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During the next few editions of St George's News, I am going to write some articles about the Sacred Vestments of The Church, following on from the General Synod discussion about "dressing down" and wearing casual clothing instead of traditional robes in church. The precedent for particular clothes for a particular purpose is to be found in the Old Testament. "And thou shalt make holy garments... for glory and for beauty". Chapters 35 and 39 of the book of Exodus give a vivid description of God's command to Moses, but it was not from these garments that the ecclesiastical vestments of the Christian Church were derived. At the Eucharist we see the priests dressed in the robes which are developed from those worn by Roman citizens in the time of Christ. We are at once aware of an outward and visible link between the church in our day and the church back through the centuries to the holy Apostles themselves for two thousand years. An account of the martyrdom of St Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, in AD258 reveals him as "wearing a linen robe with close sleeves covering the whole body from neck to feet, over which was a tunic extending to the knees and having short sleeves. His outer garment consisted of a large round piece of material with a hole in the centre for the head, draping the body to the knees." In 2 Timothy 4.13 St Paul refers to this same style outer garment when he asks for the cloak that he left with Carpas at Troas, to be brought to him. Although the attire of priests in the early Church did not differ from secular costume, their best clothing was reserved for the celebration of the Holy Mysteries. Over the centuries jewellers, goldsmiths and embroiderers have used their skills to make holy garments a worthy offering to God. England did not lag behind in such craftsmanship and indeed in the middle ages no country excelled her in the field of embroidery and English vestments were much sought after throughout Europe. The decision of the Church not to follow the changing secular fashions but to maintain the existing style of clothing for its ministers symbolises the separation of the Church from the worldly ways of society, and reminds us that the priestly office is unlike any other office or profession. At the Eucharist we see the Celebrant standing at the altar as a priest of God, who is representing us to God and God to us. Personality must fade into the background and the wearing of vestments achieves this in a unique way because our attention is drawn away from the "person" who is celebrating and concentrated upon the "priest" beyond to the Great High Priest, whose servant and representative priests are. It is for this reason that we should bow to the vested celebrant as he passes in procession. A priest prepares very carefully before celebrating the Eucharist. That is the reason why it is necessary for quiet and silence in the sacristy before the Eucharist begins. Each garment is put on with prayer and the thread that links these prayers and each phase of robing is the desire for purity and the hope of grace to serve God. Holy Church in her wisdom saw the basic need for symbolism in worship and so from these actions we can see how the priests's vestments signify the garments worn by Christ at His passion and focus the congregation's attention on the "continual remembrance". The whole exercise of robing also reminds the priest of the dignity, modesty, purity and holiness which is required, and the responsibility for the souls of the faithful. Therefore before starting to put on the Eucharistic vestments the priest first washes his hands and prays that all uncleanness may be washed away "that I may go unto the altar of God", as Psalm 43 puts it. I will continue next month with an article about the origin and meaning of the Sacred Vestments. With my prayers and blessing. Your priest and friend. MALCOLM FERRIER |
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page last updated 12 OCTOBER 2002 |
