Seven is a sacred number, so it's quite appropriate that there are seven things stacked up for use during the Eucharist. For the unchurched, the uninformed, the FSA, (Future Sacristans of America) or anybody else who gives a hoot about the proper terminology for the various accoutrements of the Eucharist: the stack (from the bottom up) follows:
1. chalice (the wine goblet)
2. purificator (hanky for wiping mouth-prints, lipstick, germs off the chalice)
3. paten (cute little plate that holds the host)
4. host (large, flat, wafer-thin disk representing the body of Christ, looks like giant fish food. Tastes like giant fish food.).
5. pall (square cardboard thing, covers the paten which holds the host - for keeping host clean. Once wine is poured into chalice, the pall is then placed on top of the chalice to keep bugs, dust or the celebrant's spit out of the wine.)
6. corporal little tablecloth, comes folded inside the burse, requiring the celebrant to move everything out of the way so it can be laid down underneath the paten and chalice.)
7. Burse container for the folded-up corporal
