Clerical Vestments

The word `vestment' simply comes from the Latin 'vestis' meaning 'a garment'. Similar garments have been worn by the clergy in church over hundreds of years, their origin being the everyday dress of Roman citizens during the first few centuries of the Christian era.

The basic garment worn under all other vestments is the black cassock which is long and coat like, with a stand up collar cut away to reveal the white clerical 'dog collar' underneath. Bishops wear a distinctive purple cassock.

The alb is a full length white tunic (originally a Roman undergarment). The other white vestment is a surplice which reaches below the knee and has full flowing sleeves; it is the customary garment, along with a cassock and stole, for Morning and Evening Prayer, some clergy will also wear these vestments for Holy Communion.

A Bishop also wears a mitre, a tall shield shaped hat cleft crosswise with two lappets hanging down the back. The mitre is one of the symbols of a Bishop's authority with its two points symbolising, amongst other things, the Old and New Testaments. In this form, the mitre derives from the twelfth century. The Bishop also carries a pastoral staff which is shaped like a shepherd's crook it is a sign of his authority and his role as spiritual shepherd to the flock of believers. He will carry this staff like a walking stick in processions and on ceremonial occasions

The special over garment used when celebrating the Eucharist or Holy Communion is the chasuble, the origin of this name means 'little house', and it is indeed like a circular tent with a hole for the head. Symbolically the chasuble represents the seamless robe which Christ wore to His crucifixion and will often have a cross embroidered on the back. The chasuble is the main vestment which agrees with the liturgical colour of the season and thus may be white /gold, red, green or purple. The other garments which take up the colours of the season are the stole (a long scarf which may be seen hanging below the level of the chasuble) and the maniple on the wrist: A Deacon who has not been priested will wear a stole crosswise over the left shoulder, but he or she will not wear a chasuble.

Vestments are no longer the typical everyday clothing of the man in the street, now they are a contrast to it they are a sign which marks out someone with a special role to play in worship and carry within themselves a wealth of symbols which allude to different Christian doctrines.