These vestments are rich with symbolic meaning. The white robe or alb represents the white robe that Christ clothes each of us in as he cleanses us from sin through His sacrifice on the cross and as He incorporates us into His Body through baptism. These robes should remind us all that we can only come into Christ’s Presence because we too are cleansed and purified through our baptism into His death and resurrection and that baptism is the basic qualification for ministry.
The cincture or belt that the priest or deacon wears reminds him and us that he is a slave and bondservant of Christ. In the case of the priest it is often tied in the fashion that Roman prisoners were bound in the day of Jesus. This keeps him honest to do the will of God and lay aside his own will and desires.
The stole or scarf that the priest wears over his shoulders is a representation of a yoke. It is a reminder that he is yoked like a plow animal together with Christ Himself. It is not the priest who ministers to us alone, but the priest working in union with Christ to minister among us and to us. The stole is modeled on the scarves worn by Roman Senators as a sign of their authority and privilege to speak in the Senate. As such it is also symbolic of the priests honor and authority among us as an Elder to instruct and teach us in the Way. The stole changes colors with the changing seasons of the Church calendar. The deacon also wears a stole but hers is worn over the left shoulder and crossed under the right arm like a sash.
The chasuble is a festive over-garment the priest sometimes dons before the Communion. It is representative of the wedding garment that the Host of the Banquet provides His guests in the story that Jesus told about the Feast we will experience in the Kingdom (Matthew 21). It is also styled after the overcoat that a first century Roman soldier would wear while on a journey. This second representation reminds us of two things. First, it is a reminder that the whole of the worship service is a journey deeper and deeper into the Presence of Christ, which comes to a climax as we commune with His Real Presence in the Eucharist. Second, it also reminds us that as we carry that same Presence out into the world we are going as soldiers of the cross to do battle not with men and women, but with the ever present sin and evil that still ensnares this world and which daily stalks our own steps, seeking to pull us down.
