Parament Details - Group 2

Blue paraments and vestments are used for the season of Advent.    

Advent is the beginning season of the Christian Church year. There are four Sundays in Advent# These four weeks provide a period of preparation for the coming of Christ, culminating in the celebration of the incarnation at Christmas The Christian Church should emphasize the symbols of Advent because much of the true meaning and preparation is lost amid numerous non-Christian decorations and images

The color blue calls forth the emotion of hope 

Symbols are not always open to strict interpretation. They do

not stand for their object in the way that a group of letters

stands for a word; but more like the way a word stands for an

idea, open to shades of meaning. A religious symbol is meant

to suggest rather than define; and these paraaents are meant

to be

.pondered and meditated upon rather than to be read.

They can suggest different ideas depending on the season of

the church year, the particular festival being celebrated,

the propers for the day, and the mood of the worshippers.

With this in mind, here are some basic explanations that

anyone can use to begin his own meditations on these paraments.

The green set of paraments is used for the following seasons:

the Epiphany Season an

-

istic Meal. Thus, this parament speaks of "Christ the Nourlsher in the Sacrament of the Altar". One also thinks of the

Our Pather, "Give us this day our dally bread.".

The lectern antependlum depicts the monogram for Jesus Christ

surrounded by wheat. IHC are the first three letters of the

Greek name for Jesus, IHCOYC. Again, we see the circle,

representing the Eucharistic meal and the Bread of Life.(Mark 14:22

The pastor Vs stoles show the stalk of wheat and the three crosses,

the equilateral triangle and the triquetra. The crosses rep

resent Calvary and the equilateral triangle is one of the oldest -

representations of the Trinity. The Triquetra is designed with

three equal arcs that are Interwoven so that they have a

tinuous flow.

The three arcs express equality; the Interwoven conpattern expresses indivisibility; the continuous movement

expresses eternallty. It suggests the Divine Unity.

The word SYMBOL is of Greek origin meaning TO PUT TOGETHER,

TO JOIN or TO COMBINE* In the Christian Community symbols

can be such things as visual images or words that have been

Joined to deep spiritual meanings.

Jesus used symbolism. He used symbolic Images such as the

Good Shepherd, the Door, the Vine and the Light; symbolic

actions such as washing the disciples* feet and entering into

Jerusalem; symbolic numbers such as seventy times seven; and

symbolic objects such as bread and wine*

Symbols are a rich treasury of the Christian message. By

using symbols intelligently, we have a meaningful and vivid

communication of the Gospel*

The red set of paraments are used for the following days:

Pentecost Day, Reformation Day, Saints and Martyrs Days.

The Altar frontal shows the most familiar representation of

to thethis Holysymbol Spiritis- found The Descending in the baptism Dove* ofBiblical Jesus(reference Matt.3:l6).

The dove should be white and have a nimbus(a circle) coming

from its head or beak* This is a symbol of a member of the

Trinity and distingulshes the image from the dove of peace,

a symbol used by numerous non-Christian groups* The Holy

Spirit is the Christian dove of peace.

The pulpit antependlum shows the Crown and Cross* These

symbolize the reward of the faithful in the life after death

to those who believe

with the Holy Spirit. The seven flames signify the seven gifts

of- the Spirit*

 The purple set of paraments is used for the season of Lent.    The purple or violet color indicates a penitential period.  

The words "Lord, be my consolation", found on the Altar  frontal, come from the third verse of the hymn, "0 Sacred  Head, New Wounded".(LBW P. 116)  Lord, be my consolation,  Shield me when I must die;  Remind me of thy Passion  When my last hour draws nigh.  These eyes, new faith receiving.  From thee shall never move;  For he who dies believing  Dies safely in thy love.  The cross and winding sheet symbolize the descent from the cross.  The winding sheet, which is also called a shroud, is a cloth in  which a corpse is wrapped for burial. This symbol represents  the period beginning with the disciples removing the body of  Jesus unitl the resurrection. Sometimes a ladder is shown  leaning against the cross.

 The the IGreek H S are spelling the first of Jesus three . letters (lota, eta, sigma) of  The pulpit antependlum shows a stylized cross and crown of  thorns. This is the symbol of our Lordfs passion. The lectern  antependlum depicts a Greek cross with four small crosses.  It is known as a Cross Cantonnee 1 and suggests the five wounds  of Christ; the four small crosses, the wounds in his hands and  feet, and the larger one, the wound in his side.  One of the pastor*s stoles shows the chalice and oross. This  symbolizes Christ #s agony in Gethsemane recalling the words of  Jesus in His prayer as recorded in Luke 22:42.  The other pastor #s stole shows the fish. This was a secret  sign used by the early persecuted Christians to designate  themselves as believers in Jesus. The initial letters of the  Greek words for "Jesus Christ, Godfs Son, Savior" spell the  Greek word for fish.