Roman Rite Use
In the Roman Rite, a special twelve-ray asterisk was used in Papal Masses, as a covering for the host on the paten, when it was brought to the Pope at his throne for his Communion. Unlike the Eastern asterisk, which has four rays, the Papal asterisk had twelve rays, each inscribed with the name of an Apostle. Its use has been recently revived by Pope Benedict XVI.
Read more about this topic: Asterisk (liturgy)
Famous quotes containing the words roman and/or rite:
“Semantically, taste is rich and confusing, its etymology as odd and interesting as that of “style.” But while style—deriving from the stylus or pointed rod which Roman scribes used to make marks on wax tablets—suggests activity, taste is more passive.... Etymologically, the word we use derives from the Old French, meaning touch or feel, a sense that is preserved in the current Italian word for a keyboard, tastiera.”
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—For the State of Vermont, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)