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QUAERITUR: keeping maniples on your arm
I got a question via e-mail:
I have recently noticed that when maniples are in use at my church, they are fastened to the alb by binder clips. I assume that there is a more appropriate device for accomplishing this task, perhaps originating before the days of Office Depot. Do you know of such a device? What do you use? Does it have a technical name? Where could I find some for my pastor?
Binder clip?
I am fond of blinder clips. As a matter of fact in my Roman house, in the refectory, I would sometimes use one for my napkin, depending on what we were eating.
I don’t think I would use one for a maniple.
Sometimes maniples have little cloth tabs sewn into the center, where it folds over the forearm.
This one has a safety pin, because the fabric is precious. When you use a straight pin, be sure to tuck the point under somewhere, so you don’t snag something.
Otherwise, the "classic" way, is to tie them on, which the way I prefer.
Here, by the way, is a shot of a "normal" maniple, more in the French style, together with a maniple of the taglio filipino, to show you a difference in size.
But I digress. Behold the tie, method.
It helps to have a server help you with this.
I have gotten pretty good at tying one by myself, but sometimes I just leave it tied.
Some people find the tying to be trying.
Thus, they opt for the less "classic" elastic band.
It ain’t elegant, but hey, it works.
This one I made a knot in to shorten it a bit. It was slipping around.
There is a brief foray into maniplology.
I encourage priests and deacons to use the maniple whenever one is available with the set of vestments you are using, regardless of which Missale Romanum you are using. The maniple is not obligatory in the Novus Ordo, but neither is it forbidden.
My practice is simple. If the maniple is available, I put it on. If it isn’t, no big deal. But if they are available, I really think they ought to be used. First, that completes the set as the set was intended to be used. Second, it provides continuity. Third, it is thought provoking. Maniples took on their own meaning, apart from the rather practical aetiology.
When the priest puts on the mainple, he would recite the prayer:
Merear, Domine, portare manipulum fletus et doloris; ut cum exsultatione recipiam mercedem laboris. Grant, O Lord, that I may bear the maniple of weeping and sorrow, so that I may receive the reward for my labors with rejoicing.
If someone should think that the priesthood is a bed of roses, he might reflect on this prayer.
So, in regard to maniples, if you are in Holy Orders…
I know that you recieve lots of emails, but would you be so kind as to respond to my email whose subject is Novus Ordo question? I need to begin making preparations. Thank you for this wonderful blog and all the other work that you do.
Comment by WDPRSer — 11 May 2008 @ 12:38 pm:-) Good post. Gotta love the maniple. Some of mine from Rome have ties, one of mine has elastic (which I don’t like or use), and with all the others I use a pin.
But a binder clip? Yikes!
Comment by Fr. A — 11 May 2008 @ 12:45 pmI have re-invented the wheel.
I have a complete set for red only, and so when saying the OF Vigil Mass of Pentecost yesterday evening and the elastic was slipping a bit I knew I had to do something. Today I figured out that before the invention of elastic and vulcanised rubber these things had to have been tied on in a similar fashion to the Roman chasuble.
Thanks for posting these pics, they are exactly what I had visualised.
Comment by Fr Ă“ Buaidhe — 11 May 2008 @ 12:59 pmI think Fr Z has joined coined another Zuhlsdorfie-ism!
“Tie one on”
Although I do like to say: “NO MANIPLE - NO MASS!” I just wonder whether it will be rather confusing to see some priests using a maniple for the Novus Ordo, whilst the majority won’t. Uniformity might be a bit better here.
Comment by Ottaviani — 11 May 2008 @ 1:07 pmAs Psalm 125 states, “Venientes autem venient cum exsultatione, portantes manipulos suos.”
That is, “but coming they shall come with joyfulness, wearing their maniples,” right Fr Z?
Comment by Tomás LĂłpez — 11 May 2008 @ 1:34 pmFather:
Is it ever licit for a Deacon, who has also received Holy Orders, either transitional or permanent, to wear a maniple?
Comment by Ed Casey — 11 May 2008 @ 1:55 pmFr. Z are you saying a permanent Deacon can wear the maniple? What else?
Comment by Matt — 11 May 2008 @ 2:01 pmThe maniple imposes a degree of care and concentration, otherwise it becomes the vestment specifically designed to knock over chalices!
Comment by flabellum — 11 May 2008 @ 2:03 pmOn a related subject…Father, I noticed a priest removed the maniple when he came to the ambo for the readings in English and the sermon(he puts in back on when he returns to the altar for the Credo). When I asked him about it, he said it was not a rule but simply a tradition that had been passed on to him.
Have you ever seen/heard of this?
More on point, what the matter with Velcro?
Comment by Former Altar Boy — 11 May 2008 @ 2:06 pmEd,
The Maniple is to be worn by Sub-Deacon, Deacon and Priest as part of the proper vestments for Mass – and for Mass alone – in the Traditional form of the Liturgy. The Deacon additionally wears a Stole (diagonally), whilst the Priest wears his crossed at the front.
The Maniple is not worn outside of Mass and hence is put on after the Asperges (when preceding the principal Sunday Mass), removed whilst preaching and for prayers after Mass such as the Prayers for Russia (Leonine Prayers) after Low Mass, or if a Te Deum or similar follows Mass.
In the Novus Ordo the Maniple is optional, but if worn it must be in accordance with the rules as above.
Nobody below the rank of Sub-Deacon is entitled to the Maniple.
