Clerical dress - Soutane, fascia, biretta, zuchetto, mozetta

[JReducation]

Clerics (deacons and higher) are permitted to wear a zuchetto only outside the liturgy since the Moto Proprio of 1968. They are to be removed in the sacristy and left there.
Clerics of episcopal dignity and abbots are permitted to wear their zuchetti during the liturgy.

Episcopal dignity grants the amaranth red silk, cardinals get scarlet moire silk, and the Pope gets white silk.

Seminarians are not clerics (tho’ most are “clerks” under the old canon law; they are now still laymen under the CIC 1983; clerks were not permitted zuchetti).

The episcopal use during liturgy is covered in the Pontifical.

Noonan, James-Charles Jr., (1996) The Church Visible, Viking Press, United States. p305-308.

As to wear of the biretta… Very Rev. Monsignor Archpriest Michael Artim, of eternal memory, wore his biretta constantly as his normal summer headwear outside for many years. He almost never* wore it for byzantine liturgies, but almost always when celebrating roman ones in roman vestments. When concelebrating the Roman liturgies in Byzantine vestments, he did not wear it. He pretty much stopped wearing it when he was granted his crown as an archpriest.

Rev. Fr. Leo Walsh has one, wears it occasionally with his cassock of merlino.

Men generally don’t wear hats anymore save for weather based reasons, so the use of the zuchetto and biretta are both in decline in the US.

*if I hadn’t seen a photo of him doing so, I’d have said probably never… but the photo was from the 1950’s… and included a number of latinzations which he later abandoned.

To the best of my knowledge the biretta is only worn during the celebration of the Extraordinary Form. The Zuchetti is only worn by bishops, abbots, monks and friars. Even monks and friars rarely wear it. I have one, but never wear it. It’s not a practical garment. It slips off or is blown away by a breeze. Even with our hair cropped very short, they don’t stay put. When my hair was longer, under the old constitution, I had to pin it on. If anyone asked me if they should wear one, I would have to suggest that you join a mendicant or monastic order and stick to a capuche. LOL I have a capuche and find it more useful, especially when it rains or it’s very cold.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Aramis]

To the best of my knowledge the biretta is only worn during the celebration of the Extraordinary Form. The Zuchetti is only worn by bishops, abbots, monks and friars. Even monks and friars rarely wear it. I have one, but never wear it. It’s not a practical garment. It slips off or is blown away by a breeze. Even with our hair cropped very short, they don’t stay put. When my hair was longer, under the old constitution, I had to pin it on. If anyone asked me if they should wear one, I would have to suggest that you join a mendicant or monastic order and stick to a capuche. LOL I have a capuche and find it more useful, especially when it rains or it’s very cold.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

With all due respect, Friar, the book I cite from is extensively cited, and the chapter cites the various sources quite well. ALL clerics are entitled to a black zuchetto, and both clerics and seminarians are permitted the biretta.

As for the biretta, it’s just fallen out of use; it’s still permitted under the OF. Just not required. (same source, previous chapter, p301 references Secretariate of State directive #135705)
Biretti:
Seminarians Black, no tuft
Priests & lesser prelates: Black merlino, with black silk tuft
Apostolic Pronotaries Supranumerary Black merlino, with black tuft, trim, and lining.
Apostolic Pronotaries Black merlino, with crimson tuft, trim, and lining.
Bishops, Archbishops, Latin Patriarchs: Purple, with purple tuft and green lining, silk or merlino
Cardinals, choir dress or Cappa Magna: Scarlet Moire Silk, no tuft, loop
Cardinals, daily dress: Scarlet merlino, no tuft, loop

I can’t find the directive itself online, so lay-friars might be permitted a zuchetto.

 

[malphono]

With all due respect, Friar, the book I cite from is extensively cited, and the chapter cites the various sources quite well. ALL clerics are entitled to a black zuchetto, and both clerics and seminarians are permitted the biretta.

