Vestments

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Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion. Different types are worn at various different services. In addition different types are worn according to the different tradition of each denomination.

Chasuble

The outermost sacramental garment of priests and bishops, often quite decorated. Used with the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Old Catholic and some Lutheran traditions. It is only worn by the Celebrant at the celebration of the Eucharist.

The chasuble originated as a sort of conical poncho, called in Latin a "casula" or "little house," that was the common outer traveling garment in the late Roman Empire.

Dalmatic

The Dalmatic is the vestment worn by the Deacon at the Mass in the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Old Catholic and some Protestant traditions. Like the chasuble worn by priests and bishops, it is an outer vestment and is supposed to match the liturgical colors of the day.

It was a normal item of clothing at the time when ecclesiastical clothes began to develop separately around the fourth century, worn over a longer tunic by the upper classes, and as the longest part of the dress of men of lower rank.

Tunicle

The tunicle is the garment of a subdeacon at the celebraion of the Mass. It is found in the Anglican, Roman Cathloic and Old Catholic traditions.

Gernerally now adays there is very little difference between the tunicle and the dalmatic. Originally they were distinct items, but by the 17th century the two became identical, though a tunicle is often less ornamented than a dalmatic, the main difference often being only one horizontal stripe on a tunicle versus the two on a dalmatic.

Alb

The alb, one of the liturgical vestments of the Anglican, Roman Catholic and many Protestant churches, is an ample white garment coming down to the ankles and usually girdled with a cincture. It is simply the long linen tunic used by the Romans. In Early Medieval Europe it was also normally worn by secular clergy in non-liturgical contexts.

It is the oldest liturgical vestment, and was adopted very early by Christians, and especially by the clergy for the Eucharistic liturgy. Nowadays, the alb is the common vestment for all ministers at Mass, both clerics and laypersons, and is worn over the cassock and under any other special garments, such as the stole, tunicle, dalmatic or chasuble.

Stole

Stoles are scarf like vestments (but not to be confused with a preaching scarf or tippet) worn by clergy in the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Old Catholic and some Protestant traditions.

The stole was originally a kind of shawl that covered the shoulders and fell down in front of the body; on women they were often very large indeed. After being adopted by the Church of Rome about the seventh century (the stole having also been adopted in other locals prior to this), the stole became gradually narrower and so richly ornamented that it developed into a mark of dignity. Nowadays, the stole is usually wider and can be made from a wide variety of material.

Surplice, Cotta and Rochet

The surplice forms part of choir dress for the laity, deacons and priests. It is worn together with a stole (or optionally in the Anglican Communion it can be worn with a black, for clergy, or blue, for readers, preaching scarf / tippet.) In addition in Anglican choir dress an academic hood may be worn.

Bishops do not wear a surplice or cotta instead a bishop in the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Old Catholic and some Lutheran traditions wears a rochet. It is unknown in the Eastern Churches. The rochet is similar to a surplice, except that the sleeves are narrower. In the Roman Catholic tradition, the rochet comes below the knee and its sleeves and hem are sometimes made of lace; in the Anglican tradition, the rochet comes down almost to the hem of the cassock and its sleeves are gathered at the wrist.

Tippet or Preaching Scarf

The tippet or preaching scarf forms part of Choir Dress in the Anglican tradition and also used by some Protestant ministers as part of their robes.

It may be worn as an alternative option to a stole with Anglican Choir Dress, black for priests and deacons and bluse for readers. Protestant ministers wear it together with a surplice similar to Anglican Choir dress or alternativley (and more usually) with an academic gown or geneva gown.

Academic Hood

The hood was originally a functional garment, worn to shield the head from the elements. In the English tradition, it has developed to an often bright and decorative garment worn only on special occasions. It is also worn by clergy and lay readers of the Anglican Communion in choir dress, over the surplice, and it is common in cathedrals, churches, and chapels for the choirmaster and/or members of the choir to wear an academic hood to which they are entitled during services, over their cassock and surplice, although only for the choir offices (Morning and Evening Prayer) and not for the Eucharist.

Cassock

The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is a long, close-fitting, ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some clerics of the Reformed churches. The cassock derives historically from the tunic that was formerly worn underneath the toga in classical antiquity.rvices, over their cassock and surplice, although only for the choir offices (Morning and Evening Prayer) and not for the Eucharist.

Preaching Robe

The Geneva gown, also called a pulpit gown, pulpit robe, or preaching robe, is an ecclesiastical garment customarily worn by ordained ministers in the Christian churches that arose out of the historic Protestant Reformation.