V

Vatican. The residence of the Pope.

Venerable. The title given to an archdeacon.

Venial. Venial sins are those from which none of us are free; those in which there is no malice against God or our neighbour.

Veni Creator Spiritus. "Come, O Creator Spirit." The beginning of the office hymn for Terce. (See English Hymnal, 154.)

Venite. "O Come." The opening Latin word of Psalm xcv, used in Morning Prayer.

Verger. One who bears a rod (Latin, virga) ; a person who carries a staff as a symbol of office before a dignitary. In general usage it refers to an official caretaker of a palace of worship.

Vespers. The canonical office for sunset.

Vestment. An ecclesiastical garment. The vestments at the Holy Eucharist are the amice, alb, girdle, mainple, stole and chasuble.

Vicar. See INCUMBENT. In practise perpetual curates are usually called vicars.

Vicars, Lay. The singing-men in certain cathedrals.

Vigil. The eve of certain festivals.

Vocation. A call from God to serve Him in a particular sphere.

Vow. A solemn promise made as before God.

Vulgate. The Latin translation of the Bible made by S. Jerome in the fifth century, which at once superseded all earlier Latin versions of the Holy Scriptures.