I don’t have a work to cite at hand, and I’m not looking for an argument, but I can say that I have never seen or even heard of a secular priest (much less a deacon or minor cleric) wearing a zuchetto. At least not since the reforms of Pius IX. Prior to that, yes, at least for priests, (the Curé d’Ars, e.g., is often shown wearing one), but even then it was not for liturgical use. The one exception I can think of is for priests who are canon lawyers, and again the zuchetto is not for liturgical use. It must be left in the sacristy, along with the ring.

 

[JReducation]

With all due respect, Friar, the book I cite from is extensively cited, and the chapter cites the various sources quite well. ALL clerics are entitled to a black zuchetto, and both clerics and seminarians are permitted the biretta.

As for the biretta, it’s just fallen out of use; it’s still permitted under the OF. Just not required. (same source, previous chapter, p301 references Secretariate of State directive #135705)
Biretti:
Seminarians Black, no tuft
Priests & lesser prelates: Black merlino, with black silk tuft
Apostolic Pronotaries Supranumerary Black merlino, with black tuft, trim, and lining.
Apostolic Pronotaries Black merlino, with crimson tuft, trim, and lining.
Bishops, Archbishops, Latin Patriarchs: Purple, with purple tuft and green lining, silk or merlino
Cardinals, choir dress or Cappa Magna: Scarlet Moire Silk, no tuft, loop
Cardinals, daily dress: Scarlet merlino, no tuft, loop

I can’t find the directive itself online, so lay-friars might be permitted a zuchetto.

I didn’t say the biretta not allowed. I said that to the best of my knowledge it’s only worn at the EF. I said that the zuchetto has fallen into disuse, except among bishops and abbots.

As to friars, that’s not a matter of Church law. Church law does not get involved with excempt religious orders. That’s a matter of rule and constitution of each order: Carmelite, Augustinian, Franciscan, Benedictine and Basilian. Those religious communities that are not an order or being an order do not have a rule of their own, may follow one of the above rules, such as the Dominicans. They follow the Augustinian rule. They are one of many that follow the Augustinian rule. The constitutions do allow it. However, as I said, it has fallen into disuse among friars, because it’s not a practical garment. Originally, friars wore it to protect their heads from the cold in the friaries and priories. It was never mandated. It was a custom. Today, many of us have one, but I don’t see any of our friars wear it, except the older friars. I believe they wear it out of habit, not as in the religious habit. I have to be in the mood to wear mine. I find the capuche much more practical.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[JReducation]

I don’t have a work to cite at hand, and I’m not looking for an argument, but I can say that I have never seen or even heard of a secular priest (much less a deacon or minor cleric) wearing a zuchetto. At least not since the reforms of Pius IX. Prior to that, yes, at least for priests, (the Curé d’Ars, e.g., is often shown wearing one), but even then it was not for liturgical use. The one exception I can think of is for priests who are canon lawyers, and again the zuchetto is not for liturgical use. It must be left in the sacristy, along with the ring.

The zuchetto has never been a liturgical garment. The biretta and the capuche have been. Clerks regular and secular priests wore them for the celebration of mass. The only friars that I know of who wore them were the Conventual Franciscans. The monastic and mendicant orders wore their capuche during certain parts of the Liturgy of the Hours and certain parts of the mass.

Nonetheless, we have to remember that in the monastic and mendicant traditions, there were few communities that made distinctions in dress between an ordained or a lay monk or friar. For example, the Carmelites and Franciscans have never had differences. You can’t tell them apart. You’re not supposed to be able to do so. They all wore the capuche during certain parts of the liturgy.

The clerks regular never had a capuche. They didn’t have a habit. They wore a cassock. Clerks regular are Vincentians, Jesuits, Canons, Salesians, Redemptorists, Passionists and so forth. That’w why St. Vincent is often depicted with a zuchetto. They wore one. Even communities such as the Christian Brothers wore a zuchetto. They are not clerics. There are no ordained members in their congregation. Now that I think about it, I’m wondering it it was more popular with the French communities. I don’t know. I’ve enver read a history of it. I guess it’s not that important as to write an entire book on it. It’s interesting history.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[malphono]

The zuchetto has never been a liturgical garment.

