Some answers to those sorts of questions which we may not like to ask!
What do we see? What do we say? Who's who?
What do we see?
At the Eucharist we see the Priest wearing:
Alb: A white garment, sometimes held at the waist by a girdle; can be worn by anyone, but, if worn by the priest, it is worn under the chasuble. A baptismal robe – meaning to be clothed in Christ.
Amice: Square linen garment; like a hood and falling back from the neck. Edge embroidered with a Cross and matching seasons of church’s year. A symbol of the blindfolding of Jesus. Sometimes worn by priest; often worn by servers.
Chasuble: From the Latin ‘casula’ meaning ‘little house’ and represents Christian protection and love. It is the outer garment; it matches in colour the high altar frontal and is usually beautifully embroidered.
Orphrey: Bands of material sometimes embroidered on the chasuble. Stole: This hangs from the neck between the alb and the chasuble, usually embroidered with three crosses. In seasonal colours to match chasuble, amice and altar. It represents the towel worn by Jesus on Maundy Thursday to wash the disciples’ feet.
On the Altar Table are the Chalice, Ciborium, Paten and Cruets:
Chalice: The cup to hold the wine consecrated at the Eucharist - the oldest Chalice at St Margaret's dates back to 1568 and is kept in the Treasury at Chichester Cathedral.
Ciborium: Similar shape to the chalice but with a lid. Used to hold the wafers consecrated at the Eucharist.
Paten: A dish on which the wafers are placed at the Eucharist - can be used alongside or instead of the ciborium.
Cruets: Vessels of glass - one to hold the unconsecrated wine and one the water. These are brought to the altar at the Eucharist.
What do we say?
The Gloria: (the Latin for ‘glory’). We use two sorts of Gloria in our services:
Gloria Patri: ‘Glory to the Father and to the Son ……’ at the end of psalms and canticles (eg at the end of the Magnificat at Evensong)
Gloria in Excelsis Deo: ‘Glory to God in the Highest and peace to…..’ We say/sing this at the Eucharist after the Confession and Absolution. It is celebrating the new life God gives us through forgiveness. Sometimes sung as a hymn and, as a song of praise, not always sung in Advent and Lent.
Amen comes from the Hebrew and means 'so be it' or 'truly'. We use the word to indicate our agreement with the words which have been expressed in prayers or sung in psalms or hymns.
Who's Who?
Archdeacon: Our diocese is divided into three archdeaconries – Chichester, Horsham and Lewes/Hastings. Over each area the archdeacon carries out specific duties such as the supervision of the clergy and of the proper management of church property. He will have a role to play in the induction of an incumbent (ie when a new Rector or Vicar is installed in his/her parish) and he will admit churchwardens to their office. Our Archdeacon is the Venerable Roger Combes, Archdeacon of Horsham. There are two types of Bishop:
Diocesan Bishop: He is in charge of the diocese - in our case he is Bishop John Hind of Chichester. There are 43 dioceses in England.
Suffragan Bishop: He acts on behalf of the Diocesan bishop and with his authority; he will usually be in charge of one part of the diocese. In our diocese we have two Suffragan Bishops:
- Bishop of Horsham - Mark Sowerby
- Bishop of Lewes - Wallace Benn.