An ornamental cloth or panel, often embroidered or decorated, hung in front of an altar or pulpit in a church.
From Latin 'ante' (before) + 'pendium' (that which hangs), from 'pendere' (to hang). Literally 'something hanging before,' referring to altar coverings.
Medieval churches invested enormous artistic effort into antependiums—they often featured gold thread, precious stones, and religious iconography, making them among the most valuable textiles in a parish.
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