White shawl worn by altar server?

[pachomius]

Greetings, all -

I was blessed with the opportunity this evening to attend the mass at the National Shrine where the new Incarnation Dome was dedicated.

It was a wonderful celebration and, of course, was as elaborate a service as I have ever seen. There were many, many concelebrants - priests and bishops (even Cardinal Rigali was in attendance) - Archbishop Wuerl was the celebrant.

My question is this: I happened to notice during the procession that the two altar servers who followed Archbishop Wuerl had white shawls (for lack of a better word) draped over their shoulders. Does anybody know what these were, what they represent?

Thanks!

Saint Odo, pray for us!

 

[Daprato]

Greetings, all -

I was blessed with the opportunity this evening to attend the mass at the National Shrine where the new Incarnation Dome was dedicated.

It was a wonderful celebration and, of course, was as elaborate a service as I have ever seen. There were many, many concelebrants - priests and bishops (even Cardinal Rigali was in attendance) - Archbishop Wuerl was the celebrant.

My question is this: I happened to notice during the procession that the two altar servers who followed Archbishop Wuerl had white shawls (for lack of a better word) draped over their shoulders. Does anybody know what these were, what they represent?

Thanks!

Saint Odo, pray for us!

Those two individuals were not servers but vimps and they were wearing something called a vimpa or vimpae. Vimps wear the vimpa (which is similar to a priest’s humeral veil, but for the non-ordained) when touching anything that doesn’t properly belong to their ministry – in this case the crozier, mitre and zuchetto.

The vimpa allows the vimps to carry the crozier, mitre and zuchetto without actually coming in direct contact with any of them. A vimpa may take the form of a many-pleated scarf, or a cape-like shawl.

 

[benedictgal]

Those two individuals were not servers but vimps and they were wearing something called a vimpa or vimpae. Vimps wear the vimpa (which is similar to a priest’s humeral veil, but for the non-ordained) when touching anything that doesn’t properly belong to their ministry – in this case the crozier, mitre and zuchetto.

The vimpa allows the vimps to carry the crozier, mitre and zuchetto without actually coming in direct contact with any of them. A vimpa may take the form of a many-pleated scarf, or a cape-like shawl.

If you happen to catch any of the papal Masses on TV, you’ll also see that same configuration. You’ve brought up something intersting that I did not realize. A long time ago, I offered to put the crozier together for our bishop. He said that it would be fine. It was no mean feat, just screwing the two halves together. Yikes! Now, having read your post, I probably should have left it to him to do.

 

[pachomius]

Aha! That explains it! Thank you very much for your answer, Chris

 

[Daprato]

If you happen to catch any of the papal Masses on TV, you’ll also see that same configuration. You’ve brought up something intersting that I did not realize. A long time ago, I offered to put the crozier together for our bishop. He said that it would be fine. It was no mean feat, just screwing the two halves together. Yikes! Now, having read your post, I probably should have left it to him to do.

Naw, not at all, you’re fine. As Fr. James-Charles Noonan, Jr. suggests in The Church Visible “It is not permitted to have uncovered hands touch the episcopal insignia during ceremonies, and the vimp is donned to avoid this.” You’ll note that’s only during ceremonies. You’ll also note that non-bishop masters of ceremonies often handle the crozier and other furnishings (that are not part of their ministry) without a vimpa or humeral veil so I don’t believe it is a hard and fast rubric, but more of a nice piece of solemnity.

 

[Sr_Sally]

Greetings, all -

I was blessed with the opportunity this evening to attend the mass at the National Shrine where the new Incarnation Dome was dedicated.

How wonderful for you! We caught just a small part of it on EWTN and were very disappointed that we had not known when it was to be held ahead of time. We would very liekly have chamged our plans to be present also.

 

[spellinggirl]

I am an altar server, and they are called “albs.” They are worn over robes that button to the floor, which are generally black or sometimes red. Those are called “cassocks.”

 

[NetNuncio]

Where could one purchase vimpae?

 

[muffinmojo]

Tehe, I’ve used one of those. My first time as an altar server was as a vimp, when the bishop came for confirmations