‘Even the sparrow finds a home, the swallow a nest, where she lays her young, by your altars’ (Psalm 83)
The altar symbolizes the Lord’s table, the table of the Last Supper, and is the very image of Christ. In ancient times, only the essentials for celebrating the Eucharist could be placed on the altar: the bread and wine, placed at the center of a cloth, which was initially removed at the end of the Mass. Today, the liturgy requires the altar to be covered not only with the cloth but also with the cross and candles. Using the cloth every day emphasizes the importance of celebrations like Good Friday, when the altar is left bare, or festive occasions when, in addition to flowers and richer candelabras, a more solemn cloth is preferred.
Pure linen altarcloth with hand embroidered lace. Create your own custom-made altar tablecloth.
What is the significance of the altar cloth?
There are several interpretations regarding the meaning of the altar cloth. The most mentioned is that of Pope Sylvester I, who speaks of the cloth as a symbol of the shroud in which Jesus was wrapped in the tomb, a linen cloth.
Bishop William Durandus, in his book Rationale divinorum officiorum, explains that the human nature of Jesus, born in the womb of Mary, is reflected in the use of linen, a fabric whose fiber comes from the earth. The white color that the linen acquires after long processing is also a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus, attained after great suffering. Furthermore, the altar cloth signifies that the Sacramental Meal is performed upon it: “Take and eat… take and drink all of you.”
How many altar cloths should be placed on the altar?
The altar cloth is one of the oldest liturgical vestments. This is attested by numerous paintings depicting celebrations with altars covered by white linens, such as the ancient mosaic of the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, dating back to the 6th century, as well as many writings like the Liber Pontificalis and the texts of Ottavo of Milevi from the late 4th century, which mention the altar cloth as an important vestment.
At that time, the upper cloth was what later became known as the corporal. As we discussed in the previous article, the corporal became so large that it was considered a proper altar cloth. It then took its current dimensions when it was no longer the only linen covering the stone or wood of the altar.
1) Mosaic from the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna; 2) In the Supper of the Knight of Celano (Giotto, Upper Basilica in Assisi, 1295-1299)
Over the centuries, the number of altar linens has increased; in some writings, such as the decrees of the Synod of Rodez in 1289, as many as five different linens are mentioned. In the following centuries, various synods issued differing rulings, sometimes prescribing the use of at least two linens, then three, and later returning to two. The reason why the Church initially required so many cloths was to prevent the wine, in case of spillage, from coming into contact with the altar. In the Ordo of the papal ceremonialist Giovanni Burcardo from 1498, a precise norm was promulgated regarding the use of three cloths and the crismale, a cloth passed through wax and laid directly on the altar to protect it from possible spillage of chrism oil. The previous Roman Missal also reiterated that the altar must be covered with three cloths made of pure linen or hemp. Today, however, the Missal specifies that “the altar should be covered with at least one white cloth” (Roman Missal, no. 117).
What fabric is the altar cloth made of?
As early as Pope Sylvester I, it was specified that the altar cloth could not be made from any other fabric than linen or hemp, even if these materials were not as easy to clean or were of a purer white color. Until that point, many altar cloths were made from silk, velvet, wool, and embellished with stones or embroidery highlighted by colored fabrics. The cloth directly in contact with the altar could be made from a coarser linen, while the cloth covering the surface should be made from a finer and more elegant fabric. However, for many years, this prescription was not always followed, and even in the 19th century, non-linen altar cloths were still found.
Pure hemp altar cloth with hand embroidered hemstitch on all sides.
How big is the altar cloth?
There are no standard measurements for altar cloths since they are made to measure for each church altar. Even in medieval inventories, there are few references to the length of the cloths at the front. Some paintings show altar cloths that cover the altar almost down to the pedestal, while others depict cloths that only drape over the sides and not the front. The altar cloth made by Arte Ricami for the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica measured about 8 meters.
To provide you with a free quote for a custom altar cloth for your parish, we need to know the width of the altar table, as well as the length and height of the side and central drapes. Request your custom altar cloth quote now.
Pure linen altar cloth with Richelieu stitch made to measure for the Papal altar in St. Peter’s Basilica and used during the Christmas Eve celebration by Pope Benedictus.
What are the decorations of an altar tablecloth?
Paintings and depictions from the past also help us understand the decorations of altar cloths that were popular in different countries and time periods. For example, in Italy during the Middle Ages, the Perugian altar cloth was very common. The decoration usually focused on the shorter sides of the cloth and featured motifs such as birds, trees, flowers, or geometric patterns. They were woven in blue on a white background, and in rare cases, rust color was also used. In the 15th century, strips of pure silk, often embroidered, became popular and were applied to the sides or under the central embroidery as further decoration.
The altar is the place that recalls the Last Supper, where the Sacramental Banquet is celebrated every Sunday. For this reason, bunch of grapes and wheat spikes are recurring motifs on altar cloths. Other decorations include symbols of the Blessed Sacrament, such as the lamb, the host, the monogram IHS, or the pelican.
There are also altars dedicated to Mary or to Saints, whose altar cloths may feature Marian symbols or symbols related to the saint being venerated. The altar cloth can be decorated only on the front, on three sides, or on all four sides.
Custom-made altar cloth for altar dedicated to St. Mary. The hand embroidery is Richelieu stitch. Discover our customisations.
If you would like to know more about our altar cloths, you can visit the dedicated page on our website or contact us by e-mail at info@artericamiliturgico.com.
Also, if you have any suggestions or comments, please do not hesitate to post them below.
Arte Ricami
