Church Vestments : Their Origin and Development

Dover Pubns, June 2002. Paper Back. New. Very little has been published in the way of vestment history in the last fifty years, making it difficult to trace the development of their symbolic and ecclesial significance. Thankfully, Herbert Norris' unabridged commentary has resurfaced to remedy that. Written in 1950, this detailed and comprehensive reference offers historical explanations of very particular articles and dress as they appear on the liturgical scene. Norris notes that initially ''no distinctive dress was worn by early clergy'' though ''their natural impulse would be to insist on a certain measure of refinement, beauty, and dignity: and so they arrayed themselves in the best garments they possessed for the service of God.'' It was only when the classical Roman dress was supplanted by more ''barbaric'' (and subsequently, less conservative) types that the church asserted itself by retaining the ''old-fashioned'' out of reverence to God. Beginning with the alb (based loosely on the Roman/Greek tunic), Norris illustrates and outlines the use of over twenty-five garments and accessories including (but not limited to) the chasuble, stole, maniple, mitre, pastoral staff, cross, cassock, cope and surplice. And though most of his terminology is based in the vocabulary of the Roman and Western Churches, he adequately explains the Eastern variants -- giving corresponding nomenclature whenever possible. Nearly three hundred black and white illustrations as well as an eight-page color insert complete this most helpful and fascinating volume.