According to the Roman Ritual the corpses of clerics should be dressed in ordinary ecclesiastical costume, over which should be put the vestments distinctive of their order. Thus a bishop or priest has the amice, alb, girdle, maniple, stole, chasuble, and biretta; the deacon has his dalmatic and stole; the subdeacon his tunicle; and the cleric his surplice. No special dress is required for the laity, but the corpse should be decently laid out and it is customary to place a rosary, crucifix, or other pious article in the hands of the deceased.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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