Asacristy, also known as avestry orpreparation room, is a room inChristian churches for the keeping ofvestments (such as thealb andchasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.[1][2]
The sacristy is usually located inside thechurch, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building (as in somemonasteries). In most older churches, a sacristy is near aside altar, or more usually behind or on a side of themain altar.[citation needed]
In newer churches the sacristy is often in another location, such as near the entrances to the church. Some churches have more than one sacristy, each of which will have a specific function. Often additional sacristies are used for maintaining the church and its items, such as candles and other materials.[citation needed]
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The sacristy is also where thepriest and attendants vest and prepare before theservice. They will return there at the end of the service to remove theirvestments and put away any of the vessels used during the service. Thehangings andaltar linens are stored there as well. Theparish registers may be kept in the sacristy and are administered by the parishclerk.[citation needed]
Sacristies usually contain a special wash basin, called apiscina, the drain of which is properly called a "sacrarium" in which the drain flows directly into the ground to prevent sacred items such as used baptismal water from being washed into the sewers or septic tanks. The piscina is used to wash linens used during the celebration of theMass andpurificators used duringHoly Communion. Thecruets,chalice,ciborium,paten, altar linens and sometimes theHoly Oils are kept inside the sacristy. Sacristies are usually off limits to the general public. The word "sacristy" derives from the Latinsacristia, sometimes spelledsacrastia, which is in turn derived fromsacrista ("sexton, sacristan"), fromsacra ("holy").[3][4]
A person in charge of the sacristy and its contents is called asacrist or asacristan. The latter name was formerly given to thesexton of aparish church, where he would have cared for these things, the fabric of the building and the grounds.[5]
In theMoravian Church, in addition to storing vestments and other vessels, the preparation room is where theLovefeast is made ready for distribution to the congregation.[2]
InEastern Christianity, the functions of the sacristy are fulfilled by theDiaconicon and theProthesis, two rooms or areas adjacent to the Holy Table (altar).
Work on finding the so-called "lost medieval sacristy of Henry III" atWestminster Abbey during an episode of the archaeological television programmeTime Team revealed that the abbey originally had two separate sacristies. As well as a conventional sacristy for storage of ceremonial vessels such as the chalice and paten, the second, described in a 15th-century document as the "galilee of the sacristy" was determined to have been used for the robing and formation of theprocession.[6] Work is planned to rebuild the demolished processional sacristy as an entry route for tourists and visitors to Westminster Abbey.
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