Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A decorative hanging for the front of an altar, lectern, or pulpit.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The hanging by which the front of an altar is covered; one of the kinds of frontal.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Eccl.) The hangings or screen in front of the altar; an altar cloth; the frontal.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun ecclesiastical The
hangings or screen in front of the altar; an altar cloth; thefrontal .
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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Here, however, is an example of a mediaeval Norwegian antependium, which is painted upon wood.
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(The dalmatic from the new set) (Take note of the antependium -- or altar frontal -- where the design may also be seen)
Revival in the Traditional Liturgical Arts on Display in Nantes 2009
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It was a parishioner who made the green vestment set and antependium (altar frontal) in two of the pictures below.
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The only two other thoughts I would add are that a simple form of white altar cloth would be best and if coloured aspects in the liturgical colour of the day are sought after, I would recommend the use of an antependium.
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For the modern Roman liturgy, Fr. Woolley not only has kept the presence of the antependium on his altar, but he also recently added "Benedictine" arrangement, which is an important aspect of beginning the project of re-orienting typical parish liturgies.
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There is no question that there are a variety of important factors, particularly here in the project we have been considering, but to even the playing field, I'd like to ask you to consider two photographs that show this same altar and sanctuary in its revised, "after" state; the one showing the altar without the antependium, and the other showing it with the antependium.
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And an antependium of Alexander VII (1655 - 1667):
Spectacular Vestments from the Treasury of St. John Lateran 2009
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The astute viewer will note the table with palms veiled in white and the temporary ambo with red antependium for the reading of the first Gospel -- unfortunately, the sedilla with the violet chasuble for the Mass itself is not visible in the picture.
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In other words, both sanctuaries show the same altar with all the other benefits in place; all but the antependium.
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Note the ICXC NIKA ( "Jesus Christ Conquers") Christogram on the antependium, something frequently seen in the Eastern Church and which Fortescue also adopted
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