Lentorama 2013: There's a Name for That

Day 6: flabellum

As originally used in pre-Christian and early Christian times, this was a simple fan used to keep insects away from things (in this case, the Eucharist). As time moved one, they were more often made of feathers (peacock and ostrich became common), and would later include covers like umbrellas or canopies used primarily to indicate high rank or status.

Their use in either context faded out by the early 20th century. Some Eastern Orthodox churches use a metal version in some instances.