A purificator is the small white cloth used at Mass to wipe the chalice after Holy Communion. It is folded in three, laid over the chalice under the pall, and used by the priest or deacon to purify the chalice — one of the three chalice linens, together with the corporal and the pall. Every purificator in this collection is a 100% cotton altar linen, embroidered in Poland and finished with cotton lace; singles start at $7.
What Is a Purificator?
The purificator (Latin purificatorium) is a rectangle of white absorbent cloth, marked with a small embroidered cross in the centre and folded in three when in use. Its name comes from its function: to purify the chalice. The Catholic Encyclopedia describes it as "a piece of pure white linen or hemp used for cleansing the chalice", and notes that its size is not fixed by the rubrics — usually twelve to eighteen inches long and nine or ten inches wide.
Three things distinguish a purificator from the other altar linens. It is the only linen that touches the rim of the chalice during the distribution of Communion. It is folded, never pressed flat like a corporal. And it is washed with special care, because it has absorbed the Precious Blood. The object is also known by its Latin name purificatorium, in Italian as purificatoio, and in Spanish as purificador.
How the Purificator Is Used at Mass
The purificator serves the chalice at three moments of the Mass:
- Preparation. Before Mass the sacristan prepares the chalice: the purificator is folded in three and laid over the cup, the pall is placed on top of it, and the whole is covered with the chalice veil and carried to the altar with the burse.
- Communion. After each communicant receives from the chalice, the priest or deacon wipes the rim of the cup with the purificator, so that no drop of the Precious Blood remains on the rim.
- Purification. After the distribution of Communion, the priest purifies the vessels: he pours water (or wine and water) into the chalice, swirls it, and either consumes the rinse or pours it into the sacrarium; he then wipes the chalice dry with the purificator.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal directs that the sacred vessels are purified by the priest, the deacon, or an instituted acolyte — which is why the purificator is normally handled by the clergy rather than by altar servers. Servers assist with the cruets, the lavabo and the books; the purificator itself stays with the priest or deacon.
Purificator vs Corporal, Pall, and Finger Towel
Four white linens surround the chalice and paten at Mass, and they are constantly confused. The short version:
| Linen | Shape | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Purificator | Rectangular, folded in three | Wipes the chalice rim and dries the chalice after Communion |
| Corporal | Large square | Spread on the altar under the chalice and paten, to catch any particle |
| Pall | Small stiffened square | Covers the chalice during the Canon of the Mass |
| Lavabo towel (finger towel) | Small towel | Dries the priest's hands at the washing of hands |
Tradition groups the altar linens together — the Catholic Encyclopedia lists "the corporal, pall, purificator, and finger-towels", and parish sacristy guides often speak of the "five sacred linens", adding the fair linen of the altar to the four above. See our guide to purificator vs corporal vs finger towel for the full comparison.
Purificator Sizes and Fit
No size for the purificator is prescribed by the rubrics — what matters is that the folded cloth drapes over the chalice without hanging into it. The sizes in our collection:
| Item | Size | In inches |
|---|---|---|
| Single purificators (most designs) | 47 × 28 cm | 18.5 × 11 in |
| Sets of three | 45 × 35 cm | 17.7 × 13.8 in |
| Cross with gold flames (3765), folded | 12 × 23 cm | 4.7 × 9.1 in |
For comparison, American church-goods catalogs most often list square purificators of 12 × 12 inches and rectangular ones of 12 × 18 inches, while the Catholic Encyclopedia describes the traditional European size as twelve to eighteen inches long and nine or ten inches wide. Our 47 × 28 cm (18.5 × 11 in) sits at the larger end of that tradition — comfortable to fold in three over a standard chalice.
Materials: 100% Cotton, Lace Trim, and Absorbency
Altar linens are traditionally made of linen, hemp, or — in modern parish practice — cotton, and the test of a purificator is absorbency. Our purificators are 100% cotton: a smooth, dense weave that absorbs water very well, keeps its shape through hot washing (up to 95 °C), and folds cleanly. Several designs are finished with a fine cotton lace trim; the embroidery is worked in white, gold, or red thread so the cloth stays flat where it touches the chalice.
