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Manuterge is the name given by theRoman Catholic Church to the towel used by the priest when engaged liturgically.[1]
There are two kinds of manuterges. One serves the needs of thesacristy. The priest uses this at the washing of hands before mass, before distributing Communion outside ofMass, and before administeringbaptism. It can also be used for drying the hands after they have been washed on occasions not prescribed by the rubrics, but still customary after Mass. There are no prescriptions as to material and form for the towel used in thesacristy. It is usual to have it hanging over a roller, the two ends being sewn together so as to make it into a circular band. The custom of washing the hands before Mass may date fromEarly Christian tradition since the ceremony is expressly mentioned in the sacramentaries of the ninth and tenth centuries.
The other manuterge is used in the Mass for drying both the hands at theLavabo, an action performed by the priest after the Offertory as he recites the psalm, "Lavabo", and also by the bishop before theOffertory and after theCommunion. It is kept on thecredence table with the finger-bowl andcruets. There are no ecclesiastical regulations regarding the form and material of this manuterge. The towel, which is used after the Offertory during the recital of the psalm "Lavabo", is usually small (18 in. by 14 in.), only the points of the thumb and two fingers, and not the whole hand, being usually washed. It usually has lace or embroidery at the ends.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Manuterge".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.