GENERAL. The most important vestment to be mentioned under this head is the cope, a wide cloak of silk or other costly material reaching nearly to the feet and fastened in front by a clasp called the morsc, and having a semi circular hood at the back. While it is worn by the officiating priest in benediction and other solemn rites, it is not distinctly a sacerdotal vestment, and is worn by cantors at solemn vespers and by other laymen. The humeral veil is an oblong scarf of the same material as the chasuble. worn by the subdeacon at high mass when he holds the paten from the offertory to the Pater poster, and by the priest when giving benediction or carrying the blessed sacrament in procession. It is worn over the shoulders, the paten, pyx, or monstrance being wrapped in it. The Levites (Num. iv.) were allowed to hear the sacred vessels only when wrapped in cover ings: and although those in holy orders (and they alone) are allowed to touch the eucharistic vessels with the hare hands, the Ilse of the veil is probably an expression of the feeling of rever ence inculcated by the Jewish rule. The surplice (called also cotta at first in Italy. now general ly) is a garment of linen worn by all clerics and assistant- in choir and by priests in the adminis tration of the sacraments. As late as the twelfth century it was supposed to reach to the ankles, but in modern times it has been very much cur tailed, and since the seventeenth century com monly ornamented with lace. Under all the
other vestments is worn the cassock, a close fitting garment reaching to the feet, which is the distinctive dress of clerics, in church and out. The color varies, being black for a simple priest, purple for a bishop, and red for a cardinal: the Pope a lone wears a white cassock. The berretta (or biret ta). which is also a part of the priest's street or house dress, must he mentioned under official costume. as the rubrics prescribe it for the sacred ministers going to the altar and for ecclesiastics in choir. It is a square cap with three ridges extending outward from the centre of the top—four in the case of doctors of divin ity. "At Rome," says Benedict XIV., "and in most churches the berretta was unknown as late as the ninth century. Its ecclesiastical use be gan when priests gave up the ancient custom of covering their heads with the :mice till the actual beginning of the mass." The zucchetto is a small. round skull-cap, of color suited to the wearer's rank, which, if worn in church, is removed only at the most solemn parts of the services.