Stole (vestment)

The stole is a liturgical garment piece that is worn as a badge of office Catholic and Eastern church, partly also by Protestant clergymen of various denominations.

Shape and carrying method

The stole is approximately 2.50 m long, narrow strip of cloth. As an official badge is reserved for the holders of the relevant ecclesiastical office and prescribed in acts of worship. In the Holy Mass follows Catholics are usually stole the liturgical colors canon. Outside the fair is usually the white, the purple and used in the gift of the Sacrament of Penance at the funeral, the purple or black stole.

The stole is worn differently: Catholic Deacons wear it as a sash over the left shoulder, the other hand placed priests and bishops over both shoulders, usually under the dalmatic or chasuble ( chasuble ) over the alb and attached to the cingulum. Before the Second Vatican Council the Roman Missal certain that the priest who stole over the breast cross, while the bishop should let the ends hang down. After the Council has determined that the bishop and priest can hang the ends of the stole in the same way. Outside the celebration of Mass the stole was not previously crossed when the cincture was missing for attachment. Priests who celebrate the Mass according to the Missal of 1962, which still bear stole crossed. Eastern Orthodox deacons wear their (longer ) Stole usually freely hanging over the left shoulder, wrap it but the altar service, for practical reasons, x -shape around the chest and back. The Eastern Orthodox priest stole one puts as in the Western Church around the neck, both ends hanging uncrossed front of the chest of the wearer, often interrelated, or closed fabric with neck opening.

The stole is often richly decorated with ornaments and crosses. Sometimes it is now worn by Catholic priests over the chasuble (which is not legally permissible liturgy and the use of a so-called Mantelalbe instead of the chasuble presupposes ), so as to make the office badge believers visible. In Protestant churches, the stole - if it is used - worn just above the cassock or alb of the clergy.

Origin

The use of the stole (from the Gallic for garment, original name Orarium, in the Greek rite Orarion for the deacon or epitrachelion for the priest / pastor ) is already attested in the early Christian churches.

Even the Synod of Laodicea (372) mentions the Orarion, which was then supported by lecturers, psalm singers and Ministri. In Gaul (see also Gallican rite ) has already witnessed the episcopal stole the 6th century, the Synod of Braga (675 ) already knows the different carrying modes.

In Rome, the mode of wearing episcopal stole came only in 8/9 Century on. Previously, all wore consecration Grade ( deacon, priest and bishop ) the stole in the same way. In the 9th century, the general term Stole developed.

In the Baroque period, a shorter form of the stole was preferred, while today arrived back at the long form. The giving of the stole is one of the solemn rites of the diaconate and the priesthood.

Symbolically, the stole of the priest is considered yoke of Christ ( iugum christi ), which he wants to wear.

While in the Eastern Church the stole ( Orarion ) is sometimes worn by the lecturer, it is worn in the Roman Catholic church only of deacon, priest or bishop. One exception is the Carthusian now gets the nun in her virginal consecration by the bishop in addition to the traditional regalia, the stole, which may bear the Hebdomadarin at the lecture of the gospel during the vigil.

Stole in Protestantism

During the Reformation in the Lutheran churches remained chasubles commonly in use. The chasubles are expected to adiaphora. They are therefore not as Scripture inkonform, but not as necessary for salvation. Martin Luther himself carried to the Lord's Supper celebrations still chasubles, preaching only to the black rock of the former theological university professors. The vestments were until 1811 with the introduction of the black Talares by a cabinet order of King Friedrich Wilhelm III. stored in Prussia for a pastor in Protestant churches, judges, rabbis and royal officials. From then on he developed together with the Geneva bands regular official costume. Therefore, the black robe is unknown in many Lutheran churches outside Germany than official costume of the clergy. Even in Germany he sat down not across the board.

Today, the stole mainly in the Lutheran churches is being rediscovered as part of the liturgical clothing. For while the black robe emphasizes the teaching character especially who stole emphasizes the aspect of celebration. Due to their color, they also emphasizes the color symbolism of the liturgical year ( liturgical colors) and breaks through the sometimes perceived as rigid and dull appearance of the black Talares.

The stole can be worn in most member churches of the EKD Geneva bands with or without the robe or alb. The Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church ( SELK ) a wear Geneva bands and stole is not covered by the ecclesiastical orders over liturgical vestments. Contrast, can be worn in the SELK the stole over the alb either, the surplice, the robe, over or under the chasuble.

The right dress style is controversial even among the advocate of the stole. So there are groups who refuse to wear the stole together with Geneva bands or wearing the stole to the black gown, because it would lead her opinion to a mixture of Protestant official costume and liturgical garb. The question of whether the stole color must match the liturgical year, or whether, for example, the basic wearing a colorful "Rainbow Stole " is possible, is controversial and a matter of the applicable canon law.

Critics argue against the stole often that they do not fit the doctrine of the priesthood of all the baptized: After 1 Peter 2.9 EU, all believers are priests, so it did not need a priest in the service. Further out into the field from the Reformed side, wearing the stole was an attempt to build on the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church. On the other hand wear outside Germany, especially in the U.S., even Reformed, Baptist and Pentecostal preacher as well as all others in worship contributors ( editors, musicians, choir, etc.) the stole as a sign of engagement by the community.