Queen of Peace Church_The High Altar After Mass Displayed with the New Vesperale Covering. From the Aug. 18, 2024 Parish Bulletin: The Vesperale (“evening”) Covering, usually wool felt, is placed, protectively, upon the Altar between Masses in order to stave off dust & candle wax. They, more importantly, indicate that the Altar is at rest and the Sanctuary “slumbers.” Our newly commissioned cloths are embellished with “Have Mercy on Us” (Sacred Heart); Pray for Us” (St. Joseph) and for the High Altar “Christ Our God to Earth Descendeth, Our Full Homage to Demand” and were chain stitched on an 1874 machine recently put back into service. At the 5-minute bell the servers light the candles then fold the felt from each end toward the center, like a scroll. The Vesperale is then removed to the Sacristy for the duration of Mass and is replaced before the servers extinguish the candles.