Palla

Description

This small textile originally made in the late 15th or early 16th century, is called a “palla” (chalice cover), stitched on a linen ground. The center show the face of Christ with a golden halo, framed by a narrow guilloche band and a large Latin inscription in Gothic lettering which translates as “Hail the holy face INRI the Redeemer.” The Palla developed from the linen cloths on which the Eucharistic elements are placed, and were used as covers for a chalice; accordingly they are required by Church regulations to be made of linen. They took their present form in the 15th/16th century. The simple design of the Palla suggests it was not made professionally, but rather in a home or a nunnery, and may have been given as a donation to a church. The only stitches required to recreate this Palla are cross, and some back stitches to delineate the features of the face. The halo surrounding the face is executed with gold metallic thread. On 25 count linen, the Palla will measure approximately 9″ x 8″. We have hemstitched our model.

My most sincere thanks to Nancy Spies for introducing me to this fine piece of very early cross stitch embroidery and its history.