Some sacristies prefer pure linen or a huckaback (huck-toweling) weave for extra absorbency, and both are traditional; cotton remains the most practical choice for most parishes because it combines absorbency with easy care and a modest price. What a purificator should never have is starch: starch fills the weave and makes the cloth slippery and less absorbent.
Embroidered Symbols on Purificators
Every purificator carries a small embroidery in its centre — an old custom, so that the cloth can be laid with the symbol up as a reminder of what it touches. Our 22 designs include:
- The cross — white, gold, or red; the simplest and most common mark.
- IHS — the monogram of the Holy Name, in gold or white, plain, in a circle, or in the Gothic pattern.
- The Chi-Rho (PX) — the oldest Christogram, from the Greek letters chi and rho.
- Marian designs — the crown, the Marian pattern, the lily, and the heart-in-crown motif.
- Eucharistic symbols — the host in a circle, the chalice with grapes, and the cross with gold flames.
The embroidery is small by design: a purificator is a working cloth, and a large motif would interfere with the folding and the wiping. Browse the full range above — every design is in stock and ships within days.
How to Fold and Store a Purificator
The purificator is folded in three, twice: first the two long sides are brought to the middle, then the strip is folded again into thirds, so that the embroidered cross ends on the top fold. Some sacristies make a 3 × 3 envelope for a neater square; others fold in thirds once. Whichever way your sacristy keeps, the rules are the same — fold on the crease lines, never press a hard crease into the centre where the cloth touches the chalice, and store the folded purificators flat in the sacristy linen drawer, away from damp. Step-by-step instructions are in our guide to how to fold a purificator.
How to Wash and Iron a Purificator
Purificators are washed like the other altar linens, with one extra step. Because the cloth has absorbed the Precious Blood, it is first rinsed by hand (or in a dedicated basin) and the rinse water is poured into the sacrarium — the special sink in the sacristy that drains directly into the ground. Only then is the purificator laundered: hot water up to 95 °C, ordinary non-chlorine detergent, no bleach, no starch, no fabric softener. Iron while slightly damp, on the reverse, along the fold lines. Our full care routine — corporals, purificators and altar cloths — is in our guide to washing liturgical linens.
Choosing the Right Purificator for Your Parish
Two practical questions decide most orders. How many chalices does the parish prepare? One purificator serves one chalice; a parish that prepares a chalice for the priest and several for the ministers of Communion wants several. Singles or sets? Singles (from $7) let you build a matching stack gradually; our sets of three (45 × 35 cm) cover a complete chalice preparation in one purchase.
| Type | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Embroidered singles — 18 designs | 47 × 28 cm / 18.5 × 11 in | from $7 |
| Sets of 3 — Marian, IHS, white cross & grapes | 45 × 35 cm / 17.7 × 13.8 in | $25–$29 |
For market context: comparable embroidered purificators in US church-goods catalogs run from about $9 to $32 each, and pure Irish linen versions are priced higher still. A parish that keeps several chalices supplied can equip the whole set from this collection for well under $100 — and orders over $100 ship free within the United States.
Handcrafted in Poland
Every purificator in this collection is cut, hemmed and embroidered in our workshop in Lublewo Gdańskie, Poland, by seamstresses who have made altar linens and vestments for churches in Europe and North America for years. Each piece is checked by hand and packed for shipping. Read more about how our vestments and linens are made on our Made in Poland page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Purificators
Q: What Is a Purificator Used For?
A: A purificator is used to wipe the rim of the chalice during the distribution of Holy Communion, and to dry the chalice after the priest purifies it with water at the end of the Communion rite. It is one of the three chalice linens, together with the corporal and the pall.
Q: What Is the Difference Between a Purificator and a Corporal?
A: The corporal is a large square linen spread flat on the altar, under the chalice and paten, to catch any fragment of the host. The purificator is a smaller rectangular cloth, folded in three, used to wipe and dry the chalice itself. Both are white altar linens, but only the purificator touches the rim of the chalice.
