Ecclesiastical use of Basin

Basin, ECCLESIASTICAL USE OF.—Basins were extensively used in the Jewish Ritual and were in early use in Christian churches for ablutions and to receive lamp-drippings etc. The Missal prescribes its use at the “Lavabo” of the Mass (Rit. Cel. vii, 10); the “Caeremoniale Episcoporum” provides a basin for bearing the cruets (Lib. I, xi, 10) and for the preparatory ablutions of bishops (ibid., 12). They are ordinarily of ornamented metal.

JOHN B. PETERSON