>In fact, I am now wondering if they are not handkerchiefs...If not handkerchiefs, could they be challice veils? Often mistaken for handkerchiefs, they are used in the Catholic church to cover the communion cup. Typically they have a rounded centre, rather than square, of very fine material with quite deep lace edging. I suppose they would also have to be washable - the wine would be bound to spill >sometimes!Bridget, in Pinner I am Episcopalian, not Roman Catholic, but was very active on altar guild in my younger days and if memory serves me, the alter was set with the chalice(cup), paten(plate), napkin, a 6" square cloth covered cardboard (pall?), veil. The napkin was fine linen - no lace. The veil was heavy stiff cloth, and large enough to touch top of altar table. The chalice server used the napkin to wipe the lip of the cup after each person sipped from it. At the end of service the priest would drink all remaining wine in cup and wipe it out with the napkin which was left balled up in the cup when it was stacked and covered. When the guild member took the napkin home to wash, it was first soaked in water to remove the wine and then the soaking water was poured onto plants, never down a drain as the water contained "Blessed wine = blood of the Lord" A pall is usually a cloth covering a casket. Originally, "Pall bearers" carried the pall, not the casket, holding it above the casket. I was asked to be a "pall bearer" at my aunt's funeral. She had a pall on the casket and my cousin and I walked behind as the casket was wheeled to door of the chapel and then took the pall off, folded it up and carried it out. I think what you have is probably a fancy hankerchief - for "show, not blow", especially as the designs are not liturgical. Louise in Central Virginia
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