altar society

noun

: an organization of female parishioners who voluntarily perform certain functions (such as caring for linens, providing floral arrangements, and holding church fund raisers) to maintain a church's sanctuary

… members of the altar society had purchased or refinished many of the items in the church—the tabernacle, ciborium, candlesticks, planters, decanter, pitcher, basin and holy water fonts, along with sewing baptismal bibs and maintaining the vestments and altar linens.

—Elizabeth Moore, Times-Picayune (New Orleans), 3 Feb. 2000

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

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