Altar Linens - Linens used during the Eucharist

The Altar Cloth or Fair Linen

- used during the Eucharist - is a cloth of fine linen that covers the top of the altar and hangs down at each end. It is placed over the cerecloth. It is embroidered only in white, with a cross in each corner and one in the centre, representing the five wounds of Christ, in His hands, His feet, and His side.

The Burse
- from the Greek byrsa meaning, a bag . !he burse is the folding case made from two s"uares of rigid material covered in cloth. !he burse is placed on top of the chalice, paten and veil, and serves to hold a corporal and#or an e$tra purificator. !he %urse and &eil should be in the color of the 'eason.

The Cerecloth
- from the (atin cerum , wa$ - is a wa$ed cloth which was put directly on the altar )in the case of a stone altar* to protect the +air (inen for being soiled by the stone. ,sually, the cerecloth was left on the altar even when the Eucharist was not being celebrated.

The Corporal
- from the (atin corpus , meaning body , because it is used to catch any pieces of the consecrated Host )regarded as Christ-s %ody* which might fall from the paten during the Eucharist. It is also symbolic of the (ord-s grave cloths. !he corporal should be a piece of linen, about ./ to .0 inches s"uare, with a cross in the center of the front edge. It is laid on top of the altar cloth at Communion, and the chalice is placed in its center. It should be folded and ironed inside-out, so that when it has been used at the Eucharist it can be folded up with the right side inwards, to hold any fragments of the Host.

The Credence Cloth

is the cloth that is placed on the credence table.

The Lavabo Towel

is a piece of white material, usually about ./ inches by 0 inches which is used to dry the celebrant-s hands after the ablutions. 1 (avabo !owel is folded and ironed in thirds parallel to the long side, then folded and ironed in half again. It is usually embroidered with a cross in the center of one short edge, to distinguish it from a %aptismal !owel, which has the same dimensions and is folded in the same manner, but which has a shell embroidered at the edge.

The Pall
is the stiff cover, about 2 inches s"uare, made of a rigid center )glass, 3le$iglas, cardboard* covered with white material, sometimes with a cross or other symbol embroidered in the center. !he pall is put over the 3aten on the Chalice when preparing the 1ltar for Communion. It is then covered by the &eil.

The Purificator
- from the (atin purus )pure* and facare )to make*. !he purificator should be a piece of white linen, about 0 to ./ inches s"uare )or three times the width of the chalice*, with a small cross in the center. It is folded and ironed into thirds, right side out, to give a s"uare with the cross in the center. 4hen preparing the altar for Communion, a

purificator is opened half-way and put over the chalice so that its sides hang down either side. !he paten, with a 3riest-s Host, is then placed on the purificator, and the pall is placed 1 spare purificator should also be put in the burse. 3urificators are used to clean the chalice, by wiping the rim of the chalice with the purificator.

The Veil
- from the (atin vela 5 a curtain or sail. !he veil is the large cloth s"uare used to cover the Chalice, 3aten and 3all at the Eucharist. !he %urse and &eil are often part of a matching set, with the lectern falls or pulpit fall , in the color of the 'eason.

When setting up the Altar for Co union! the 1ltar Cloth is placed on the 1ltar, and the Corporal is opened and placed in the center back of the 1ltar. !he Chalice is placed in the center of the Corporal, and a 3urificator is opened half-way and draped over the Chalice. !he 3aten is put on top of the 3urificator, and a 3riest-s Host placed on the 3aten. !he 3aten and Host are covered with the 3all, which is then covered with the &eil. !he %urse, containing a spare 3urificator, is placed over the &eiled Chalice. Washing Linens
.. (inens need to be washed as soon as possible after use, so that wine and other stains do not become permanent. It is a good idea to rinse them in cold water in the 'acristy even before taking them home to wash. /. 4ine stains should be removed by soaking in C6(7 water )hot will make them set in the material* with salt or vinegar or an efferdent tablet or stain remover 8. 1fter the wine stains have been removed, linens should be washed by hand in hot water with a small amount of detergent, then rinsed until all detergent is gone. 9. 1fter rinsing clean, the linens may be laid flat on a clean linen towel which is then folded over them and pressed to remove e$cess water. !hey are then ready for ironing )damp*. :. !he purificator may be starched. 1ll others should be left unstarched.

"roning Linens

3ress the damp linens upside down to raise the embroidery. +air linen )large altar cloth* 5 after ironing, wrap around a covered mailing tube to minimi;e creases. Corporal )s"uare cloth about .0 $ .0 * 5 may be starched so that it is stiff and smooth, especially on the upper surface. !he corporal is folded in thirds, with the right side folded to the inside as follows5

.. /. 8.

!urn the corporal over so that it is right side up. +old the two sides in by thirds +old the top down by a third, and the bottom up be a third, so that the back of the cross is visible.

3urificator )s"uare cloth, about ./ $ ./ * 5

o 4ith the purificator wrong side up, fold in thirds, and in thirds again )as for Corporals, but with the front of the cross visible.

(avabo )and %aptismal* !owel )rectangular cloth, about

./ $ .0 * 5
.. /. 4ith the towel wrong side down, fold in thirds lengthwise. +old in two. !he front of the cross should be visible.

#ld Linens $ 4hen linens have become old and worn or damaged, they should be burned, and the ashes buried in the ground near the Church.