Dalmatic
A vestment like a chasuble but differing in that it has sleeves. A dalmatic is a typical garment worn by deacons during liturgical ceremonies.
Clerical collar
Upright white collar, worn by a priest as a part of a (usually black) shirt under a (mostly) black suit.
Cincture
A usually white cord that a person wearing an alb ties around the waist. A cincture is also the wide sash that a priest sometimes wears around his waist on his cassock.
Camauro
A red velvet cap trimmed with white fur, worn by popes.
Biretta
Square cap traditionally worn by priests together with the cassock. It is usually black and has three peaks or horns that meet in the middle mostly under a tuft. A Jesuit biretta has four peaks.
Alb
A long white robe with long sleeves, worn during religious ceremonies by priests, deacons, pastoral workers, altar servers and acolytes.
Easter Vigil
The nightly liturgical service on Easter eve. Easter Vigil is the most important religious ceremony. It is the feast of light, the feast of water and the feast of joy for Jesus’s resurrection. During this ceremony the new Easter Candle is blessed.
Assumption of Mary
This feast – on August 15 – plays an important role in the veneration of Mary as the Mother of God. As the most important saint, it is obvious to Christians that upon her death she was immediately received into the heavenly paradise. In the Eastern Churches, this is called the feast of “the Falling […]
Maundy Thursday
The Thursday before Easter. On this day, the Last Supper of Jesus is commemorated, upon which He instituted the Eucharist. During solemn celebrations on Maundy Thursday, the washing of feet (or pedilavium) is also commemorated. Just as Jesus washed the feet of His disciples on that last Thursday, as a sign of supreme readiness to […]
Lent
This is the period of preparation for Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Saturday before Easter. Without the six Sundays of Lent, there are 40 days in which Christians are expected to live more austerely. The last week of Lent is called Holy Week.
