Surplices and cottas, undated

File — Box: 105, Item: 1-4

Scope and Contents

From the Sub-Series:

Everyday textiles for priests and other religious.

Dates

Creation: undated

Creator

From the Collection: Leonard, William J. (1908-2000) (Compiler, Person)

Language of Materials

From the Collection:

This collection is mostly in English, with some materials in French, German, Italian, Latin, Lithuanian, Polish, Slovenian, and Spanish.

Access Note

Collection is open for research.

Definition and use

A surplice is a white knee-length tunic made from linen or cotton, worn over a cassock in the choir. Prelates wear a rochet in place of a surplice.

A cotta looks similar to a surplice but only falls to the waist. Historically, it was worn in place of a surplice in the summer, or over a rochet; now it is usually only worn by altar servers over their cassocks.

Sources:

Braun, Joseph. "Surplice." In The Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company, 1912. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14343d.htm.

Lo Bello, Anthony. The Origins of Catholic Words: A Discursive Dictionary. Catholic University of America Press, 2020. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvx077ht.5.