I i'stinewis of Mc were attired entirely in scarlet, and wore a broad-brimmed hat tied under the chin with tasselled ribbons (fig. 5). Patriarchs and archbishops were distinguished by the pallium. This consisted of a band of white lamb's wool about three fingers wide, adorned with small crosses, and worn upon the shoulders in such a man ner that a single end hung down in front on the right side, and two ends hung down on the left, one in front and the other behind. The ends were very short, and, like the stole, embroidered with crosses. The above mentioned dignitaries wore the pallium only upon special occasions, and then only inside the church. The pope was never without it.
Vcstmcnts of the special insignia of a bishop were the pectoral cross, the gloves, the ring (pi. 56, figs. 5, 6), which he received at his coronation and wore on all official occasions; the crook or crosier (shown in Roman style, fig. 12, and in Gothic style, fig. 13); and filially the mitrc (an ancient form of which is seen in fig. 8, and a later one in fig. 9). The characteristic decoration of the mitre consisted of two bands hanging down behind, which suggest the fillet (infu/a) of the ancient Roman priests. This decoration was sometimes conferred upon abbots. In the early Middle Ages the rationale (jig. 7) was also a distinguishing mark of the bishops. It was a breast-ornament of precious metals and jewels, something like that worn by the high priests of the Old Testa ment. (See p. 161.) Subsequently it went out of use. For other core monies than the mass, especially for processions, the filu?iale took the place of the chasuble. This was a large cloak (fl. 53, fig. 2), and should not be confounded with the violet one with white fur cape which was worn by the bishop on his way to and from church. In the church itself he occupied a special seat of honor, usually an artistically-carved throne.
A large fur cape (fig. 4) was the distinguishing ornament of the pro vosts. We need scarcely remark that these mediaeval costumes are, with out any substantial change, still in use in the Roman Catholic Church. The Greek and non-European churches had less system in their costumes, and introduced many national peculiarities.
Vestments of the Protestant the Protestant Church sim plicity of apparel was originally sought on all sides, but in the actual application of this principle great diversity began to creep in, whence it happens that there are so many varieties in the dress of the clergy in dif ferent countries. In general, the cap in use at the end of the sixteenth
century has been retained, though in a somewhat modified form. The same is true of the long black robe which had already belonged to the early secular clergy. In some places even the broad frill of the Middle Ages is still worn, but generally the so-called " clergyman's bands," which are, as we have said, the remains of the seventeenth-century collar, constitute the distinguishing neck-ornament of the Protestant clergy (fig.
Conventual the secular clergy stood the conventual clergy, whose sphere lay rather outside civil society. The fundamental conception of the conventual life was that of an ideal community having no need of the guidance of the priesthood, and consequently holding a more exalted position, yet standing in the same relation to the laity. Its members were independent of the secular clergy, being subject not to the bishops, but directly, through a series of their own superiors, to the pope. According to the order to which they belonged or the importance of their particular establishment, they stood nnder the direction of guardians, priors, provosts, or abbots; these, again, in their turn, being subject to the oversight of custodians and provincials. The female orders had cor responding officials, such as abbesses, etc. The head of a Greek monastery was called an archimandrite. Each separate order was governed by a general, who directed the affairs of the order in so far as these did not pertain to the pope.
Conventual the monasteries and convents were num erous offices filled by the monks or nuns, such as those of reading-masters, kitchen-masters, cellarers, porters, sextons, etc. A most important divis ion among the monks themselves was that of fathers and brothers, or clerical and lay. The former had received orders, could say mass, hear confessions, etc., and had a voice in the synods. The latter possessed none of these powers, and were bound simply by the three vows of pov erty, chastity, and obedience; they participated in all the religious services, but in the lowest capacities; and in the mendicant orders they had to go begging. Before becoming a member of any order the applicant had to pass through a period of preparation called the novitiate.