Comment by Vernon — 11 May 2008 @ 2:21 pmFormer Altar Boy:
Our FSSP Priest does this every time he gives a sermon.
Comment by Mark M — 11 May 2008 @ 2:23 pmTomás López: As Psalm 125 states, “... but coming they shall come with joyfulness, wearing their maniples,” right Fr Z?
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Of course this is immediately followed by Luke 10:
Dignus est enim operarius mercede sua … A worker (in this case the priest celebrant with the maniple) is worthy of his Mercedes.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 11 May 2008 @ 2:52 pmEd Casey: While I do not intend to get into this too deeply, yes, if a man is ordained a deacon (Holy Orders) he can wear the maniple, just as deacons could in the old days.
We are simply not going even to entertain the weird idea that men who weren’t ordained literally as subdeacons cannot thus wear a maniple. That’s just dopey. I will simply cancel comments arguing to that effect as a waste of our time.
If you are in Holy Orders, you can wear the maniple when appropriate.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 11 May 2008 @ 2:59 pmThe maniple is removed and laid across the page of the Missal before the priest goes to the ambo, because this signifies a break in the liturgical action. The reading of the Epistle and Tthe Gospel is an indult, and therefore, one does not sign oneself when the Gospel is read from the ambo.
Comment by mike c — 11 May 2008 @ 3:14 pmWearing the maniple while celebrating TrueMass is required. I recall one former FSSP District Supervisor who refused to wear it. Once at a carmel in California, the sister sexton who had laid out the vestments so carefully was horrified when he started to leave the sacristy without the maniple. He said, “Don’ you worry about it. Il ne faut pas necessaire.” When one of his priests refused to wear it in NJ, this same supervisor (sounds like a water company employee, no?) made the excuse that the priest was clumsy, because he was morbidly obese. That being the case, he should never been ordained because it presages other things.
Former: I noticed a priest removed the maniple when he came to the ambo for the readings in English and the sermon (he puts in back on when he returns to the altar for the Credo). ... Have you ever seen/heard of this?
Seen, heard and have in the past done it.
However, I would caution that it probably shouldn’t be done. In the 1962 reprint edition of Fortescque-O’Connell says in a footnote: “If the celebrant himself preaches, he may do so at the altar at the Gospel side or he may go to the pulpit (conducted there by the M.C.). He does not take off his maniple or chasuble….”
I have seen priests today removing their maniples and chasubles and preaching wearing their biretta, which seems a bit on the antique side.
That said, I consulted Trimeloni, who differs from the above! Trimeloni says, in Italian, “If the Celebrant should want to preach without pianeta (chasuble) and maniple, this is regulated according to the following…” There follows a description of the priest going back to the sedillia and removing both and then going to preach.
What is to note here is that it is not obligatory to take those things off. According to Trimeloni the priest may.
What I take form this is that we can be a little flexible.
More on point, what the matter with Velcro?
Surely you don’t really need to ask.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 11 May 2008 @ 3:14 pmDear Fr Z,
Thanks for your great post and comments -informative and interesting.
Comment by vexilla regis — 11 May 2008 @ 4:05 pmReverend Father:
I believe you left out one way of attaching the maniple. See the bold portion below of the excerpt from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
Comment by J.R. Benedict — 11 May 2008 @ 5:24 pmIn all the vestment sets we have our EF mass all the maniple have been fixed with the less “classic” elastic band—it works very well—all the priest who uses them perfer the elastic
Comment by Dennis — 11 May 2008 @ 5:30 pmThank you for this post, Father. It sounds like I might be able to start a business fabricating liturgical stick pins. I was thinking something similar to those used on the pallium. The first step will, of course, involve getting a Latin name for the device.
Comment by Eric — 11 May 2008 @ 7:28 pmDear Fr Z:
Our Priest was ordained in 1955 and kept vestments he used from then until when we were allowed to and started the indult TLM in 1988. His maniples are attached on him by the MC using a pin, or there is a button hole on the maniple which the MC fastens to a button on the alb when Father vests after the Asperges or Vidi Aquam. Some appear to have a snap just under the arm for eary fastening.
The Priest, Deacon and Sub-Deacon of course all wear maniples during a Solumn mass. (We don’t have any permanent Deacons.)
For some time, Father has received fantastically beautiful new vestments (some Fiddleback, some Roman, some Gothic) made by a parish lady who is an accomplished seamstress. Thanks be to God for her work.
Apparently Fr. prefers the pinned maniples.
Each to his own (?), unless there is a standard.
Just which Priests would wear them in the NO even thought they are optional
Deo Gratias
Comment by Gil Ferguson — 11 May 2008 @ 7:36 pmGil Ferguson
Regarding ways to keep the maniple on: Many months ago our chaplaincy ordered a complete set of vestments for the liturgical year from Chagall Designs, Gothic style, with a beautiful brocade pattern on them. At the same time, we asked them to provide maniples, which they did, rather ample ones. Unfortunately the velcro squares inside held the maniple together in a way that was not sufficiently tight on the arm. So a seamstress in our congregation inserted a metal snap at the appropriate place inside the maniple. The fit is snug and the fastening device works well. I do not know if this is too “modern” but it sure works well.
Comment by Peter Kwasniewski — 11 May 2008 @ 9:29 pmOccasionally I run into a maniple that has a little band connecting
the two sides (sort of like that band that connects the two sides
of a deacon’s stole. What I have never figured out