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The Christ Church Shield and Banner
The banner was commissioned by Father Morgan's wife, Joyce, and family in memory of the two men who truly were brothers in Christ. Engraved around the border is the name of our church, city, state and date of organization. The symbol of the Chi Rho represents the first two letters of the word Christ in Greek reminding us that Christ is above all and the source of our community. The symbol of the chalice and communion wafer represents the Holy Sacraments, in particular the Eucharist. The Bishop’s mitre recalls our grounding in the Apostolic tradition. The book represents our emphasis on scripture and teaching and the staff reminds us that we belong to that flock that is tended by the Good Shepherd. The quilted banner was painstakingly created by Mary Kathryn Burton and Mary Catherine Williams. The project began by scaling the shield up from the 2-1/2" wide medal that has been cast as an award to deserving parishioners. This banner is approximately three feet wide and four and a half feet high. The black borders, lines and lettering are created using appliqué techniques, and the entire banner was quilted to give it the appearance of depth. The
banner is carried for important church functions and worship services. It
is also displayed at diocesan conventions and occupies a permanent place at the
front of the nave of the church.
Click here to see other Christ Church banners Labarum (Chi-Rho)Labarum is the name by which the
military standard adopted by Constantine the Great after his celebrated vision
(Lactantius, "De mortibus persecutorum", 44), was known in antiquity.
The original labarum, designed under the emperor's direction on the day
subsequent to the appearance of the "cross of light", is described by
Eusebius (Vita Constant., I:26) as "a long spear, overlaid with
gold", which with a transverse bar formed the figure of a cross. "On
the top of the whole was fixed a wreath of gold and precious stones, and within
this the symbol of the Savior's name, two letters indicating the name of
Christ by means of the initial letters, the letter X intersection P at the
centre." These two letters formed what is known as the monogram of
Constantine, so called -- not because it was the invention of this emperor, for
it had been a familiar Christian symbol prior to his conversion -- but because
of the great popularity it enjoyed from the date of its appearance on the
imperial standards. From the cross-bar of the spear, was suspended a purple
banner with the Greek inscription TOUTO NIKA -- i. e. conquer by this
(sign), usually rendered in Latin "In hoc signo vinces" (in this sign
thou shalt conquer). This banner, square in form, covered with a rich
embroidery of precious stones, and "being also richly interlaced with
gold, presented an indescribable degree of beauty to the beholder". The
part of the staff immediately above the embroidered banner was adorned with
medallions of the emperor and his children. Fifty soldiers of the imperial
guard, distinguished for bravery and piety, were entrusted with the care and
defense of the new sacred standard (Vita Constant., II:8). Standards, similar
to the original labarum in its essential features were supplied to all the
legions, and the monogram was also engraved on the soldiers' shields. An idea
of some of the deviations in form of the standards furnished to different
divisions of the army may be obtained from several coins of Constantine's reign
still preserved. On one coin, for instance, the portrait of the emperor and his
sons are represented on the banner instead of on the staff; on a second the
banner is inscribed with the monogram and surmounted by the equal-armed cross,
while the royal portraits, though on the shaft, are below instead of above the
banner. In form, the labarum of Constantine was an adaptation of the already
existing cavalry standard of the Roman army; the pagan emblems were merely
replaced by Christian symbols. The term labarum, which is of uncertain
derivation, was probably familiar in the Roman army from the reign of Hadrian. MAURICE M. HASSETT MitreForm, Material, and Use The mitre is a kind of folding-cap. It
consists of two like parts, each stiffened by a lining and rising to a peak;
these are sewn together on the sides, but are united above by a piece of
material thet can fold together. Two lappets trimmed on the ends with fringe
hang down from the back. The mitre is, theoretically, always supposed to be
white. The official "Cæremoniale Romanum" distinguishes three kinds
of mitres: the mitra pretiosa, auriphrygiata, and simplex.
