dalmatic

dalmatic, liturgical vestment worn over other vestments by Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and some Anglican deacons. It probably originated in Dalmatia (now in Croatia) and was a commonly worn outer garment in the Roman world in the 3rd century and later. Gradually, it became the distinctive garment of deacons.

Traditionally, the dalmatic is a long, full, closed, white gown with an opening for passage of the head and with long full sleeves. Worn ungirdled, it was historically made of linen, cotton, wool, or silk and decorated with coloured stripes around the cuffs of the sleeves and coloured vertical stripes (clavi) descending front and back from the shoulders.

Beginning in the 9th century, the dalmatic was commonly made of heavy velvet, damask, or brocaded silk and was shortened to the knees, the sides opened for freedom of movement and the sleeves shortened. By the 12th century it was being made in the liturgical colours; all deacons wore it as the outer vestment, and bishops wore it under the chasuble. In the mid-20th century the original long white garment without excessive decoration was again being worn.

A shorter dalmatic, called the tunicle, is worn by subdeacons. Both the dalmatic and tunicle were worn under the chasuble by Roman Catholic bishops, but since 1960 these vestments have not been obligatory for bishops.