What Is a Red Chalice Pall?
A red chalice pall is a stiffened square of fabric placed on top of the chalice during Mass, made to match the red vestments of the day. Like every chalice pall, it protects the Precious Blood from dust and insects and belongs to the family of chalice linens together with the corporal and the purificator. Its color comes from the liturgical season: a red pall is chosen when the priest wears red.
What Does Red Mean in the Liturgy?
Red is the color of blood and of fire. In the liturgy it points to the Passion of the Lord — Palm Sunday and Good Friday — and to the Holy Spirit, whose descent on the apostles is celebrated at Pentecost. Red is also worn on the feasts of apostles and evangelists and on the celebrations of martyrs, who gave their blood for the faith. A red chalice pall carries this meaning onto the altar itself, where it rests above the Precious Blood.
When Is a Red Chalice Pall Used?
A red pall is used whenever Mass is celebrated in red vestments: Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, votive Masses of the Holy Spirit, celebrations of the Lord's Passion, the feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists, and the memorials of martyrs — the occasions listed for the color red in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (no. 346). In parishes that keep palls in several colors, the red pall is the one that comes out for Pentecost and for the feasts of the parish's patron martyrs.
Our Red Chalice Palls
The red collection counts 12 embroidered designs in 18 × 18 cm (7.1 in), priced from $16 to $20. The IHS monogram appears in 4 designs — including one that combines the cross and the monogram — and the Fish, an ancient symbol of Christ, in 3. The remaining designs carry a jacquard-woven cross, a plain cross, the chalice with grapes, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. All are stiffened and ready for use; see the full chalice pall collection for every color.
Red Palls and the Chalice Linens
A pall is used together with the other chalice linens: the chalice veil that covers the whole chalice outside the Eucharistic Prayer, the purificator that wipes the chalice after Communion, and the corporal spread under the vessels. Coordinated chalice linen sets bring the pall and its companions together in matching fabric. Sacristies that prepare for every season can pair this red pall with our green, violet and white palls.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Is Red Used at Mass?
Red is used on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, on celebrations of the Lord's Passion, on the feasts of apostles and evangelists, and on the memorials of martyrs.
What Symbols Are Embroidered on Red Chalice Palls?
Our red palls carry the IHS monogram (4 designs), the Fish (3 designs), crosses — including a jacquard-woven cross — the chalice with grapes, and the Holy Spirit as a dove.
How Much Do Red Chalice Palls Cost?
Red chalice palls cost $16 to $20: the jacquard cross design starts at $16, and the two most elaborate embroidered designs are $20.
Related reading: What Is a Chalice Pall? Meaning, Sizes, and Use at Mass.
