antependium
Sign in to savethumb|right|250px|The altar in St Mary's Anglican Church, Redcliffe, Bristol, England. It is decorated with an elaborate frontal in green, a colour typically associated with the seasons after Epiphany and [[Pentecost.]] An antependium (from Latin ante- and pendēre, "to hang before"; : antependia), also known as a pulpit fall, parament or hanging, or, when speaking specifically of the hanging for the altar, an altar frontal (Latin: pallium altaris), is a decorative piece, usually of textile, but also metalwork, stone or other material, that can adorn a Christian altar. It may also apply to the
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Types of ''antependia''
- Western Christianity
- Eastern Christianity
- Construction
- Colours
- Notable examples
- References
- External links
thumb|right|250px|The altar in St Mary's Anglican Church, Redcliffe, Bristol, England. It is decorated with an elaborate frontal in green, a colour typically associated with the seasons after Epiphany and [[Pentecost.]] An antependium (from Latin ante- and pendēre, "to hang before"; : antependia), also known as a pulpit fall, parament or hanging, or, when speaking specifically of the hanging for the altar, an altar frontal (Latin: pallium altaris), is a decorative piece, usually of textile, but also metalwork, stone or other material, that can adorn a Christian altar. It may also apply to the ornamental bookmarks used on some lecterns.
Antependium can also be used to describe the decorated front of the altar itself, especially if it is in an inflexible material such as wood, stone or metal.