Lavabo
A lavabo is a device used to provide water for the washing of hands. It consists normally of a
Ablutions before Christian prayer and worship
Churches from the time of Constantine the Great were built with an exonarthex that included a fountain known as a cantharus, where Christians would wash their hands, face and feet before entering the worship space.[1][2][3] The practice of ablutions before prayer and worship in Christianity symbolizes "separation form sins of the spirit and surrender to the Lord."[2] Canthari continue to be used in some Orthodox churches, where worshippers also remove their shoes before entering into the presence of God.[1]
In many early and medieval
Ecclesiastical usage
The name lavabo ("I shall wash" in Latin) is derived from the words of
In the third century there are traces of a custom of washing the hands as a preparation for prayer on the part of all Christians; and from the fourth century onwards it appears to have been usual for the ministers at the
Communion Service [liturgy of the Eucharist] ceremonially to wash their hands before the more solemn part of the service as a symbol of inward purity.[4]
In most liturgical traditions, the priest washes his hands after
Western Rite
In the
At High Mass (or sung Mass), in the older rite, and in the more solemn forms available in the newer version, after the offertory, the celebrant incenses the altar and is then incensed himself at the Epistle side (south side of the altar), he remains there while his hands are washed by the acolytes, who ought to be waiting by the credence table. The first acolyte pours water from the cruet over his fingers into a little dish, the second then hands him the towel to dry the fingers. Meanwhile, in the 1962 rubrics he says the psalm verses: "I will wash my hands among the innocent...", to the end of the psalm (Psalm 25: 6-12 in the Vulgate, which is Psalm 26: 6-12 in the Hebrew). In the newer Mass the celebrant says the prayer: "Lord, wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin" (Psalm 50:2, Psalm 51:2 in the Hebrew).
A bishop at high Mass wears the "precious" mitre (mitra pretiosa) while he is censed and then washes his hands. A larger silver basin and cruet are generally used for a bishop, though there is no official requirement for this.
For the lavabo, the priest will use a simple
Eastern Rites
In the
I will wash my hands in innocence and I will compass Thine altar, O Lord, that I may hear the voice of Thy praise and tell of all Thy wondrous works. O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth. Destroy not my soul with the ungodly, nor my life with men of blood, in whose hands are iniquities; their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, in mine innocence have I walked; redeem me, O Lord, and have mercy on me. My foot hath stood in uprightness; in the congregations will I bless Thee, O Lord.
After vesting, he goes to the
Saint
Just before the
The clergy will also wash their hands after receiving Holy Communion, but this is not accompanied by special prayers.
In the Syriac and Coptic rites, the lavabo takes place after the recitation of the Nicene Creed.
Secular usage
Though ecclesiastical lavabos are ordinarily of metal, a familiar lavabo consists of a
The lavabo may be considered the forerunner of the modern sink. In several European languages (French, Italian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Turkish), lavabo is the modern word for sink or washbasin.
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4411-6767-5.
It was probably out of the Jewish rite that the practice developed among early Christians, especially in the east, of washing their hands and feet before going into church. Early Christian basilicas had a fountain for ablutions, known as cantharus or phiala, and usually placed in the centre of the atrium. They are still found in some Eastern Orthodox churches, notably at the monastery of Laura at Mount Athos, where the phiala is an imposing structure in front of the entrance covered by a dome resting on eight pillars. In several Orthodox churches today worshippers take off heir shoes and wash their feet before entering the church just as Muslims do before going into a mosque.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-136-61158-2.
- ^ Soloviĭ, Meletiĭ M. (1970). Eastern Liturgical Theology: General Introduction. Ukrainian Catholic Religion and Culture Society of Etobicoke (Toronto) and Ukrainian Catholic Youth of Canada. p. 68.
In the Book of Exodus (30, 18-20) Aaron and his sons were required to wash before approaching the altar . Here water is used as a symbol of purification and expiation. But water is also the most common and most indispensable drink. ... So much was the practice a part of the life of the early Church, that in the period after Constantine the "cantharus", or water fountain, became a standard fixture in the courtyard before the basilica to permit the faithful to purify themselves before entering the presence of God.
- ^ Report of the Royal Commission on Ecclesiastical Discipline (Church of England) 1906
- ^ Duchesne, Louis, Origines du Culte chretien (Paris, 1898), 167, 443.
- The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. IX, New York: Robert Appleton Company, retrieved 2008-01-14
External links
- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Ecclesiastical Use of Basins". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. .
- Ordinary of the Mass, 1970 Latin text with 1973 English translation, rubrics in English only