Capes and Bows: Historic Variations on Altar Server Dress
Generally, we have come to expect altar servers in liturgically-oriented churches to be dressed in a cassock, usually black, and a surplice of either the english or roman styles. Many churches of a lower church persuasion have come to utilize albs with a cincture for their servers, often in the form of the much dreaded ‘cassock-alb’. However, particularly in precounciliar Roman Catholic churches, we can observe much more elaborate vestments. We have assembled some historical photos of these variations, which may be of some interest to the reader.
Shoulder Capes.
In particular, we see shoulder capes or ‘pelligrinas’. These seemed most prevalent in Germany, Poland, and Czechia, but could be found as widely as New Zealand and the United States. A few distinct styles are examined below.
We should note that many of these images are from a website entitled ‘Memory of Nations’, which states its purpose as recording memories of victims of nazism and communism in Europe. Links and names are provided with the photos, so if interested one can read these young boy’s stories).
SCALLOPED “BAT-WING” PELLIGRINA (SHOULDER-CAPE) WITH GOLD EDGING - POLAND & CZECHIA
Photo 1- Purportedly a very young Karol Wojtyla and other altar boys, with a priest. This would have been in 1930s Poland. https://epicpew.com/little-known-facts-john-paul-ii/
Photo 2- A young boy (Alois Sassman) from the Czech Republic, c.1969. https://www.memoryofnations.eu/en/sassmann-alois-1961
SMALL PELLIGRINA WITH GOLD EDGING - CZECHIA
Photo 1- Altar boys in Czechia, including one Bedřich Hanauer. This photo was likely taken in the late 1930s or into the 1940s. https://www.memoryofnations.eu/en/hanauer-bedrich-1943
Photo 2- Two more Czech altar boys, pictured in 1965. On the right is a Pavel Záleský. https://www.memoryofnations.eu/en/zalesky-pavel-1955
LARGE OPEN-FRONT PELLIGRINAS
Photo 1- Altar boys in Buffalo, NY, c.1910.
Photo 2- Altar boys in New Zealand, probably in the 1940s.
2. Black Satin Bows, Often With Linen Collars
An old custom for both choir boys and altar servers was the use of a large black satin bows affixed to either the front of the surplice or starched white collars. Most photos of these bows seem to be of choir boys, but we have firsthand accounts of them being used by altar servers as well.
Photo 1- sizable bows pinned to surplices. Time and date unknown, all credit to original source. (Please let us know if you are the owner of this image using the contact us link).
Photo 2- a shorter bow, of the collar-attached sort. This altar/choir boy is a Mr. Kelly Brown, photo taken c.1915 in the US. https://georgetowner.com/articles/2022/05/09/mapping-georgetown-14/
Photo 3- More short bows. Time and date unknown, all credit to original source. (Please let us know if you are the owner of this image using the contact us link).
Photo 4- much longer bows. Time and date unknown, all credit to original source. (Please let us know if you are the owner of this image using the contact us link).
3. Sashes & Fascia
In the current understanding, the sash for the cassock- properly called a Fascia- is reserved to those who use the cassock outside of the liturgy, IE seminarians and clergy. However, we see historical examples of altar servers wearing this piece of clerical clothing (it is not properly a vestment).
The argument for this practice is that the liturgical function of an altar server is as a substitute for the Instituted Acolyte, which used to be a clerical post. It is because of this that altar servers can wear the cassock and surplice, which are in themselves ordinarily reserved for clerics and seminarians. Although not the typical custom, this reasoning could be perhaps extended to fascia and even the biretta.
In the Anglican tradition, the position of Instituted Acolyte does not exist, and non-instituted servers are often known as Acolytes. For that reason, it may be acceptable for Anglican Acolytes to don fascia if deemed necessary.
FASCIA, CONTRASTING WITH CASSOCK
Photo 1- An altar boy wearing a white fascia with a black cassock at a procession in Madrid in 1953. Photo originally by Henri Cartier-Bresson.
Photo 2- Lithuanian-American altar boys (Joe and Leonard Naumovich, Jr) in Springfield Illinois (US) c.1932. Black fascia with white cassocks and black pelligrinas.
Photo 3- A black fascia of the old choir type, ending in tassels or ‘fiocchi’, worn by an unidentified altar boy. https://histclo.com/act/rel/altar/altara.html
LARGE APRON-STYLE SASH
A large apron-like sash being worn in Belgium c.1939-41 by Herman Wijns, a devout boy who’s life was tragically cut short. This is the only photo we have seen of this style vestment. It may have been to protect the surplice from the smoke and charcoal of the thurible, but that is simply conjecture on our part.
UNIQUE SASHES
We return to an earlier photo, this time to look at the unique sashes. Time and date unknown, all credit to original source. (Please let us know if you are the owner of this image using the contact us link).
4. Skullcaps (Zuchettos)
To be added soon.
Conclusion
We will conclude by saying that none of these vestments are necessary or even recommended. Nonetheless, they are interesting and deserve to be highlighted.
If the reader has enjoyed this post, they may be interested in this internet article from ‘Historical Boy’s Clothing’. https://histclo.com/act/rel/altar/altara.html
