Dalmatic

The dalmatic (from Latin dalmaticus, dalmat ( in ) ish '; Latin vestis dalmatica " originating from Dalmatia robe ") is a liturgical garment of the Christian churches and the official dress of a deacon. On festive occasions they can be worn by the bishop under the chasuble.

History

The dalmatic owes its name to the origin. In the second century it was introduced from Dalmatia and supported by the high society in Rome as profane outer garment. The white dalmatic was decorated by two parallel, longitudinal red stripes, called clavi. This jewelry was also found at the wide-cut sleeves. These tunics were usually made ​​of linen or wool Dalmatian.

From the fourth century the dalmatic in the West was in use as a garment of deacons. The original white robe was involved in the liturgical color canon since the 12th century. The dalmatic was executed in precious fabrics. Over time, her appearance changed further. Since the late Middle Ages it was getting shorter and shorter; This reached its peak in the Baroque period. The dalmatic was often just simply cut knee-length. The ecclesiastical robes were sumptuously embroidered at this time and therefore the substance in accordance stiff. In order to facilitate donning, sides and sleeves were slit and the sleeves indicated only by short polymer mixtures.

Presence

The deacon wears in the Holy Mass a dalmatic in each liturgical color over the alb and stole. In other services of the deacon carries no dalmatic, but the alb with stole for deacons in the usual manner, diagonally across the chest and back; about it, he can still carry a pluvial in the liturgical color. A modified form of the dalmatic is to be found in the Eastern Churches with the jackets.

Until the liturgical reforms of Pope and the other bishops contributed to every Eucharistic celebration a dalmatic under the chasuble. The Pope assistive cardinal deacons wore earlier in measuring a dalmatic instead of the chasuble; this custom, Pope Benedict XVI. resumed.

Pontifikaldalmatik

A special form is the Pontifikaldalmatik which is made ​​of a thin fabric. Originally the bishop was in the pontifical liturgical vestments all the higher orders Tunicella, dalmatic and chasuble (garment) over each other to symbolize the authority of his office. With the removal of the stage of Subdiakonats the Tunicella fell off. So the Bishop wears today only the dalmatic under the chasuble, where these can be omitted in exceptional cases and is prescribed only for acts of consecration of a bishop.