When it comes to liturgical textiles, people are accustomed to the usual vestments of the sacred ministers; likewise they know well of the antependium (i.e. altar frontal) for the altar, or of the tabernacle veil and so on. However, one sort of liturgical textile that is all but forgotten are those which might cover a liturgical book -- be it the Evangelarium, the Pontifical Canon Missae, or the missal. These were fabric coverings, generally of silk or sometimes velvet, which were placed around the actual binding of the book itself.
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| An example of an 18th Century liturgical book cover |
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| Paul VI, Canonization of the Ugandan Martyrs |
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| Detail |
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| Pius XII |
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| Canonization of the Ugandan Martyrs |
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| Cover for an Evangelarium from the second half of the 18th century |
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| A red covering from Ravenna, 19th century |
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| A violet covering for an Evangelarium from Pavia, 18th Century |
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| A red covering for an Evangeliarium, Pavia, 18th Century |
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| A white covering from Padova, 20th Century |
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| A rose covering from Ravenna, 20th Century |
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| A red velvet covering from Imola, 18th Century |
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| A white silk covering from the 18th Century |
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| A white silk covering from the 19th Century; this formed a part of a complete pontifical Mass set. |
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| A red Marian themed Missal covering |
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| A simple white covering from Asti, 19th Century |
UPDATE:
By way of an update, the following photo appeared shortly after the publication of this article which shows a further image of such covers in liturgical use.
