The cincture is a liturgical

Liturgy

Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...

 vestment

Vestment

Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially among Latin Rite and other Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, and Lutherans...

, worn encircling the body around or above the waist. The term has two distinct meanings, the usage generally dividing along denominational

Christian denomination

A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...

 lines. Where the context does not indicate which meaning is intended, ambiguity may be avoided by the use of the terms "girdle" and "fascia

Fascia (vestment)

The fascia is a sash worn by clerics and seminarians with the cassock in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church. It is also worn with the simar by those entitled to use the simar. It is not to be worn as a belt but should be placed above the waist between the navel...

".

In the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

, the cincture is a long, rope-like cord with tassled or knotted ends, tied around the waist outside the alb

Alb

The alb , one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic, Anglican and many Protestant churches, is an ample white garment coming down to the ankles and usually girdled with a cincture. It is simply the long linen tunic used by the Romans...

. The colour may be white, or may vary according to the colour of the liturgical season. A bishop's cincture is made of intertwining gold and green threads, a cardinal's has red and gold, and the pope's with white and gold.

When the cincture is tied in the front and the ends draped on either side, it is called a Roman Knot. Besides its functional role in securing the alb and stole, the cincture bears a symbolic role, signifying chastity and purity.

The same vestment is widely used in the Anglican, Methodist and Lutheran churches, as well as some other Protestant churches. However, in these denominations it is usually referred to as a girdle, the term "cincture" being used instead to signify a broad sash worn over the cassock

Cassock

The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...

 somewhat above the waist. This latter vestment is in the Roman Catholic Church known as a fascia

Fascia (vestment)

The fascia is a sash worn by clerics and seminarians with the cassock in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church. It is also worn with the simar by those entitled to use the simar. It is not to be worn as a belt but should be placed above the waist between the navel...

, and the use of this vestment is restricted to ordained clergy and seminarians.