Uh … isn’t that what I said?

The biretta and the capuche have been.

The biretta is not strictly liturgical. It is never worn at the altar, but only for procession/recession and while seated at the sedelia. It’s also considered a part of house dress, and was (at least in the past) frequently worn outdoors. As for the capuce, it’s part of the habit, so it is also not strictly liturgical in function either.

The clerks regular never had a capuche. They didn’t have a habit. They wore a cassock. Clerks regular are Vincentians, Jesuits, Canons, Salesians, Redemptorists, Passionists and so forth. That’w why St. Vincent is often depicted with a zuchetto. They wore one.

Canons Regular normally do have a proper habit: O. Praem certainly does.

 

[JReducation]

Uh … isn’t that what I said?

That’s my point. That you and I are saying the same thing.

The biretta is not strictly liturgical. It is never worn at the altar, but only for procession/recession and while seated at the sedelia. It’s also considered a part of house dress, and was (at least in the past) frequently worn outdoors. As for the capuce, it’s part of the habit, so it is also not strictly liturgical in function either.

Maybe I shoul rephrase this so that it is clearer. It is both liturgical, because you wear it during liturgy, and outdoor dress as well.

Canons Regular normally do have a proper habit: O. Praem certainly does.

The O’Praem are a religious order. That’s why their wear a habit. Most Canons Regular are not religious orders. They are religious men, but not orders. They are clerks. There is a big difference between clerks and orders. That’s why most do not have a habit. Look at the large congregations of clerks: Jesuits, Redemptorists, Salesians, Passionists, and Vincentians. They wear a modified version of a cassock. Some don’t even wear a modified version of a cassock. They simply wear the same cassock as secular priests do. Some have an insignia on their cassocks as do the Passionists and the Fathers of Mercy.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Aramis]

The Zuchetto was originally a covering for the area of the tonsure. It protected the head from the drafts, and the hats from the skin in the tonsure. (It was even accused of accelerating the depilation of the tonsure.)

The Zuchetto, if worn, is worn under the biretta, gallero, or miter as well. Note that the zuchetto will cover a tonsure’s bald spot… and thus protect the lining from sweat on the tonsure. But not the brow… however, older zuchetti were considerably larger (3x, according to Noonan… which would run forehead to neck on most).

I HAVE been researching vestments. Off and on for the last several years.

 

[JReducation]

The Zuchetto was originally a covering for the area of the tonsure. It protected the head from the drafts, and the hats from the skin in the tonsure. (It was even accused of accelerating the depilation of the tonsure.)

The Zuchetto, if worn, is worn under the biretta, gallero, or miter as well. Note that the zuchetto will cover a tonsure’s bald spot… and thus protect the lining from sweat on the tonsure. But not the brow… however, older zuchetti were considerably larger (3x, according to Noonan… which would run forehead to neck on most).

I HAVE been researching vestments. Off and on for the last several years.

Our zuchetto was never that large. I was very small, like the one worn by bishops. In our order everyone was tonsured, because we wanted to avoid the distinction between the ordained and the non clerics. When we stopped the tonsure, it was for everyone. Then the zuchetto fell into disuse, because it was no longer necessary. It’s still available for those who want to wear it. It was never abrogated. The tonsure was abrogated by the constitutions, not the zuchetto. I have seen the larger ones among the Benedictine traditions. Some of them were as large as a ski-cap. Our older friars in places like Italy still wear them quite often. The younger friars wear their capuche for prayer and for weather too. The Franciscans of the Reform wear a ski-cap or a French barette (sp?). I guess because we’re so large and so dispersed around the world, we probably have more variety than other religious families. We even have diversity in our habits. The common element to all of us is the cowl and the chord.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF