MITRE ( OF., Fr. mare, from Lat, mitre, from Gk. yirpn, mitre, fillet, belt; probably ulti mately of Oriental origin). The head-dress worn in solemn functions by bishops and some abbots. The ornament is probably of Eastern origin. al though the head-dress of Eastern prelates at the present day is quite_ different, being a large round cap. Slinietldng like a crown. The Western mitre is a tall, tongue-shaped cap, terminating in a two fold point, supposed to symbolize the 'cloven tongues as of ill Mild! the Holy Spirit de scended upon the Apostles; two tlaps or stream ers fall from it behind over the shoulders. (!pin ion is much divided as to the date at which the mitre first came into use. Etiscbius, Gregell'y and others speak of an ornamented head-dress worn in the (.'lurch; but there is no very early pictorial representation whieh exhibits any bead-covering at all the modern mitre. From the tenth century, how
ever. it is undoubtedly found in use, although not at first universally. At the Reformation the mitre was practically discarded as a part of the epis copal costume in England, though there arc traces of its survival in isolated instances; and the first Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America, Sealuiry, occasionally wore one In the last half of the nineteenth century the practice was revived with increasing frequency hi the Anglican l'otunitution. In the Ilonian Catholic ritual three kinds of mitres are distinguished: mitra orllitult'llted with gold, and silver; ?ultra auriphrygiata. of gold brocade with embroidery; and milra simplex. of white silk or linen damask• with scarcely any decoration. which is worn when black vestments are used. See COSTUM E. ECCLESIASTICAL.