The first two differ from each other only in the greater or less richness of
the ornamentation; the mitra simplex, or simple mitre, is one of white
silk or white linen entirely without ornament. The fringe on the lappets at the
back should be red. The bishop must wear the mitra pretiosa on those
days on which the hymn Te Deum is used in the Office, the mitre
auriphrygiata in the seasons of Advent and Lent, on fast days and during
penitential processions, the mitra simplex on Good Fridays, at funerals,
and at the blessing of the candles on Candlemas-day. When bishops attend a
general council, or are present at solemn pontifical acts of the pope, they
wear a plain linen mitre, while the cardinals on occasions wear a simple mitre
of silk damask. The right to wear the mitre belongs by law only to the pope,
the cardinals, and the bishops. Others require for its use a special papal
privilege. This privilege is possessed, for example, by numerous abbots, the
dignitaries of many cathedral chapters, and by certain prelates of the papal
Curia, but, as a rule, the right is more or less limited: for instance, such
prelates can only use a simple mitre of white linen, unless the contrary is
expressly granted them. The mitre is distinguished from the other Episcopal vestments in that it is always laid aside when the bishop prays; for example,
at the orationes of the Mass, of the Office, in conferring Holy Orders,
at the Canon of the Mass, etc. The reason for this is to be found in the
commandment of the Apostle that a man should pray with uncovered head (I
Corinthians 11:4). The giving of the mitre is a ceremony in the consecration of a bishop.
It occurs at the close of the Mass after the solemn final blessing, the
consecrator having first blessed the mitre. Antiquity From
the seventeenth century much has been written concerning the length of time the
mitre has been worn. According to one opinion its use extends back into the age
of the Apostles; according to another, at least as far back as the eighth or
ninth century while a further view holds that it did not appear until the
beginning of the second millennium, but that before this there was an Episcopal
ornament for the head, in form like a wreath or crown. In opposition to these
and similar opinions, which cannot all be discussed here, it is, however, to
be held as certain that an Episcopal ornament for the head in the shape of a
fillet never existed in Western Europe, that the mitre was first used at Rome
about the middle of the tenth century, and outside of Rome about the year 1000.
Exhaustive proof for this is given in the work, "Die liturgische Gewandung im Occident und Orient" (pp.
431-48), where all that has been brought forward to prove the high antiquity of
the mitre is exhaustively discussed and refuted. The mitre is depicted for the
first time in two miniatures of the beginning of the eleventh century; the one
is in a baptismal register, the other in Exultet-roll of the cathedral at Bari,
Italy. The first written mention of it is found in a Bull of Leo IX of the year
1049. In this the pope, who had formerly been Bishop of Toul, France, confirmed
the primacy of the Church of Trier to Bishop Eberhard of Trier, his former
metropolitan who had accompanied him to Rome. As a sign of this primacy, Leo
granted Bishop Eberhard the Roman mitre, in order that he might use it
according to the Roman custom in performing the offices of the church. By about
1100-50 the custom of wearing the mitre was general among bishops. Origin The pontifical mitre is of Roman origin: it is
derived from a non-liturgical head-covering distinctive of the pope, the camelaucum,
to which also the tiara is to be traced. The camelaucum was worn as early as
the beginning of the eighth century, as is shown by tho biography of Pope
Constantine I (708- 815) in the "Liber Pontificalis". The same
headcovering is also mentioned in the so-called "Donation of
Constantine". The Ninth Ordo states that the camelaucum was made of white
stuff and shaped like a helmet. The coins of Sergius III (904-11) and of
Benedict VII (974-83), on which St. Peter is portrayed wearing a camelaucum,
give the cap the form of a cone, the original shape of the mitre. The
camelaucum was worn by the pope principally during solemn processions. The
mitre developed from the camelaucum in this way: in the course of the tenth
century the pope began to wear this head-covering not merely during processions
to the church, but also during the subsequent church service. Whether any
influence was exerted by the recollection of the sacerdotal head-ornament of
the high-priest of the Old Testament is not known, but probably not--at least
there is no trace of any such influence. It was not until the mitre was
universally worn by bishops that it was called an imitation of the Jewish
sacerdotal head-ornament. Granting of the Mitre to Dignitaries other than Bishops The Roman cardinals certainly had already the
right to wear the mitre towards the end of the eleventh century. Probably they
possessed the privilege as early as in the first half of the century. For if
Leo IX granted the privilege to the cardinals of the cathedral of Besançon
(see CARDINAL: I. Cardinal Priests) in 1051, the Roman cardinals surely had it
before that date. The first authentic granting of the mitre to an abbot dates
from the year 1063, when Alexander II conferred the mitre upon Abbot Egelsinus
