Lentorama 2013: There's a Name for That

Day 13: chasuble

This is the outermost garment worn by a priest during mass or other services. It's a longish covering that, in its most common form, covers the front and back of the wearer and runs almost to the ground, while the sides are more open, allowing for reasonably unrestricted arm movement.

There's apparently been some conflict over the shape and decoration of the chasuble over time, with earlier versions having more material on the sides that required draping to give the arms room to move, while a smaller version was in vogue for a while. Someone finally figured out early in the 20th century that, rather than banning the use of certain forms, the decision on what sort of chasuble to wear would be made locally. Which seems like a good idea for most of what the church does, if we're being honest.