About cincture and religious life

  • Thread starter Thread starter destrong
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

destrong

Guest
Please I would like to know why some congregations tie their cinture round the waist four times while some tie two times around the waist. What’s the theological implications of that? Thank you.
 
Last edited:
A gentle correction. I’m not permitted to use the post-nomials for the Dominican Laity since I don’t belong to a chapter. (I was also told that I would have to start from square one on formation if I did join a chapter since it had been 30 years since chapter membership).

Anywho, to answer the question…

The same cincture on members of four different religious congregations will mean four different things. There might also be a practical reason for the extra turns – too long for the wearer.

As for what two or four wrappings mean – I don’t know of anything theological that it could stand for. Perhaps two wraps for the dual nature of Christ? Four wraps could be the Most Holy Trinity and Our Lady?

I had one founder write in asking if it was ok to combine the cords of Divine Mercy and St. Joseph. I had never seen cords combined, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t happen. That’s what her religious wear now.

Hope this helps.

Blessings,
Cloisters
My new congregation:
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
My particular ministry promoting the cloisters and contemplative life:
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
 
Last edited:
Great question!!!

Please understand that my post is best on personal experiences only:

The Cincture, of course, represents chastity.

At my parish, we have diocesan priests, and I have noticed different styles of cinctures among our priests and seminarians when they wear albs, some of which which tie differently. I always assumed it had to do with the style of the cincture.

Our altar servers used to wear cinctures with their albs and sometimes you had a smaller server who Would grab a much longer cincture than they needed and I would have to wrap it around their waist 2 or 3 times so they wouldn’t trip over the knots.
 
Yes, of course, the cincture represents chastity.

One religious told me that the cincture represented giving up one’s will in the vow of obedience, that one would be taken/sent where one did not want to go.

I was short on time when I answered earlier. I was also answering a very direct question in a very direct manner.
 
My response was not a reflection on your response and I meant no offense; it was just based on my personal experience.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top