Liturgy - vestment details

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puzzleannie

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Tonight at the rite of election I saw something new and I am asking the liturgy-istas to assist me. The lay adults servers, one man and one lady, wore albs, as is the custom for all servers at the Basilica, but those who were carrying the bishop’s crozier and the book of the gospels also wore embroidered white capes that resemble the cope worn at benediction. they were the ones who attend the bishop, handing him his crozier and miter at the appropriate times, holding the ritual books etc.and their hands were covered, as the celebrant’s would be in holding the monstrance, when they handled the bishop’s regalia. I just have never seen the cape or cope used this way before and am wondering, so enlighten me
 
puzzleannie said:
Tonight at the rite of election I saw something new and I am asking the liturgy-istas to assist me. The lay adults servers, one man and one lady, wore albs, as is the custom for all servers at the Basilica, but those who were carrying the bishop’s crozier and the book of the gospels also wore embroidered white capes that resemble the cope worn at benediction. they were the ones who attend the bishop, handing him his crozier and miter at the appropriate times, holding the ritual books etc.and their hands were covered, as the celebrant’s would be in holding the monstrance, when they handled the bishop’s regalia. I just have never seen the cape or cope used this way before and am wondering, so enlighten me
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Those servers were actually vimps and the simple humeral veil looking “capes” are known as a vimpa (plural: vimpae.) Nice to hear they are in use as your basilica. Vimps often wear white gloves today in place of vimpae.

If it truly was the Book of Gospels (Evangeliarium) it should have been carried by a deacon (or technically even a lay lector or reader) without the use of a vimpa.

Historically only the bishop would handle his mitre and crozier directly and the vimpa would provide a layer of material between either and a non-bishop’s hands.
 
No clue. At our Rite of Election, those serving in such roles wore albs; I think the MC (a priest) was wearing a cassock and long surplus.

And it is my guess that those who were serving were seminarians.
 
Like said:
Do you really think the lady server was a seminarian?🤷
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Are you talking about the Rite of Election at the cathedral in Portland, Oregon? I was, and there were no lady servers. Sorry, maybe I wasn’t clear; I was speaking of the Rite in Portland, and the servers who were only wearing albs. All male.
 
otjm said:
Are you talking about the Rite of Election at the cathedral in Portland, Oregon? I was, and there were no lady servers. Sorry, maybe I wasn’t clear; I was speaking of the Rite in Portland, and the servers who were only wearing albs. All male.
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No, I’m sorry misread your post.😊
 
puzzleannie said:
Tonight at the rite of election I saw something new and I am asking the liturgy-istas to assist me. The lay adults servers, one man and one lady, wore albs, as is the custom for all servers at the Basilica, but those who were carrying the bishop’s crozier and the book of the gospels also wore embroidered white capes that resemble the cope worn at benediction. they were the ones who attend the bishop, handing him his crozier and miter at the appropriate times, holding the ritual books etc.and their hands were covered, as the celebrant’s would be in holding the monstrance, when they handled the bishop’s regalia. I just have never seen the cape or cope used this way before and am wondering, so enlighten me
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That is absolutely correct. I’ve never seen it any other way. The server holding the Bishops miter should also have been vested in this manner. The Book of the Gospels is handled by a Deacon not a server however?
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
That is absolutely correct. I’ve never seen it any other way. The server holding the Bishops miter should also have been vested in this manner. The Book of the Gospels is handled by a Deacon not a server however?
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The Book of the Gospels is not held using a vimpa because it’s not part of the pontificalia.
 
malphono said:
Yes, but I think the point is that it should be held by a deacon.
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Yes indeed. A deacon or a lay lector or reader as I noted in posting #2. I’ve never read anything to suggest the use of a vimpa was proper in this case nor for a server to process with the Book of Gospels.
 
