 An amice | |
| Type | Liturgicalvestment |
|---|---|
Theamice is a liturgicalvestment used mainly in the Roman Catholic church, Western Orthodox church,Lutheran church, and someAnglican,Armenian, and Polish National Catholic churches.
The amice consists of a white cloth connected to two long ribbon-like attachments by which it is fastened. The garment is draped over the shoulders with the ribbons crossed over the chest, brought around to the back, and then brought forward again to be tied in front around the waist. The results can vary from being tight around the neck to leaving a deep v-neck opening.Before the liturgical reforms of 1972, its use was mandatory for all Roman CatholicMasses, but it is only required today if thealb does not cover thepriest's ordinary clothing. Many priests choose to wear the amice for reasons of tradition or to prevent damage to their othervestments due to perspiration.
Certain mendicant orders, such as the Dominicans and Franciscans, and some other orders with hooded habits, often donned the amice over the raised hood. The priest, or minister, then fastened the ribbons – crossed at the chest – behind his chest. The alb was donned over the hood and amice, and fastened. The hood/amice could then be retracted neatly around the collar.
In several Mediaeval uses, such as theSarum Rite, the amice bore a broad stiff band of brocade or other decoration, giving the impression of a high collar. These were calledapparelled amices. This practice was abandoned at Rome at about the end of the 15th century,[1] but continued in other parts of Europe until much later. By 1907, however, the practice was no longer tolerated in Roman Catholic liturgy, but still exists within manyAnglican communities and in theLutheranChurch of Sweden.[2][3]
This collar-like amice spread to theArmenian Church where is retained as a normal part of the priestly vestments among theArmenian Orthodox.
AmongByzantine Catholics of the Ruthenian tradition, the amice(naplečnik) was long used underLatin influence, allegedly even before the Unia was formally signed,[4] but it fell out of practice after theSecond Vatican Council, when Latinized vesting customs were abandoned.[5]
While donning the amice, the priest first drapes the amice over his head (as with a hood), then lowers it to his neck, tying it around his torso. During this action he prays a short prayer:
"Impone, Domine, capiti meo galeam salutis, ad expugnandos diabolicos incursus" (Place upon me, O Lord, the helmet of salvation, that I may overcome the assaults of the devil).
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