Faith and Fiber
This summer at my home church, Grace Church in the Mountains, in addition to a new 9:15 AM service, a new altar will be used. This means we need a new set of linens, so I’ve been working in my fiber studio on just that. As both a lifelong textile artist and a member of this faith community, it has been a privilege to contribute something so central to our worship.
Many may not realize that the altar is traditionally dressed with three distinct cloths, each layered with rich symbolism. The first is the cerecloth—a waxed or treated cloth laid directly on the altar. Historically, cerecloth was used to wrap the bodies of the dead, particularly in medieval times, helping preserve and protect the remains. In liturgical use, it serves a dual function: protecting the altar from spills (especially wine) and reminding us of the altar’s sacrificial symbolism.
Next comes the fair linen, the long white cloth that covers the altar itself. This represents the linen shroud that wrapped Jesus’ body in the tomb. The fair linen used at Grace will bear five embroidered crosses—one in each corner and one in the center—symbolizing the five wounds Christ received during his Passion. These crosses are a quiet yet potent visual reminder of Christ’s suffering and redemptive love.
On top of the fair linen rests the corporal, a square cloth about the size of a handkerchief. This symbolizes the sudarium, the face cloth placed over Jesus’ head in the tomb, as recorded in John’s Gospel. The corporal is where the chalice and paten are placed during the Eucharist, making it a central piece in the liturgy.
Until the 1979 revision of the Book of Common Prayer, all previous editions specified that these cloths should be made of linen—a tradition we are continuing to uphold. Linen is one of the oldest textiles known to humankind, with a history that predates the Bible. In ancient Israel, where water was scarce, flax could not be easily cultivated, so most linen had to be imported from Egypt, where the annual flooding of the Nile provided ideal conditions for growing the crop. Linen’s association with purity, durability, and sacredness made it the preferred fabric for holy purposes.
Fair linens are often used for decades—sometimes for generations. The opportunity to make a new one, especially as we begin using our restored altar, has allowed me, as a fiber artist, to offer something deeply personal and spiritual. It is my hope that this cloth will quietly serve our community for many years to come, honoring our shared faith through beauty, tradition, and reverence.