cope, liturgical vestment worn by Roman Catholic and some Anglican clergy at non-eucharistic functions. It is a full-length cloak—usually made of silk or other rich material in various colors—formed from a semicircular piece of cloth with a hood attached to the neck. Unlike the similar chasuble, the cope is open at the front and is fastened at the breast by hooks or a brooch. The cope can be worn by all ranks of the clergy and is used in almost all functions in which the chasuble is not worn, such as during processions, blessings, and burials.
The cope was adapted from the cappa choralis (“choir mantle”), a black hooded vestment worn by clergy in processions and choir services. It is known that the cope was in use by the end of the 8th century as a liturgical vestment, and by the end of the 11th century it had been universally adopted. At some point the hood was replaced by a shield-shaped piece of material but was restored in the 20th century.