ChurchTorch said:
Yes indeed. A deacon or a lay lector or reader as I noted in posting #2. I’ve never read anything to suggest the use of a vimpa was proper in this case nor for a server to process with the Book of Gospels.
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Yes of course. I must have elided over that post. :o But you know, the more I look at the OP, the more I wonder whether it was actually the evangelarium or whether the book in question was actually the pontifical. :confused:

BTW, whether or not a “lay lector” (or “reader”) is allowed in the post-conciliar ceremonial, should not a deacon take precedence in such cases?
 
malphono said:
Yes of course. I must have elided over that post. :o But you know, the more I look at the OP, the more I wonder whether it was actually the evangelarium or whether the book in question was actually the pontifical. :confused:

BTW, whether or not a “lay lector” (or “reader”) is allowed in the post-conciliar ceremonial, should not a deacon take precedence in such cases?
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It may have been the Pontificale Romanum in which case it should not have been used in the procession.

Are you speaking of the Ordinary Form of the Mass in the second half of your question? This is what the GIRM says:

"B. MASS WITH A DEACON
  1. Carrying the Book of the Gospels slightly elevated, the deacon precedes the priest as he approaches the altar or else walks at the priest’s side.
  2. …If, however, he is not carrying the Book of the Gospels, he makes a profound bow to the altar with the priest in the customary way and with him venerates the altar with a kiss."
 
ChurchTorch said:
Those servers were actually vimps and the simple humeral veil looking “capes” are known as a vimpa (plural: vimpae.) Nice to hear they are in use as your basilica. Vimps often wear white gloves today in place of vimpae.

If it truly was the Book of Gospels (Evangeliarium) it should have been carried by a deacon (or technically even a lay lector or reader) without the use of a vimpa.

Historically only the bishop would handle his mitre and crozier directly and the vimpa would provide a layer of material between either and a non-bishop’s hands.
Click to expand...
learn something every day, I assumed it was the book of the gospels because the deacon was not carrying anything, but I suppose it could also have been the ritual book for RCIA I honestly never heard of this word, and it is the first time I have ever seen them used here, although I suppose they must have been here all along.

the servers were people I know, adults who are among the regular servers at the Basilica, where the servers always wear albs. I did not see any seminarians (and only a few priests, although some were present but with their catechumens, not in the sanctuary)
 
When my son assisted at confirmation last year, he was assigned to be a ‘vimp’ (I didn’t know that word, and I can’t help but think it funny for an almost-teen boy!). He wore a vimpa and held the Bishop’s crozier. The MC told the boys when to bring them up and when to take them away. However, he took the mitre and corzier in his hands, so the rule of no one but the bishop touching them seems to have fallen by the wayside. My son liked the role though, and thought his special vestment was very cool.
 
Most bishops today would use a Humeral Veil around the crozier because most parishes don’t carry a Vimpae or hooded cloak unless stored away in a Basilica, Shrine or Cathedral sacristy. However; I have seen them in use in Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches.
 
puzzleannie said:
learn something every day, I assumed it was the book of the gospels because the deacon was not carrying anything, but I suppose it could also have been the ritual book for RCIA I honestly never heard of this word, and it is the first time I have ever seen them used here, although I suppose they must have been here all along.

the servers were people I know, adults who are among the regular servers at the Basilica, where the servers always wear albs. I did not see any seminarians (and only a few priests, although some were present but with their catechumens, not in the sanctuary)
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Be careful though. One of the more arrogant deacons in my diocese never carries the book of Gospels. Instead, a reader does and he makes it a point of processing in next to the celebrating priest or our very orthodox bishop. Even once one a while we will have a visiting priest and the deacon carries the book and processes in front of the priest looking none-too-happy about it.

So while I would certainly think it’s unofficial “best practice” for the bishop to carry the Book of Gospels in procession, it’s also not an abuse if he does not. Some will no doubt disagree based on their own personal interpretations of the GIRM and perhaps other Church documents but I’ll stick with my bishop on this one as he has the authority here locally.

As far as using a vimpa to carry the Book of Gospels, I see nothing in the Latin Rite that would even hint at requiring or even doing this. Is it an “abuse?” Heavens no but it is an irregularity that is not called out for by the Church.
 
centurionguard said:
Most bishops today would use a Humeral Veil around the crozier because most parishes don’t carry a Vimpae or hooded cloak unless stored away in a Basilica, Shrine or Cathedral sacristy. However; I have seen them in use in Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches.
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It would be the vimp(s) that would wear the vimpae or humeral veil as a substitution, not the bishop. Neither a cope nor a cloak would not be correct for this application at least within the celebration of the Mass within a diocese as apposed to a religion order or society.
 
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