lavabo

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lavabo (in the Roman Catholic Church) a towel or basin used for the ritual washing of the celebrant's hands at the offertory of the Mass. The word comes (in the mid 18th century) from Latin, literally ‘I will wash’, in Lavabo inter innocentes manus meas ‘I will wash my hands in innocence’ (Psalm 26:6), which was recited at the washing of hands in the Roman rite.

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