Stole

German stole, late 13th - early 14th century, Tablet-woven in silk and gold, with bead embroidery and painted motif on silk lined with parchment or leather. German stole, late 13th - early 14th century, Tablet-woven in silk and gold, with bead embroidery and painted motif on silk lined with parchment or leather. Copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc. no. 8588-1863.

A stole (also known as the orarium) is the name of a Christian liturgical vestment in the western Churches. The term derives from Latin stola, in the meaning of equipment, array, clothing. A stole consists of a long band of cloth that is about 250 x 10 cm in size, whose ends may be straight or broaden out.

The ground colour of a stole may vary according to the Christian liturgical calendar. The stole is usually decorated in some manner, often with embroidery. The centre of the stole is worn at the back of the neck, with the two ends hanging down in parallel lines down the front of the wearer or crossing over at chest level.

 The term stole became popular by the twelfth century. By the sixteenth century, the stole had become the characteristic vestment of bishops, priests and deacons. By the late eighteenth century, its ends received spade-like ends, and this shape continued well into the nineteenth century. Normally a stole is decorated with one cross, at the back of the neck.

Within the Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches, the stole worn by a deacon is called an orarion, while those worn by priests or bishops are called an epitrachelion.

See also orphrey.

Sources:

  • BAILEY, Sarah (2013),  Clerical Vestments, Shire Library, Oxford, pp. 25-27.
  • INNEMÉE, Karel (1992). Ecclesiastical Dress in the Medieval Near East, Leiden: Brill.
  • Shorter Oxford English Dictionary: 'Stole'.

V&A online catalogue (retrieved 12 March 2017).

GVE

Last modified on Sunday, 12 March 2017 10:29
More in this category: « Orphrey Hassock »