Sartorial Splendor: Scintillating Cinctures
The AI continues in its series on vestments, which is unfortunately apparently having a negative effect on my web traffic. Fine! I didn't realize people found vestments so dull. Oh well, it'll be over soon enough and then back to same-old same-old. Maybe I'll find new movie villains to mount defenses of (perhaps Ursula, the sea-witch, or Jafar, the evil Vizier?).
Today's installment of Sartorial Splendor brings us to the titilating subject of: the cincture!
~
Today's installment of Sartorial Splendor brings us to the titilating subject of: the cincture!
~
Scintillating Cinctures
Or: How I learned to stop worrying and love a piece of rope
Today's installment in the wonderful world of vestments (on a side note, the purpose of this series is that you learn something, so all you people who are leaving just because this is slightly more "boring" than some of my other posts can just march right back here and listen... :-P) is about the cincture.
Essentially, the cincture is just a piece of rope. In function, it is tied around the waist over the alb to keep the alb in place. There is, however, more to it than that!
Many books on vestments (yes, I'm actually doing book research for this series, so there) do not cover the cincture. I'm not sure why this is. (On a related side-note, "cincture" is also a word used for the fascia in some much older books, although in more recent usage the two have been delineated into very different objects of vesture.)
Anywho, from what I can piece together (this isn't a scholarly essay, after all...) the cincture has been clearly in use since the ninth century. Its essential function, to restrain the alb, was the same then as it is now. There is a specific way of tying it that clergy employ which results in two loops on the front, through which the stole is placed.
The cincture itself is usually white (especially for clergy) and symbolizes chastity and purity. This was not, however, always the case. In medieval times, cinctures were made of more ornamental and expensive materials, like silk, and sometimes were even studded with precious metals or stones. This extreme decoration of the cincture was discontinued in the 19th century and today the most decoration generally employed is gold or silver thread woven into the cincture itself, most of which is in or near the tassles at the end of the cincture itself.
The cincture can also be worn by non-clerics. The most common usage of this is when altar servers wear albs and also wear cinctures with them (again, to restrain the alb). These cinctures can often match the color of the liturgical season (but I think that's stupid and distracting, personally). Priestly cinctures are, as I said, tied in a specific way which results in loops on the front, but acolyte cinctures are usually tied on the right in no particular fashion. (Ultimately, altar boys should be wearing cassocks and surplices, but I digress.)
[Update: Thank you Matt, for pointing out my error here. Apparently, cinctures should fall on the left, not the right, when worn by acolytes. Additionally, he has some other interesting things to say on the knotting of the cincture by priests, as well as its symbolism, which you can read in the comments.]
That's all I have to say about cinctures (I'm not sure much else can be said). Tomorrow: something else!
~
Saint John Bosco, pray for us!
Saint Frideswide, pray for us!
Our Lady, Queen of Prophets, pray for us!
Or: How I learned to stop worrying and love a piece of rope
Today's installment in the wonderful world of vestments (on a side note, the purpose of this series is that you learn something, so all you people who are leaving just because this is slightly more "boring" than some of my other posts can just march right back here and listen... :-P) is about the cincture.Essentially, the cincture is just a piece of rope. In function, it is tied around the waist over the alb to keep the alb in place. There is, however, more to it than that!
Many books on vestments (yes, I'm actually doing book research for this series, so there) do not cover the cincture. I'm not sure why this is. (On a related side-note, "cincture" is also a word used for the fascia in some much older books, although in more recent usage the two have been delineated into very different objects of vesture.)
Anywho, from what I can piece together (this isn't a scholarly essay, after all...) the cincture has been clearly in use since the ninth century. Its essential function, to restrain the alb, was the same then as it is now. There is a specific way of tying it that clergy employ which results in two loops on the front, through which the stole is placed.
The cincture itself is usually white (especially for clergy) and symbolizes chastity and purity. This was not, however, always the case. In medieval times, cinctures were made of more ornamental and expensive materials, like silk, and sometimes were even studded with precious metals or stones. This extreme decoration of the cincture was discontinued in the 19th century and today the most decoration generally employed is gold or silver thread woven into the cincture itself, most of which is in or near the tassles at the end of the cincture itself.
The cincture can also be worn by non-clerics. The most common usage of this is when altar servers wear albs and also wear cinctures with them (again, to restrain the alb). These cinctures can often match the color of the liturgical season (but I think that's stupid and distracting, personally). Priestly cinctures are, as I said, tied in a specific way which results in loops on the front, but acolyte cinctures are usually tied on the right in no particular fashion. (Ultimately, altar boys should be wearing cassocks and surplices, but I digress.)
[Update: Thank you Matt, for pointing out my error here. Apparently, cinctures should fall on the left, not the right, when worn by acolytes. Additionally, he has some other interesting things to say on the knotting of the cincture by priests, as well as its symbolism, which you can read in the comments.]
That's all I have to say about cinctures (I'm not sure much else can be said). Tomorrow: something else!
~
Saint John Bosco, pray for us!
Saint Frideswide, pray for us!
Our Lady, Queen of Prophets, pray for us!
posted by Jason | Friday, January 27, 2006
5 Comments:
There is no defense for Ursula the Sea-Witch!
*Pouts, snuggles stuffed Ariel Doll*
And I must say - I find the titles of your posts entertaining! :-D I read everyday! Yay for being nerdy and learning stuff!
Steph
Jason,
I've been meaning to ask for it and perhaps now would be a good time - could you do a post on the Eucharist? And by that I mean Catholic (i.e. correct) dogma on the nature of the Eucharist as opposed to the heretic (i.e. Protestant) doctrines on the subject? Specifically, there was the question of transubstantiation vs. all the other ideas that have been floating around. Sadly, my own knowledge of the doctrine wasn't up to snuff to answer all the questions, so I turn to AI for help.
Sincerely,
John
AI, great series on vestments. Those who have ran away don't know what they are missing. A suggestion and a correction:
Suggestion, Could you relate some of the theological symbolism of the vestments to your readers. I'm thinking specifically of the different meanings of different garments, such as the amice as the spiritual helmet as the priest enters into battle, and the cincture as the guard of chastity. As I'm sure you know, the Latin Prayers for vesting relate all this information. My favorite is when putting on the sincture, "gird my loins against the passions of lust". Alas, most priests don't wear the cincture, ergo lust is rampant among priests.
Also, a correction. In your last paragraph you stated that an alcolyte may wear a cincture and it should hang at the right side. In the Roman Pontifical, the cincture is worn hanging at the left, just as the fascia is worn today. Tradiationally, only religious novices and brothers wore the alb, where as the diocesan wore the surplice over cassock. Also, in the Roman Pontifical, only diocesan priests are allowed to use the double knot in the front creating the two loops for the stole, which was necessary when we still crossed the stole to form the St. Andrews cross. Religious priests had to tie their cinctures off to the side with the two loose ends hanging on the left side.
Sure John. If you'd prefer it was before this series is over, let me know (because otherwise it will be).
Since I'm not Catholci, I'll take Matt's word about the rules and regulations. I liked your original statement about accolytes' wearing it on the right better; I like the notion that laity, deacons, and priests can be distinguished based on the placement of the knot in their cincture.
Post a Comment
<< Home