Liturgia e dintorni #21 – Preserviamo la tradizione dei merletti, segni di fede, decoro e venerazione

The tradition of using lace on sacred linens and vestments should be preserved as a way to express faith, decorum, and veneration, according to a report by Roberto for Messainlatino.it. The use of lace and crochet on items such as albs, surplices, cottas, and altar cloths serves as a symbolic language of theology and respect for the house of God rather than mere aesthetic display.

The report notes that liturgical directives from San Carlo Borromeo to maintain the majesty of worship elevated lace making as an artistic offering for divine worship. Techniques such as Cantù, Burano, bobbin lace, crochet, or filet lace represent the beauty of heavenly mysteries and the purity required of priests and ministers. The transparency of the lace on white vestments is intended to visually recall divine grace and providence.

The author observes that the use of lace in liturgy has progressively disappeared in recent decades, often due to modern trends or a misunderstood desire for simplicity.