizes.

Learning to identify all of the different pieces may seem monumental at first but with patience and time the names will become a part of your sacristy vocabulary. †