Thurifer and Boat Girl: Not some liturgical crime-fighting team, as one might suppose from the title; rather, these are the terms applied to the people who carry the respective objects after which they are named: the thurible and boat. The term “thurible” comes from...
In my last article I shed some light on the origins of the chalice. We will now take a closer look at the paten, especially since these two items go together as much as the bread and wine that fill them. Like its partner in grace the chalice, the paten has enjoyed a...
The Chalice: If you are a soup-sipping purist like myself, you probably pshawed the movement to sip your soup from a cup – which has risen in popularity since the mid 80’s. For those of us who prefer our soup in a bowl, being asked to take our soup in a cup was – If...
Bishop’s Chair/Throne: You may call me “Captain Obvious” when I tell you that the Bishop’s chair (or throne) is the place where the Bishop sits; although it is a little more complicated than that. As you will know from your own churches, the Bishop’s Chair is...
