chasuble

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A long sleeveless vestment worn over the alb by a priest during services.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Eccles., a sleeveless vestment, originally circular in outline, but in medieval and modern use of an elliptical shape, or modified from this so as to be nearly rectangular, and provided with an aperture in the center through which to pass the head. It is worn so as to fall in front and at the back of the wearer to an equal or nearly equal distance, showing only one of its halves at a time. The chasuble is the principal vestment worn by a priest when celebrating the mass or holy communion, and is put on over the alb. It is held to represent the seamless coat of Christ, or charity symbolized by it. The material is usually rich stuff—silk, brocade, or velvet. In its oldest form it was very full and long, reaching nearly to the feet. The medieval or elliptical form, which is sometimes worn in Roman Catholic churches, reachies below the knees, and is generally ornamented with a Y-cross. The shape commonly worn in the Roman Catholic Church, however, does not reach much below the hips, and is nearly rectangular at the back, the part which falls in front being cut away at the sides so as not to impede the movement of the arms, and the two parts are frequently united merely by straps at the shoulders. The chasuble generally has a pillar or vertical stripe at the front, a Y-cross or Latin cross on the back, or on both front and back, and sometimes an edging on both sides. These ornaments are added in a different material with gold or other embroidery, and are known as the orphreys of the chasuble. Among the different names of the chasuble, pœnula, identifying it with the ancient Roman garment of that name, is probably the oldest. The same word occnrs also in various Greek forms. It is translated “cloke” in 2 Tim. iv. 13, and is the accepted name for the chasuble in the Greek Church, generally in the form phelonion. The name planeta has also been in use from early times, and is still the term preferred in the official use of the Roman Catholic Church. The amphibalus, worn at one time in Gaul, seems to have been similar to or identical with the chasuble. In England the name vestment was in use at the time of the Reformation, both for the chasuble alone and for the chasuble with its subsidiary vestments or adjuncts, the stole, amice, and maniple. The use of the chasuble in Anglican churches continued long after the Reformation, and is maintained by certain of them (on authority claimed from the Ornaments rubric) at the present day. It is also worn in the Greek Church. See ornament.

Wiktionary

1. n. The outermost liturgical vestment worn by clergy for celebrating Eucharist or Mass.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Eccl.) The outer vestment worn by the priest in saying Mass, consisting, in the Roman Catholic Church, of a broad, flat, back piece, and a narrower front piece, the two connected over the shoulders only. The back has usually a large cross, the front an upright bar or pillar, designed to be emblematical of Christ's sufferings. In the Greek Church the chasuble is a large round mantle.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a long sleeveless vestment worn by a priest when celebrating Mass