The corporal may be square, or it may be somewhat longer than it is wide; ordinarily, it should not be larger than about twenty-one inches square, or eighteen inches wide and twenty-one inches long. The corporal is folded in the following manner; namely, by folding back upon the centre one-third of the width, which third should always be that which, when the corporal is spread upon the altar, lies nearest to the front edge of the altar and is marked with an embroidered cross. The next fold is made by drawing back upon the parts thus doubled the posterior third. Then the third part of the folded cloth, which lies to the right of the centre is folded back upon the centre; and finally the third portion which lies at the left is folded back over the centre; thus making the act of folding four fold, and dividing the corporal into nine squares. All the four sides of the corporal should have a narrow hem; and in the middle near the hem on the edge which, when the corporal is spread upon the altar, lies parallel with the front edge of the mensa, a small equal-armed cross should be embroidered in white thread.
In the early and middle ages, the corporal, or consecration cloth, was large enough to allow its posterior folds to be drawn up over the chalice, and so serve as a covering for the chalice. In the later middle ages, the posterior folds of the corporal, namely the hinder-most three of the twelve squares into which the corporal up to that time had been folded, were detached, and the portion so detached was folded into one square and used as a cover to the chalice, and called "parva palla." Therefore, this cover for the chalice, whether used in its original form, or stiffened by the insertion of a piece of cardboard, is to be regarded as a portion of the corporal. Both together, the corporal and the pall, are the "fair linen cloth" with which the chalice and the paten are to be covered after the Communion. According to the mediaeval use, the longer sides of the corporal, when it was spread upon the altar, were at right angles with the front of the altar. According to modern usage, if the corporal be longer than it is wide, the longer sides should lie parallel with the front of the altar.
The pall may consist of two square folds of fine white linen, between which (before they are stitched together at