Q: What Is the Difference Between a Purificator and a Finger Towel?
A: The finger towel (the lavabo or manuterge towel) dries the priest's hands at the washing of hands after the offertory. The purificator never touches the hands — it serves the chalice. Our collection of lavabo towels covers the finger-towel side of the sacristy.
Q: What Are the Five Sacred Linens?
A: Parish guides usually list five linens of the altar: the fair linen (the long white cloth that covers the altar), the corporal, the purificator, the pall, and the lavabo or finger towel. The Catholic Encyclopedia groups the altar linens as the corporal, pall, purificator and finger-towels, adding the altar cloths themselves.
Q: What Size Is a Purificator?
A: Sizes are not fixed by the rubrics. The classic European size is about 12–18 inches long and 9–10 inches wide; most American catalogs sell 12 × 12 in and 12 × 18 in purificators. Ours measure 47 × 28 cm (18.5 × 11 in) as singles and 45 × 35 cm (17.7 × 13.8 in) in sets of three.
Q: How Do You Fold a Purificator?
A: Fold it in three lengthwise, then fold the strip in three again, so that the embroidered cross ends on the top fold; some sacristies make a 3 × 3 envelope, others fold the thirds once. The folded cloth is laid over the chalice, with the pall on top.
Q: How Do You Wash a Purificator?
A: Rinse it first by hand, pouring the rinse water into the sacrarium, then machine-wash hot (up to 95 °C) with non-chlorine detergent. Never use bleach, starch, or fabric softener. Iron while damp along the fold lines. The same routine serves corporals and altar cloths.
Q: Can Purificators Go in the Washing Machine?
A: Yes — after the first rinse and the sacrarium, our 100% cotton purificators are machine-washable up to 95 °C. Wash them separately from household laundry, and use the hottest programme your sacristy's machine allows.
Q: Is a Purificator Made of Linen or Cotton?
A: Traditionally purificators were pure linen or hemp; today cotton is the most common material, and all the purificators in this collection are 100% cotton with cotton lace trim. Cotton is absorbent and easy to care for; pure linen remains the choice of some sacristies and is priced higher.
Q: What Does the Word "Purificator" Mean?
A: "Purificator" comes from the Latin purificare, to purify — it is the cloth that purifies the chalice. In Latin records the object is the purificatorium; in Italian, purificatoio; in Spanish, purificador. In English the stress falls on the first syllable: pur-i-fi-ca-tor.
Q: How Many Purificators Does a Parish Need?
A: One purificator is needed for each chalice prepared for a Mass — a typical Sunday parish prepares one for the priest and one or more for the ministers of Communion, so most sacristies keep at least four to six purificators in rotation, plus spares for weekday Masses and funerals.
Q: Do Purificators Need to Be Ironed?
A: Yes — a purificator is ironed flat so that it folds cleanly and drapes over the chalice, but the centre, where the cloth touches the chalice, is not pressed into a hard crease. Iron on the reverse while slightly damp; never use starch, which reduces absorbency.
Q: What Symbols Are Embroidered on Purificators?
A: The most common are the cross, the IHS monogram, the Chi-Rho (PX), and Marian motifs — the crown, the Marian pattern, the lily. Our 22 designs also include the host in a circle, the heart in a crown, the chalice with grapes, and the cross with gold flames.
Q: Why Do Purificators Have a Cross in the Middle?
A: The small cross marks the cloth as an altar linen and shows how it is to be laid — symbol uppermost — and it identifies the cloth as a sacred object when it is washed and folded away from the altar. The centre mark is an old custom, not a rubric.
Related reading: What is a purificator? · How to fold a purificator · Purificator vs corporal · What is a corporal? · The five sacred linens · Liturgical textiles glossary. Complete the chalice with corporals, palls, lavabo towels and chalice linen sets — and for the priest's vestments on Our Lady's feasts, see our Marian chasubles.
For the cover of the reserved ciborium, see our embroidered ciborium veils — 27 designs from $40.
