May a Priest Wear a Blue Chasuble?

[cmudd]

I have recently seen priests wearing chasubles that were either totally blue or white with blue accents (presumably in celebration of a marian feast day or event). I was under the impression that the color of the priest’s vestments should only be one of the liturgical colors (green, red, purple, etc…). Has this discipline changed in recent times? Was it ever a discipline or am I mistaken on that fact?

 

[Corki]

Blue accents are fine but blue as the predominant color is only allowed in a few countries - the US is not one of them - and only for Marian feasts.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I have recently seen priests wearing chasubles that were either totally blue or white with blue accents (presumably in celebration of a marian feast day or event). I was under the impression that the color of the priest’s vestments should only be one of the liturgical colors (green, red, purple, etc…). Has this discipline changed in recent times? Was it ever a discipline or am I mistaken on that fact?

Nope the norm for Liturgical colors has not changed and only in Spain is Blue permitted as a Liturgical color or white with blue in the Latin Rite. White and Blue vestments are comon in the Byzantine Rite.

 

[Br_Mark]

Dear cmudd,

Your question can not be answered with either a easy yes or no.
Many will say that using blue (the question usually comes up around advent season) is due to influence by either our Anglican or Lutheran brothers and sisters and for that reason alone should be avoid. However that is not correct, the color blue is used in the Sarum Rite for Advent and for Feasts of Mary; the Sarum Rite predates the reformation as well as the Tridentine (Roman Rite).

Ahh but you say; we do not use the Sarum Rite, but the Roman Rite… there is such a thing liturgical purple which sometimes appears blue, but is purple at least liturgically speaking.

In Christ’s Love,

Br Mark, OSB

 

[Cognito]

I would guess the official ordo recommends a Marian Mass 75%+ of the time on Saturday mornings. Until recently I wasn’t even aware there was a special sacramentary that has been prepared (Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary) to support the recommendation from the ordo.

While it’s certainly not “approved” for the Latin Rite (Easterners do wear blue) in the USA, I love the fact that we now have a blue chasuble for use on Saturday mornings. It’s a little something that sets this Mass apart. It’s ridiculous to suggest this tradition comes from Protestantism. It comes from Hispanic (and perhaps other) countries which are predominantly Catholic.

I hope blue at Marian Masses is approved for the USA very soon.

 

[Psalm45_9]

I asked this question a few years ago about Advent. Although blue is not a permitted color to be worn during that season in this country, there are still some who like to do it anyway.

If the priest wants to demonstrate the difference between Advent and Lent he should be wearing a different shade of violet for each of the seasons.

 

[Cran]

It is not only allowed in Spain, we use it, too on the Marian feasts as an exception, as blue is no ordinary liturgical colour.

(With “use it” I wanted to say: Use it with permission etc. and not just "using what we like beste no matter what the bishop/the conference of bishops says).

 

[cmudd]

I actually saw it again on EWTN. This week, Fr. Francis Mary said mass in a white chasuble with light blue accents. I’m sure the good folks in Irondale are pretty orthodox, so that is why I had questions. I cannot imagine that they would get creative with liturgical disciplines. Therefore, I wondered if there might have been a change or if they have some kind of special permission from the local bishop.

 

[Chatter163]

I actually saw it again on EWTN. This week, Fr. Francis Mary said mass in a white chasuble with light blue accents. I’m sure the good folks in Irondale are pretty orthodox, so that is why I had questions. I cannot imagine that they would get creative with liturgical disciplines. Therefore, I wondered if there might have been a change or if they have some kind of special permission from the local bishop.

Permission for what? You said yourself that the priest wore a WHITE chasuble. It had blue on it, but it was a WHITE chasuble. I am confused.

 

[Chatter163]

I would guess the official ordo recommends a Marian Mass 75%+ of the time on Saturday mornings. Until recently I wasn’t even aware there was a special sacramentary that has been prepared (Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary) to support the recommendation from the ordo.

The Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary is actually not a special sacramentary. It is merely the binding together of the Masses that are contained in the Sacramentary, i.e. the Roman Missal. It is intended to be lighter and more convenient to locate the Marian Masses in that small tome, as opposed to the much larger altar missal.

While it’s certainly not “approved” for the Latin Rite (Easterners do wear blue) in the USA, I love the fact that we now have a blue chasuble for use on Saturday mornings. It’s a little something that sets this Mass apart.

I am not sure why the word *approved was *placed in quotation marks here. This seems to belittle or otherwise dismiss the liturgical norms that the Roman Catholic Church has had in place for centuries, as something that is clearly not of great importance. Otherwise why use the quotes?

It’s ridiculous to suggest this tradition comes from Protestantism. It comes from Hispanic (and perhaps other) countries which are predominantly Catholic.

Actually, it is not at all ridiculous, since blue vestments in this country have primarily been seen during Advent, and only began appearing in Catholic parishes in the seventies, immediately after some Anglicans and Lutherans began wearing blue for Advent in the sixties.

It was part of a larger ecumenical moment among various liturgical groups, both Catholic and Protestant, to distinguish the purely penitential character of Lent from that of Advent, which was seen as more expectant and anticipatory. It was felt that the elimination of violet during Advent acomplished this. Since Anglicans had recently begun floating the old “Sarum blue” theory (a use that had been extremely limited in medieval England, and had been almost completely forgotten until shortly before the Vatican II era), this presented a natural opportunity to wear blue during Advent. Hispanic custom was never cited as part of the adaptation, and considering the fact that most Hispanics in this country come from Latin America and the Caribbean, and not from Spain, where the usage of blue for some Marian feasts exists, the point seems moot.

I hope blue at Marian Masses is approved for the USA very soon.

Considering that no such request from the American bishops is currently pending in the Holy See, I would say that it is highly unlikely.

Blue has long been associated with Our Lady, but there has never been an American movement to make it a liturgical color in her honor. Blue in this country has been associated with Advent, due to influences mentioned above, and said influences are neither Hispanic nor Marian.

 

[AJV]

The Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary is actually not a special sacramentary. It is merely the binding together of the Masses that are contained in the Sacramentary, i.e. the Roman Missal. It is intended to be lighter and more convenient to locate the Marian Masses in that small tome, as opposed to the much larger altar missal. .

I think it is actually. It has way more Masses (40 something) than in the Sacramentary, specially compiled or from religious Propers, most with their own prefaces and with a special lectionery. 4 or so Masses were included form it into the 2002 Missale Romanum

 

[AJV]

This page has more information on the ‘Marian Sacramentary’

The 46 Masses are:

ADVENT SEASON
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Chosen Daughter of Israel
The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Annunciation of the Lord
The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

CHRISTMAS SEASON
Holy Mary, Mother of God
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior
The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Epiphany of the Lord
The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Presentation of the Lord
Our Lady of Nazareth
Our Lady of Cana

LENTEN SEASON

Holy Mary, Disciple of the Lord
The Blessed Virgin Mary at the Foot of the Cross, I
The Blessed Virgin Mary at the Foot of the Cross, II
The Commending of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Reconciliation

EASTER SEASON

The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Resurrection of the Lord
Holy Mary, Fountain of Light and Life
Our Lady of the Cenacle
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Apostles

ORDINARY TIME

Holy Mary, Mother of the Lord
Holy Mary, the New Eve
The Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Holy Mary, Handmaid of the Lord
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Temple of the Lord
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Seat of Wisdom
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Image and Mother of the Church, I
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Image and Mother of the Church, II
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Image and Mother of the Church, III
The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of All Creation
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Mediatrix of Grace
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Fountain of Salvation
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Teacher in the Spirit
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Good Counsel
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Cause of Our Joy
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Pillar of Faith
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Fairest Love
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Hope
Holy Mary, Mother of Unity
Holy Mary, Queen and Mother of Mercy
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Providence
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Consolation
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians
Our Lady of Ransom
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Gate of Heaven

And I was mistaken- 7 Masses included in the 2002 Roman Missal. The Votives were Queen of the Apostles, Holy Name of Mary and Mother of the Church

 

[Chatter163]

I stand corrected, as there are more Masses than I had realized. However, a number of the Masses included, though technically separate Masses, are constructs or similarities of Mass prayers and readings from the Sacramentary, often mixed and matched–this scripture from here, this part of the preface from there. But I suppose that is to be expected.

