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Chrismal, Chrismatory
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Formerly used to designate the sheath, or cloth-covering ( theca ) in which relics were wrapped up. The Latin chrismale was also applied
- (a) to the pall or corporal
- (b) to the vessel for the Blessed Eucharist
- (c) to the cere-cloth covering the table of the altar (see ALTAR-CLOTHS), and
- (d) sometimes to the long white-hooded robes in which the newly- baptized were clothed (cf. Roman Ritual, II, cap. ii, n. 24), and which they wore from Holy Saturday evening till Low Sunday — called consequently Dominica in Albis (cf. Du Cange, Glossar. infimæ et mediæ Latinitatis). This garment, however, was more commonly known as the chrisome (cf. Pugin, Glossary ), and resembled in shape the modern alb, except that it had a kind of hood for the head. Its representative is now the vestis candida still used at baptism.