The ancient Romans did not wear hats. Those articles of dress came from the East, and the true Romans preferred to go bareheaded. If a head covering became necessary, they used a fold of the "toga," or the blanket-like gown, which was the national garment. For many centuries, the priest celebrated Mass with bare head and neck, but gradually an oblong piece of linen, representing the fold of the toga, was put over the head and tied around the neck. This is known as the "Amice," which comes from a Latin word, "amictus, " meaning "a cloak." After the Mass had begun, the amice was pushed back from the head like a hood. At present the Dominican and Franciscan friars observe this use, but the custom of removing it from the head before Mass begins has become general. Accordingly, the priest now merely rests it on his head for a moment, and then places it on his shoulders and around his neck. In order to fasten it securely, two strings are attached to the upper corners. These pass under the arms, and are brought round and tied in front. The amice is made of linen, and has a cross marked on it which the priest kisses before putting on. When vesting himself with it, he says: "Place on my head, Lord, the helmet of salvation to resist the attacks of the devil." The prayer refers to the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Ephesians.
"Put ye on the armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood: but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Therefore take unto you the armor of God that ye may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand on all things perfect. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of justice, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; and in all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one and take unto you the helmet of salvation; and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God." (Chapter 6)
The disuse of the amice as a head covering was facilitated by the introduction of the "Berretta." This was simply a cloth cap, and was in general use by all classes. In "The Lay of the Last Minstrel" we read the description of the English yeoman:
"His coal-black hair shorn round and close
Set off his sun-burned face;
Old England's sign, Saint George's cross,
His barret-cap did grace."
At present it is used solely by ecclesiastics, and is a square cap, with three and sometimes four prominences or projecting corners rising from its crown, with a tassel usually in the middle where the corners meet. The color of the berretta matches the ordinary color of the cassock (No. 113). In Rome, the cap used by Bishops was made of linen, silk or other precious stuffs. Its shape developed on different lines from the berretta, and it is now known as a "Mitre." It consists of a band across the forehead, like a crown, the two ends of which hang down behind. From this band the cap rises to two points called the horns of the mitre. The mitre used by the Pope has only one horn, but there are three bands of crowns around it. It is known as the "tiara".
The monks use a hood of the same material as the habit to cover their heads. The hood is called the "Cowl, "from "cucullus," a Latin word, meaning a cap or hood. In the picture of the German Bishop of the fifteenth century we see the two horns of the mitre, but the ends of the bands which hang down are not visible.
"Albus" is the Latin for white, and "Alb" is a white garment. It was the common undergarment of the Greeks and Romans, and consisted of a loose linen gown reaching from head to foot and provided with sleeves. Its shape has remained the same through all the centuries. In the middle ages it was ornamented with square pieces of colored embroidery sewed on at four places on the alb, namely, on the two wrists and near the hem, both before and behind. These pieces of embroidery are called "Apparels." In modern times the alb is usually ornamented with a fringe of lace, and sometimes this fringe is so deep that none of the original garment is at all visible. As the priest puts on the alb, he says: "Make me white, Lord, and cleanse my heart that having been made white in the blood of the Lamb, I may obtain everlasting joy." This prayer refers to the Apocalypse of Saint John.
"I saw a great multitude standing before the throne and in the sight of the Lamb clothed with white garments and palms in their hands. . . . And one of the priests answered and said unto me: These that are clothed in white garments, who are they and whence came they? And I said to him: My Lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they who come out of great tribulation, and have washed their garments and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell over them. They shall no more hunger nor thirst, neither shall the sun fall on them nor any heat, for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall rule them, and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." (Chapter 7)
As the alb is a loose garment, it is tied around the waist with a cord known as the "girdle," or "cincture." The priest says while fastening it on: "Gird me, Lord, with the girdle of purity and extinguish in my loins the fire of lust that the virtue of self-restraint and chastity may remain in me." The alb is the common vestment for all the ministers at the altar. We find, however, that in course of time it was much curtailed when not worn with other vestments. This shortened form of the alb hardly reaches to the knee. In the case of Bishops it has narrow sleeves, and is called a "Rochet", a small coat, from "Rock," a coat. When worn by other clerics it has wide sleeves, and is called a "Surplice." In the ninth century the monks used dresses of fur to protect them from the cold and damp during the long offices in church. "Pellis" is the Latin for skin, and "super" is over, so that "super-pelliceum," from which comes our "surplice," signifies merely a garment worn over a fur dress. As in the case of the alb, surplices and rochets are often fringed with linen lace and sometimes made entirely of that material.
The Latin word "manipulus" means a handful, and hence anything which was held in the hand, as, for instance, a handkerchief. As the alb has no pockets, the handkerchief was worn on the left sleeve, and was called a Maniple. After the twelfth century it was made of precious materials and was highly ornamented. Thus it was gradually turned from its original use and became a liturgical ornament. How ever, its first meaning is still referred to in the prayer which is said by the priest as he puts it on: "Be it mine, Lord, to bear the maniple of weeping and sorrow that I may receive with joy the reward of toil." The length of the maniple when opened out is a little over three feet. Another scarf made of the same stuff and almost of the same shape, but three times as long, is worn around the neck. This is known as the "Stole," from a Greek word meaning a "garment," and, like the sashes worn by certain military officers, is a sign of rank. Only those who have received deacon's orders (No. 94) are allowed to use it. The deacon wears it like a scarf across his breast, from left to right. As he is the minister at the altar, it is necessary that his right hand should be free, and, as the Stole was much wider and more cumbersome in former times, it was hung from the left shoulder, At Mass the priest wears the stole crossed upon his breast, in memory of the Sacrifice of the Cross. The Bishop, however, wears a metal cross, and so he does not cross the stole, but allows it to hang down in parallel lines. Where the priest uses the stole outside of Mass he does so as a sign of the jurisdiction or authority he has from his Bishop, and accordingly he wears it after the episcopal manner. While putting it on he says: "Give me back, Lord, the garment of immortality which I lost in the sin of my first parents; and, however unworthily I approach Thy sacred mystery, may I merit nevertheless joy eternal."
The common outer garment in use among the populations of the Roman empire at the introduction of Christianity was a large circular cloak with an opening in the center. Through this opening the head was inserted, and the cloak fell from the neck to the heels, completely covering the body like a bell or a little house. The ecclesiastical name for it comes, like cassock, from "casa" (No. 113). "Casula" means a "little house," and "Chasuble" is the name of the outer vestment. In its original shape it completely covered the body, and when it was necessary to use the hands the sides of the chasuble were folded back. To assist in thus freeing the arms, the chasuble was made from an oval, instead of a circular piece of cloth, and hence, when worn, it was longer at the back and in front than on the sides. The chasuble of Saint Thomas a Becket, which is still preserved at Sens, in France, shows this form. The inconvenience of the folds hanging at the side led to cutting them away altogether, so that the chasuble, as seen in most churches today, consists merely of the front and back of the ancient chasuble. The sides have disappeared completely. The priest says when putting it on: "O Lord who didst say, My yoke is sweet and My burden light, grant that I may bear it in such manner as to obtain Thy grace. Amen."
In order to render the ancient chasuble more convenient, it was sometimes cut up the middle, thus forming a cloak open in front. This vestment is now provided with a hood, and is known as a "Cope." Unlike the chasuble, it is not considered a sacrificial vestment, but may be worn by all clerics, and even by laymen. The clasp joining the front of the cope is called the "Morse," from the Latin "mordere," to bite.
- taken from The Mass, by Father Peter Christopher Yorke