Sacred Vestment - The Amice

Every action and symbol that the Church uses in her Liturgy has great biblical, historical, and traditional meaning. What the priest says and does during Mass is precise and rooted in centuries of Tradition. What the priest wears during Mass is also of great importance. 

The sacred vestments used by a priest in offering the Mass are: The Amice, Alb, Cincture, Maniple, Stole, and Chasuble.

This post is the first of a series of six posts to address the significance of these Sacred Vestments. Lets first take a look at the Amice:

"The Amice, so called from the Latin amicire, to clothe or cover, is a rectangular piece of linen about three feet long and two feet wide. It has a string at each of its two upper corners by which to fasten it on the shoulders of the wearer, and a cross in the middle of the upper edge, which the priest kisses when vesting.

From the office which the Amice serves various names have been given it, such as Humeral, from the Latin humerus; a shoulder; Anabolagium, from the Greek ἀναβολή (anabole), a cloak; and Ephod, from its resemblance to the Aaronic garment of that name."

"Mystical Meaning of the Amice.—The mystical meaning of the Amice may be gathered from the prayer recited in donning it: “Place upon my head, O Lord! the helmet of salvation for repelling the attacks of the evil one.” It is, then, part of the armor of a soldier of Christ, and serves to remind the priest of the obligation he is under of being ready at all times to fight the good fight of faith in accordance with that sacred admonition of the Apostle of the Gentiles, “Put ye on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil.… And take unto you the helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:11–17)." 

(All of the citations above are from - O’Brien, J., 1881. A History of the Mass and Its Ceremonies in the Eastern and Western Church) 

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