adoration question

[mlbrink]

I’ve always seen this when the priest holds the monstrance, but I guess I’ve never understood it. Why does the priest wear a cape(not sure what it’s really called) around his shoulders and only touch the monstrance with it and not his hands?
Thanks
MLB

 

[stbruno]

That piece of linen is called humeral veil and there is also something called a cope.
usccb.org/liturgy/innews/September2006.pdf

This is the link…item 6 talks about the vestments for benediction.

 

[Allen537]

The tradition behind the humeral veil is that the blessing from benediction is given from God, and not the priest. That is why the priest is to make sure that his hands are properly wrapped up in the veil, it is a used as a symbolic gesture.

 

[AngelRose81]

That piece of linen is called humeral veil and there is also something called a cope.
usccb.org/liturgy/innews/September2006.pdf

This is the link…item 6 talks about the vestments for benediction.

That was very informative. Thank you for the link!

 

[Titus]

In benediction, the priest is not acting *in persona Christi. *Christ (present in the consecrated host) is the blessing. The priest just moves the monstrance. Contrast this with the blessing at the end of mass, for example.

 

[mlbrink]

Thanks for the answers
Is there any special significance to the cope that the priest wears?

 

[dylanschrader]

The cope is a standard non-Mass liturgical vestment. It’s worn during processions, solemn blessings, Liturgy of the Hours, and on other occasions.

Its Latin name is pluviale, I believe, which indicates that it was originally a garment to protect from the rain. This shows its historical use as an outdoor vestment for processions, etc.

Basically a chasuble (the outermost vestment a priest wears at Mass) is only worn at Mass. A cope can be worn on other occasions.