Fasting Cloths

„Fastentücher“, also called „Hungertücher“. (Fasting – or Hunger cloths )

are another one of the strange, but harmless customs of the Catholic, and, to a lesser degree, the Protestant Church. Practiced in parts of Austria and parts of Germany, it had its origin about the year 1000, or so historians claim.

These fasting cloths were originally of a single, drab colour, later brilliantly and artfully decorated, in some cases by renowned artists of the time.

They were used to cover the Altar and crucifixes and other images, commencing on Ash- Wednesday and staying in place for 40 days.

You may well ask: „Why would they cover and thereby hide from view these ornate images,

including the „tabernacle“, the entire altar, crucifixes etc. ?“

The period during which this practice is in place, covers the entire „Lenten time“ during which faithful Catholics are urged to give up some habit or other. They are urged, for instance, to eat less, stop smoking, drink less and in many ways adjust their lives positively.

It seems that about a thousand years ago the Church decided to punish its sinful parishioners by not allowing them to see the holiest of holies, and since, according to the R.C. Church, everybody is a sinner, the practical way was to drape the images with sack cloths throughout the Lenten period.

There are a number of other explanations which I won't go into here.

I will show only some of the churches which follow this practice

and their "Fasting cloths"

The church of St. Margaretha 

in the town of Lieding, near 

Strassburg, Carinthia.

There seems to be a contradiction:

The tabernacle, containing the Host is still plainly visible.

The Crucifix and other images (sculptures)

are covered with a cloth, beautifully decorated with

the Crucifix and other figures.

 The Side Altars

are also covered with beautifully painted scenes

out of the tortured life of Jesus.

But this is what the Christian Church is famous for:

Torture and Mayhem.

Below:

In the church of

St. Nikolaus in Straßburg

1 Above and 3 Below

The Church of St. Nikolaus

The famed local artist, Ferdinand Penker

painted this cloth.

as you may have noted: It depicts nothing discernible in the panels

but biblical writings in the red frames.

Below:

The famous "Fastentuch" in the Cathedral of Gurk.

Created in 1458 bei the local artist, Konrad von Friesach.

details of the Gurk cloth.

The twin steeples of Gurk

Last, but not least, the beautiful cloth of the Monestary Church 

of Millstadt.

There are many many more churches 

featuring such Fasting Cloths, 

The above should give you an idea.

There are also several explanations for the reasons.

1.) During the Lenten period the church wanted to show

the suffering Jesus and not the triumphant one, as he was shown

in many Pictures.

2.) Punish the Sinners, one and all, by denying them the sight of the Altar. ( the most likely reason! The Catholics are big on "Punishing"

3.) Illiterate  parishioners could learn from the pictures. 

( an unlikely reason, since the first fasting cloths were without any pictures or other decoration.