of the Abbey of St. Augustine at Canterbury. From this time on instances of the
granting of the mitre to abbots constantly increased in number. At times also
secular princes were granted permission to wear the mitre as a mark of
distinction; for example, Duke Wratislaw of Bohemia received this privilege
from Pope Alexander II, and Peter of Aragon from Innocent
III. The right also belonged to the German emperor. Development of the Shape As regards shape, there is such difference
between the mitre of the eleventh century and that of the twentieth that it is
difficult to recognize the same ornamental head-covering in the two. In its
earliest form the mitre was a simple cap of soft material, which ended above in
a point, while around the lower edge there was generally, although not always,
an ornamental band (circulus). It would also seem that lappets were not
always attached to the back of the mitre. Towards 1100 the mitre began to have
a curved shape above and to grow into a round cap. In many cases there soon
appeared a depression in the upper part similar to the one which is made when a
soft felt hat is pressed down on the head from the forehead to the back of the
head. In handsome mitres an ornamental band passed from front to back across
the indentation; this made more prominent the puffs in the upper part of the
cap to the right and left sides of the head. This calotte-shaped mitre was used
until late in the twelfth century; in some places until the last quarter of the
century. From about 1125 a mitre of another form and somewhat different
appearance is often found. In it the puffs on the sides had developed into
horns (cornua) which ended each in a point and were stiffened with
parchment or some other interlining. This mitre formed the transition to the
third style of mitre which is essentially the one still used today: the third
mitre is distinguished from its predecessor, not actually by its shape, but
only by its position on the head. While retaining its form, the mitre was
henceforth so placed upon the head that the cornua no longer arose above
the temples but above the forehead and the back of the head. The lappets had
naturally, to be fastened to the under edge below the horn at the back. The
first example of such a mitre appeared towards 1150. Elaborate mitres of this
kind had not only an ornamental band (circulus) on the lower edge, but a
similar ornamental band (titulus) went vertically over the middle of the
horns. In the fourteenth century this form of mitre began to be distorted in
shape. Up to then the mitre had been somewhat broader than high when folded
together, but from this period on it began, slowly indeed, but steadily, to
increase in height until, in the seventeenth century, it grew into an actual
tower. Another change, which, however, did not appear until the fifteenth
century, was that the sides were no longer made vertical, but diagonal. In the
sixteenth century it began to be customary to curve, more or less decidedly,
the diagonal sides of the horns. The illustration gives a summary of the
development of the shape of the mitre. It should, however, be said thet the
changes did not take place everywhere at the same time, nor did the mitre
everywhere pass through all the shapes of the development. A large number of
mitres of the later Middle Ages have been preserved, but they all belong to the
third form of mitre. Many have very costly ornamentation. For even in medieval
times it, was a favorite custom to ornament especially the mitre with
embroidery, rich bands (aurifrisia), pearls, precious stones, small
ornamental disks of the precious metals; and even to use painting. Besides
several hundred large and small pearls, a mitre of the late Middle Ages in St.
Peter's at Salsburg is also ornamented with about five hundred more or less
costly precious stones; it weighs over five and a half pounds. Similar mitres
are also mentioned in the inventory of 1295 of Boniface
VIII. Eight medieval mitres are preserved in the cathedral of Halberstadt.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the mitre was ornamented with rich,
heavy embroidery in gold, which gave it a still more imposing appearance. A
mitre of the eighteenth century preserved in the cathedral treasury at
Limburg-on-the-Lahn is remarkable for the large number of precious stones that
adorn it. The original material of the mitre appears to have been white linen
alone, but as early as the thirteenth century (with the exception of course of
the simple mitre) it was generally made of silk or ornamented with silk
embroidery. The Liturgical Head-Covering in the Greek Rite In the Orthodox Greek Rite (the other Greek
Rites need not here be considered) a liturgical head-covering was not worn
until the sixteenth century. Before this only the Patriarch of Alexandria, who
wore one as early as the tenth century, made use of a head-covering, and his
was only a simple cap. The Greek pontifical mitre is a high hat which swells
out towards the top and is spanned diagonally by two hoops; on the highest
point of the dome-shaped top is a cross either standing upright or placed flat. JOSEPH BRAUN |
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Created
by The Reverend William John Morgan, Rector 1991-99, with assistance from
Robert C. (Robby) Brannon, Jr., faithful Christ Church member for 43
years, this unique design is a visual
representation of Christ Episcopal Church.