It is wonderful to see so many different aspects of Our Lady’s role in our faith commemorated liturgically in one volume.

 

[Cognito]

The Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary is actually not a special sacramentary. It is merely the binding together of the Masses that are contained in the Sacramentary, i.e. the Roman Missal. It is intended to be lighter and more convenient to locate the Marian Masses in that small tome, as opposed to the much larger altar missal.

That’s simply not true. Why would you say such a thing? That’s the one terrible thing about these otherwise wonderful looking forums – sometimes people give absolutely incorrect (name removed by moderator)ut to others. While some of the 46 Marian Masses are in the standard Sacramentary, most are not. Time after time the ordo suggests a Marian Mass that is not in the standard Sacramentary.

Considering that no such request from the American bishops is currently pending in the Holy See, I would say that it is highly unlikely.

It doesn’t really matter to me. We are already using the blue on many Saturdays. It’s wonderful.

Blue has long been associated with Our Lady, but there has never been an American movement to make it a liturgical color in her honor. Blue in this country has been associated with Advent, due to influences mentioned above, and said influences are neither Hispanic nor Marian.

Again you are wrong. The widespread use of blue on Saturdays in Hispanic countries is profound and it has a DIRECT impact here in the USA.

 

[Cognito]

I stand corrected, as there are more Masses than I had realized. However, a number of the Masses included, though technically separate Masses, are constructs or similarities of Mass prayers and readings from the Sacramentary, often mixed and matched–this scripture from here, this part of the preface from there. But I suppose that is to be expected.

It is wonderful to see so many different aspects of Our Lady’s role in our faith commemorated liturgically in one volume.

Knock off the song and dance already. You provided incorrect information.

 

[Corki]

It doesn’t really matter to me. We are already using the blue on many Saturdays. It’s wonderful.

.

It is one thing for you to think it is “wonderful” but the OP asked if it was allowed. The answer is “no” for blue vestments but “yes” for blue accents on vestments that are predominantly an approved liturgical color.

The OP was talking about the televised EWTN Mass (from Alabama) so the whole issue of Sarum rite and what they are allowed to use in Spain is academic.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I actually saw it again on EWTN. This week, Fr. Francis Mary said mass in a white chasuble with light blue accents. I’m sure the good folks in Irondale are pretty orthodox, so that is why I had questions. I cannot imagine that they would get creative with liturgical disciplines. Therefore, I wondered if there might have been a change or if they have some kind of special permission from the local bishop.

White is required on some and is optional on a few other feast days. One would assume that the official liturgical color for the day was white.

 

[Volodymyr]

Interesting that pictures of Bishop of Rome Benedict XVI in Mariazell showing him with blue (with unusual green spots) vestments:

d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20070908/i/r1117367796.jpg?x=380&y=260&sig=.xDdKYJdVvW09WvvlKgujA–

But it is common in Orthodox churches to have Blue colored vestmens on Feast of Mother of God:

patriarchia.ru/data/583/448/1234/3DSC_0044.jpg

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

It does not indicate where or when this picture was taken.

 

[Corki]

Is there anything in that link to indicate that the Holy Father wore blue to say Mass, or that he wasn’t in Spain. The issue is Litugical colors and I don’t think that what the Pope wears at non-liturgical appearances follows the same rules. For example, he is seen in while at public appearances virtually all year long, even in Lent and Advent.

The Pope does not chose his own vestments anyway. Evidence the so-called “tie dyed” vestments he wore in Austria (also not a Liturgical color).