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Views from the Choir Loft

Vesting Prayers • Part 6 of 9

Fr. David Friel · August 9, 2015

ANY CATHOLICS are totally unfamiliar with the maniple, inasmuch as they may never have seen one. So first, by way of description, the maniple is a piece of decorated cloth worn by the priest over his left arm. Coming into use by at least the 6th century, maniples vary widely in their shape, size, and ornamentation. In general form, a maniple looks like a mini stole with clasps or strings. Its use is neither required nor forbidden in the Ordinary Form, but it is required when the Extraordinary Form is offered.

The prayer that accompanies the vesting with the maniple is as follows (notice the rhyme):

Merear, Domine, portare manipulum fletus et doloris; ut cum exsultatione recipiam mercedem laboris.

May I deserve, O Lord, to bear the maniple of weeping and sorrow, in order that I may joyfully reap the reward of my labors.

It is fairly well accepted that the maniple originated as a sort of handkerchief (the Latin word mappula means “napkin”). Perhaps once practically used by the priest to wipe his brow, the maniple eventually took on a spiritual significance that is rather profound. (This is far from the only example of something practical taking on fuller meaning in the sacred liturgy.) The maniple, in time, came to be seen as symbolic of the toils of priestly life. This understanding is reflected in the beautifully honest vesting prayer, which pointedly acknowledges the weeping & sorrow that are part of every human life before it turns to focus on the reward of those labors.

In the background of this vesting prayer, we should also see the text of Psalm 126:

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.

Going they went and wept,

casting their seeds,

but coming they shall come with joyfulness,

carrying their maniples. (Vulgate: portantes manipulos suos)

Again, the maniple fell into disuse during the post-conciliar liturgical reforms (Sacred Congregation of Rites, Tres abhinc annos, #25). While it was never formally abrogated, it is customarily not worn in the Ordinary Form. In the Extraordinary Form, it remains a required vestment for the priest, deacon, and sub-deacon.

Wherever it is worn, let the maniple be a rich symbol of the great labor of love which is the priesthood.

Part 1 • Introduction

Part 2 • The Hand Washing

Part 3 • The Amice

Part 4 • The Alb

Part 5 • The Cincture

Part 6 • The Maniple

Part 7 • The Stole

Part 8 • The Chasuble

Part 9 • The Dalmatic

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Traditional Catholic Vestments, Vesting Prayers Last Updated: March 29, 2021

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

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