Deacon and black zucchetto?

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Edwood

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At the Easter Vigil Mass I noticed the deacon present was wearing a black zucchetto . He took it off when the bishop took his off and put it back on after holy communion was complete and the blessed sacrament in repose in the tabernacle.

Is a deacon allowed to wear a zuchetto during the Mass? I’m not saying it’s wrong in any way, I’m just curious. Other than an non-authoritative comment by Fr. James-Charles Noonan is his The Church Visible I couldn’t find any mention of it. Can anyone here please point me to an authoritative source that defines this?
 
Ed,

Just to make sure I understand what you’re asking: do you mean a zucchetto or a biretta?
 
Oh, I think you’re asking specifically about Mass, sorry.
All ordained members of the Roman Catholic Church are entitled to wear the zucchetto… All **clerics who hold the episcopal character **(that is to say, bishops — whether the Pope, cardinals, titular bishops or diocesan bishops) wear the zucchetto throughout most of the Mass, removing it at the commencement of the Canon and replacing it at the conclusion of the Communion. A short stand placed on the altar, usually made of brass or wood and known as a funghellino is used in some churches to hold the zuchetto during that part of the service. No other people are permitted to wear the zucchetto at Mass. Also, the zucchetto continues to be worn while the mitre is being worn; it is placed inside it (a mitre is bottomless, so the zuchetto sits on the head while the mitre is around it).
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(Source)
 
Edwood said:
Thanks but unfortunately that’s all based upon the opinion of an individual priest and not an official instruction from the Church as far as I can see.
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The article mentions that “Current use is governed by a Motu Proprio of Pope Paul VI in 1968.” A google search might help you find the text itself.
 
Edwood said:
At the Easter Vigil Mass I noticed the deacon present was wearing a black zucchetto . He took it off when the bishop took his off and put it back on after holy communion was complete and the blessed sacrament in repose in the tabernacle.

Is a deacon allowed to wear a zuchetto during the Mass? I’m not saying it’s wrong in any way, I’m just curious. Other than an non-authoritative comment by Fr. James-Charles Noonan is his The Church Visible I couldn’t find any mention of it. Can anyone here please point me to an authoritative source that defines this?
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Edwood said:
A black zucchetto (“skullcap”) and not a biretta.
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Along the questioning mode for further information…was he of the Latin Rite Church? We had a Melkite, from the Byzantine family of Liturgical Rites, deacon serve with us for the Chrism Mass and his vestments and clerical garb in and outside of the Mass were distinctly different.

If he was a Latin Rite deacon it seems a little strange; but he was with the bishop so there must be a reason. From my experience, most bishops are not afraid to tell priests or deacons exactly what is expected and what is not expected.
 
This deacon is Latin Rite and was ordained in my Latin Rite diocese about 5 years ago. I suspect this is one of those matter that if one’s bishop approves it, you’re good to go?
 
agnes_therese said:
The article mentions that “Current use is governed by a Motu Proprio of Pope Paul VI in 1968.” A google search might help you find the text itself.
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I looked and could not find the information. I sure wish the name of the MP had been mentioned.
 
Could it be that the phantom Motu Proprio is actually the Instruction “Ut sive sollicite” from the Secretary of State in 1969? If so, it addresses cardinals, bishops, and lesser prelates, but not simple priests and other clerics.

IIRC, there was a reform of clerical dress issued by Pius IX sometime in the 1850s (I think). Again, IIRC, the common use of the zuchetto by other than bishops & other prelates (and canon lawyers) fell out of fashion after that. I don’t think it was prohibited, but it seems to have simply fallen out of use for one reason or another.
 
Edwood said:
This deacon is Latin Rite and was ordained in my Latin Rite diocese about 5 years ago. I suspect this is one of those matter that if one’s bishop approves it, you’re good to go?
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I believe this may be th ecase. My bishop would have laughed very loudly at me and then slapped me in the back of the head to knock it off then he would have said, “lets get started with Mass.” He and I get along quite well and we joke around quite a bit with each other. however, when he has something to let you know when it comes to liturgy he takes that very serious.
 
I think the deacons in our diocese would be happy if they were allowed to wear the Roman collar while engaged in ministry, never mind a zucchetto.
 
Lapey said:
I believe this may be th ecase. **My bishop would have laughed very loudly at me and then slapped me in the back of the head to knock it off **then he would have said, “lets get started with Mass.” He and I get along quite well and we joke around quite a bit with each other. however, when he has something to let you know when it comes to liturgy he takes that very serious.
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If you stop and think, there really is nothing wrong with the practice of a priest or deacon wearing a black zucchetto during the celebration of the Mass as long as they take it off at the correct time and presuming their bishop did not have a problem (as with anything they wear that’s visible during the liturgy.) It’s sort of sad to see a prejudice against the practice when there seems to be no prohibition. It’s not akin to a priest or deacon deciding to wear a mitre or a pallium or to carry a crozier, items which very very specific meanings of authority.

I’m not sure why your bishop would treat you in this way? Seems like it would be far nicer to ask “is there a reason you are wearing the zucchetto?” (if he actually cared at all) and to quietly tell you to stow it if he was not satisfied with your answer (again, if he actually cared at all.)
 
malphono said:
Could it be that the phantom Motu Proprio is actually the Instruction “Ut sive sollicite” from the Secretary of State in 1969? If so, it addresses cardinals, bishops, and lesser prelates, but not simple priests and other clerics.

