(Latin: cera, wax) (Greek: chrio, anoint)
Linen cloth waxed on one side, which must completely cover the table of the consecrated altar. It must be the exact size of the table of the altar and is placed under the three linen cloths, the waxed side towards the table, preventing the altar cloths from being stained by the oil used at the consecration and keeping them dry. According to the rubrics it should be removed once a year during the stripping of the altar on Maundy Thursday, but it may be changed whenever the altar is washed. It is not blessed and cannot take the place of one of the three rubrical linen cloths.
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