[Rationale divinorum officiorum]

But Pope Severinus instituted that they should be made of glass, because those were fragile for wine. Likewise, Pope Urban and also the Council of Rheims original: "concilium remen." decreed that one should sacrifice in silver or golden vessels, or, on account of poverty, in tin ones, which do not rust—not, however, in wooden ones or in brass auricalco a gold-colored bronze/brass. It should not, therefore, be of glass on account of the danger of spilling; not of wood, because since it is porous and spongy, it would absorb the body and blood; not of copper or brass, because on account of the strength of the wine, it would provoke rust or vomiting. And note that the name of the chalice drew its origin from the Old and New Testaments. Whence Jeremiah: "Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand, making all the earth drunk." And David: "The cup in the house of the Lord is full of pure wine, mixed." And elsewhere: "I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord." Likewise in the Gospel: "Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" Also, "Taking the cup, He gave thanks." A golden chalice signifies the treasures of wisdom hidden in Christ. A silver one, the cleansing of guilt. A tin one implies the similarity of guilt and punishment. For tin is the middle between silver and lead, and the flesh of Christ, although it was not leaden (that is, sinful), was nevertheless similar to sinful flesh; and although it was not silver (that is, passible on account of its own guilt), it was nevertheless passible on account of ours, because He Himself bore our infirmities and carried our sorrows. Concerning the chalice and paten, it will be spoken of under the title regarding consecrations and anointings. Indeed, if anyone holds to a thin religion, let him say that the Lord commanded Moses to make all the vessels of the tabernacle for all uses and ceremonies out of copper, as is read in Exodus 27 and 37. And that such precious vessels and ornaments could be sold and given to the poor is similar to the traitor Judas and the woman with the ointment. For we do this not because God is less delighted by vile ornaments than by golden ones, but because when all who love God offer willingly, they overcome their avarice through divine worship latria divine worship/adoration. Furthermore, these offices of divine piety are moral and are signs of future glory. Whence also in the Old Law it is commanded that things be made of gold, hyacinth, purple, scarlet twice-dyed, and fine twisted linen, and other precious things upon the breastplate, so that it may be demonstrated with what diversity of virtues a priest ought to shine; and that the altar, the propitiatory, the candelabrum, and other vessels and ornaments of the altar be made of gold and silver (Exodus 25, 30, and 38). The tabernacle also was commanded to be made of various precious things, as was said under the title concerning the church. For the legal pontiff used other various precious ornaments, as will be said in the third part under the title concerning legal vestments; concerning this and the rest, under the title concerning the dedication of the church, for the beginning it will be said. Furthermore, it is forbidden in the Council of Orléans that divine mysteries be presented for the ornament of weddings, lest they be polluted by the touch of the wicked or by the pomp of secular luxury; for it is thereby shown that a chasuble or any ornament destined for sacred mysteries should not be made from the garment of just any person. Pope Stephen also decreed that no one should enjoy the vestments of the church for other uses, and that they should not be touched by anyone except sacred persons, lest a retribution such as that which struck Balthasar, King of Babylon, come upon those who transgress this. Pope Clement also decreed that the dead should not be buried or wrapped or covered, or even with a bier, with a pall (that is, the altar cloths) or with the cloth by which the chalice is wrapped or with that with which the priest wipes his hands after the consecration. As for how much the palls (that is, the corporals) and the veils (that is, the altar ornaments or curtains hanging above the altar) are dirty, the deacon with humble ministers should wash them within the sanctuary and not outside. For washing the veils that pertain to the cult of the altar, let there be a new basin. The palls (that is, the corporals) are to be washed in another basin. The veils of the doors (that is, the curtains that are extended in churches during feasts and Lent) are to be washed in another basin. Hence it is that it was decreed in the Council of Pleten note: Likely referring to a regional synod, often identified with Palencia or similar medieval councils that they should have proper vessels outside for washing the corporal and the palls of the altar, in which nothing else should be washed. But according to the aforementioned Clement, if the altar pall (that is, the vestments of the altar) or the seat upon which the priest sits when clothed in sacred vestments, or the candelabrum, or the veil (that is, the cloth or curtain hanging above the altar) have been consumed by age, they should be burned, and the ashes should be cast either into the baptistery or into a wall or into the trenches of the pavement where there is no passage. And note that ecclesiastical ornaments are blessed, as will be said under the title concerning consecrations and anointings.

Concerning Bells.

Bells are bronze vessels first invented in the city of Nola, in the region of Campania. Therefore, larger vessels are called bells campane bells from the region of Campania, while smaller ones are called nola bells (small) from the city of Nola. A bell is struck and blessed so that through its touch and sound the faithful may be invited to their reward, and the devotion of faith may grow in them; that the fruits of the minds and bodies of the believers may be preserved; that hostile armies and all deceits of the enemy may be driven far away; that the crash and hail of storms, the impetus of whirlwinds and tempests and lightnings may be tempered; that troublesome thunders and the flame of winds may be suspended; that the spirits of storms and the powers of the air may be prostrated; and that those hearing this may take refuge in the bosom of the holy mother church before the banner of the holy cross, to which every knee bends, as the individual items are held here in the blessings of a bell. It must be known, however, that bells, by whose sonority the people are gathered to the church to hear and the clergy to announce the mercy of the Lord in the morning and His truth throughout the night, signify the silver trumpets by which the people were summoned to sacrifice in the Old Law, about which it will be spoken in the sixth part under Pentecost. For just as guards in camps are excited by trumpets, so then the ministers of the churches excite themselves with the sound of bells so that they may watch through the night against the lurking devil. Therefore, our bronze signs are more sonorous than the trumpets of the Old Law, because then God was known only in Judea, but now in all the earth. They are also more durable, signifying that the preaching of the New Testament will endure longer than the trumpets and sacrifices of the Old Law, that is, until the end of the world. Since, indeed, bells