IIRC, there was a reform of clerical dress issued by Pius IX sometime in the 1850s (I think). Again, IIRC, the common use of the zuchetto by other than bishops & other prelates (and canon lawyers) fell out of fashion after that. I don’t think it was prohibited, but it seems to have simply fallen out of use for one reason or another.
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Wow, excellent research! After reading “Ut sive sollicite” I suspect you found the actual source.

Unless an authoritative source emerges to the contrary, I suspect wearing the black zuchetto by a priest or deacon is just fine so long as their bishop does not have an objection. I suspect the practice (which is not required) in no way breaks any official rules.

It does beg the question though, why would a priest or deacon wear a black zucchetto as they are not required to do so? The only things that come to mind would be if they were actually cold, if their skull was somehow disfigured or possibly if they wanted to appear as formal looking as possible?
 
Edwood said:
If you stop and think, there really is nothing wrong with the practice of a priest or deacon wearing a black zucchetto during the celebration of the Mass as long as they take it off at the correct time and presuming their bishop did not have a problem (as with anything they wear that’s visible during the liturgy.) It’s sort of sad to see a prejudice against the practice when there seems to be no prohibition. It’s not akin to a priest or deacon deciding to wear a mitre or a pallium or to carry a crozier, items which very very specific meanings of authority.

I’m not sure why your bishop would treat you in this way? Seems like it would be far nicer to ask “is there a reason you are wearing the zucchetto?” (if he actually cared at all) and to quietly tell you to stow it if he was not satisfied with your answer (again, if he actually cared at all.)
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Even prior to the “reforms” of Pius IX, the zuchetto was not worn during mass by other than bishops. Not even by monsigniori (minor prelates) or non-episcopal Canon Lawyers, unless. perhaps, they were attending in choro.
 
Edwood said:
If you stop and think, there really is nothing wrong with the practice of a priest or deacon wearing a black zucchetto during the celebration of the Mass as long as they take it off at the correct time and presuming their bishop did not have a problem (as with anything they wear that’s visible during the liturgy.) It’s sort of sad to see a prejudice against the practice when there seems to be no prohibition. It’s not akin to a priest or deacon deciding to wear a mitre or a pallium or to carry a crozier, items which very very specific meanings of authority.

I’m not sure why your bishop would treat you in this way? Seems like it would be far nicer to ask “is there a reason you are wearing the zucchetto?” (if he actually cared at all) and to quietly tell you to stow it if he was not satisfied with your answer (again, if he actually cared at all.)
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Please do not read into my words anything more than what is there. I would not wear it because no one else would and I would stick out like a sore thumb, and my description of the hypothetical was complete hyperbole. :rolleyes:
 
Lapey said:
Please do not read into my words anything more than what is there. I would not wear it because no one else would and I would stick out like a sore thumb, and my description of the hypothetical was complete hyperbole. :rolleyes:
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I was asking a serious question. Not sure about the reason for hyperbole? :rolleyes:

You are also inferring there is something wrong with a deacon wearing a black biretta during the celebration of the Mass and that doesn’t appear to be the case, particularly if his bishop does not mind. FWIW, this deacon did not stick out like a sore thumb because he was wearing a black zucchetto.

This does illustrate something fairly interesting though. A cleric (in this case Fr. James-Charles Noonan) offered a personal opinion on this matter. That opinion was publicized via his book and EWTN and thus becomes “law” to many. 🤷
 
Edwood said:
why would a priest or deacon wear a black zucchetto as they are not required to do so? The only things that come to mind would be if they were actually cold, if their skull was somehow disfigured or possibly if they wanted to appear as formal looking as possible?
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Or it could be something simpler, such as he’s really excited to actually have his very own zuchetto to wear and wants to wear it at every opportunity. Kind of a grown-up/ecclesiastical version of a little kid getting a Batman t-shirt and never wanting to take it off. 🙂

I don’t say this to be critical. I’m kind of thinking how I might feel in similar circumstances. 😛
 
Edwood said:
Wow, excellent research! After reading “Ut sive sollicite” I suspect you found the actual source.

Unless an authoritative source emerges to the contrary, I suspect wearing the black zuchetto by a priest or deacon is just fine so long as their bishop does not have an objection. I suspect the practice (which is not required) in no way breaks any official rules.

It does beg the question though, why would a priest or deacon wear a black zucchetto as they are not required to do so? The only things that come to mind would be if they were actually cold, if their skull was somehow disfigured or possibly if they wanted to appear as formal looking as possible?
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I’m guessing the source that is actually being referred to is the Motu Proprio Pontificalia Insignia, issued 21 June 1968. I cannot find an English translation, but the official Latin text is available here.

Pope Paul VI doesn’t explicitly mention the zucchetto (Latin: pileolus) in the Motu Proprio, but at that time it was forbidden by Canon Law for anyone other than a Cardinal, bishop, or abbot to use the zucchetto during Mass without Apostolic indult (CIC/17 Can. 811 § 2: “Abstineat autem a pileolo et annulo, nisi sit S. R. E. Cardinalis, Episcopus vel Abbas benedictus, aut nisi apostolicum indultum eorundem usum in Missa celebranda eidem permittat.”).
 
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