About Sacred Vessels and other altar appointments

There are a lot of different terms for the items you find on a Catholic altar. Here is a brief glossary of altar terms.

ALTAR BELL

ALTAR CLOTHS

Special cloths cover the altar and are often left on the altar when it is not in use. According to the rubrics of the Church, the only materials acceptable for use as an altar cloth are linen made from flax or hemp. The cloths historically used by the Church are (working from the table of the altar itself up through the layers) :

The cere cloth was originally a piece of heavy linen treated with wax (cere is the Latin word for "wax") to protect the other linens from the dampness of a stone altar, and also to prevent the altar from being stained by any wine that may be spilled. It is the exact same size as the 'mensa', or the flat rectangular top of the altar.

The linen cloth is, like the cere cloth, made of heavy linen exactly the same size as the mensa of the altar. It acts as a cushion and, with the cere cloth, prevents the altar from being dented by heavy vases or communion vessels placed on top. Two of these cloths are traditionally placed over the cere cloth and thus under the fair linen.

The fair linen is the long, white linen cloth laid over the linen cloth. Like the two cloths laid before it, it is the same depth as the mensa of the altar, but is longer, so it hangs over the edges to within a few inches of the floor. Some authorities say it should hang eighteen inches over the edge of the ends of the mensa. It is usually trimmed with lace on the ends, and should be hemmed by hand, with a one or two inch hem on all sides. Five small crosses are embroidered on the fair linen - one to fall at each corner of the mensa, and one in the middle of the front edge. These symbolize the five wounds of Jesus. The fair linen should be left on the altar at all times. When it is removed for replacement it should be rolled and not folded. It symbolizes the shroud in which Jesus was wrapped for burial.

The coverlet is of the same heavy linen as the cere cloth and the linen cloth, the same length and width as the fair linen, and is left on the altar whenever it is not in use. It simply protects the altar from dust and debris.

All of the linen altar cloths are white, including their decoration. Other more decorative cloths are used to decorate the front and back of the altar such as:

The frontal, or Antepedium, is the same size as the front of the altar. It is richly decorated, made of tapestry, silk or damask. Some frontals are matchless works of art, exhibiting the finest materials and embroidery possible. Other churches opt for a plain frontal. One characteristic is shared by all frontals: they are colored green, red, violet, black or white, and are changed according to the color of the Church year. In this way the altar will have five different frontals hung upon it throughout the year, but only one at a time. The frontal may be fixed to either the cere cloth or the linen cloth to hold it in place, which cloth must be fastened to the rear edge of the altar.