Priestly celebrant wore black zuchetto at Mass today

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We had a visiting priest today who celebrated the Mass while wearing a black zucchetto. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before? I’ve seen violet, cardinal red and white on different prelates, but never on a priest.

Is this just a mark of a bit more formality? I personally thought it looked nice.
 
Perhaps this information from EWTN will be helpful.
ewtn.com/expert/answers/zucchetto.htm

"The scull cap worn by Catholic clergy is called the zucchetto (It.). In his book on ecclesiastical protocol, The Church Visible, James-Charles Noonan devotes a chapter to it.

It original use was purely practical. Clerics were tonsured, had a ring of hair removed off the top of their head when they embraced celibacy. The skull-cap was meant to cover it and retain body heat, an absolute necessity in the unheated churches and monasteries of the past. From this practical use it acquired the role of identifying ecclesiastical rank by the color of the zucchetto.

Current use is governed by a Motu Proprio of Pope Paul VI in 1968, who made the zucchetto obligatory only for members of the hierarchy. Other clerics may use it.
Black - lower clergy. All priests and deacons may wear the black zucchetto, though it has fallen out of use, except in some monasteries."
 
Interesting. Maybe his fit so well he forgot he had it on?
 
Perhaps it was in mourning for the two Coptic churches in Egypt that were bombed during Palm Sunday services.
 
One occasionally sees Abbots wearing the black zucchetto, in which case its liturgical use is allowed.

-Fr ACEGC
 
jeannetherese said:
Perhaps this information from EWTN will be helpful.
ewtn.com/expert/answers/zucchetto.htm

"The scull cap worn by Catholic clergy is called the zucchetto (It.). In his book on ecclesiastical protocol, The Church Visible, James-Charles Noonan devotes a chapter to it.

It original use was purely practical. Clerics were tonsured, had a ring of hair removed off the top of their head when they embraced celibacy. The skull-cap was meant to cover it and retain body heat, an absolute necessity in the unheated churches and monasteries of the past. From this practical use it acquired the role of identifying ecclesiastical rank by the color of the zucchetto.

Current use is governed by a Motu Proprio of Pope Paul VI in 1968, who made the zucchetto obligatory only for members of the hierarchy. Other clerics may use it.
Code: 
Black - lower clergy. All priests and deacons may wear the black zucchetto, though it has fallen out of use, except in some monasteries."
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Thanks for your response. Apparently there is no official prohibition. I’m curious why we don’t see them more? They look sharp with vestments.

The priest that wore it is very nice and quite formal – “well put together” in an elegant sort of way. Not cartoonish in the least. I suspect if he was wearing a black clerical suit he would also be wearing a black fedora or homburg or something along those lines.
 
I’ve only seen a priest wear this once during a mass when I went to attend a Baptism in another parish.
In my own parish, I’ve only seen my former pastor wear this once during the Feast day of Francis of Assisi, when he was blessing the parishioner’s pets outside.

I do wish more would wear it, especially during solemn Masses.
 
Solomonson said:
So is the OF Mass.
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Absolutely! At our abbey, in Gregorian chant in a mix of Latin, Greek and French. Everything is chanted except the homily.

Some of the priests wear a black zuchetto in the winter. The bald ones especially! The abbey tries to keep heating costs in check.
 
The zuchetto has gone the way, perhaps not as thoroughly, but certainly in the direction of, high button shoes.

Out of the approximately 17,000 priests we have in the US, I would be surprised if 1% use it. Somewhat similarly is the use of the cassock. I have seen priests wear one, but honestly, I couldn’t say how long ago. I suspect that there may be some who wear it on the East Coast, as the East Coast in general is more formal than the West Coast. But, short of an order or a priestly fraternity, it has fallen from use. Which is not the same thing as “not ever used at all”, but rather, rare.

Likewise, the biretta, at least out here, is noted by its absence; I have not seen one since my pastor, prior to Vatican 2, wore one.

My recollection is that he had that perched on his head during part of the Mass; so perhaps the zuchetto likewise was regulated during the Mass - not forbidden, but worn only during part of the Mass. and perhaps that is a matter for the EF, and not the OF, but I have no inclination to research the matter.

And then there is the flat brimmed, round crown hat I associate with Italy.
 
otjm said:
The zuchetto has gone the way, perhaps not as thoroughly, but certainly in the direction of, high button shoes.

Out of the approximately 17,000 priests we have in the US, I would be surprised if 1% use it. Somewhat similarly is the use of the cassock. I have seen priests wear one, but honestly, I couldn’t say how long ago. I suspect that there may be some who wear it on the East Coast, as the East Coast in general is more formal than the West Coast. But, short of an order or a priestly fraternity, it has fallen from use. Which is not the same thing as “not ever used at all”, but rather, rare.

Likewise, the biretta, at least out here, is noted by its absence; I have not seen one since my pastor, prior to Vatican 2, wore one.

My recollection is that he had that perched on his head during part of the Mass; so perhaps the zuchetto likewise was regulated during the Mass - not forbidden, but worn only during part of the Mass. and perhaps that is a matter for the EF, and not the OF, but I have no inclination to research the matter.

And then there is the flat brimmed, round crown hat I associate with Italy.
Click to expand...
The Cappello Romano? Now that’s truly a silly looking hat! At least it keeps the sun off. There used to be a group of rabid Latin “traditionalists” that attended a local Eastern Rite Catholic parish. They actually purchased the eastern priest a Cappello Romano to wear. It was hilarious!

Last year we had a Walk for Life parade. All the clerics (including the bishop) wore different colored clerical shirts, sweaters, jackets, etc. Most with ball caps of some sort to keep the sun off. They looking…lacking.

One of the deacons wore a black cassock and a nice black cowboy hat. I have to say, he didn’t look bad at all!
 
Solomonson said:
The Cappello Romano? Now that’s truly a silly looking hat! At least it keeps the sun off. There used to be a group of rabid Latin “traditionalists” that attended a local Eastern Rite Catholic parish. They actually purchased the eastern priest a Cappello Romano to wear. It was hilarious!

Last year we had a Walk for Life parade. All the clerics (including the bishop) wore different colored clerical shirts, sweaters, jackets, etc. Most with ball caps of some sort to keep the sun off. They looking…lacking.

One of the deacons wore a black cassock and a nice black cowboy hat. I have to say, he didn’t look bad at all!
Click to expand...
I think that is what it is called.

Gotta watch that rabies - it causes inflammation of the brain…:extrahappy:
 
otjm said:
The zuchetto has gone the way, perhaps not as thoroughly, but certainly in the direction of, high button shoes.

Out of the approximately 17,000 priests we have in the US, I would be surprised if 1% use it. Somewhat similarly is the use of the cassock. I have seen priests wear one, but honestly, I couldn’t say how long ago. I suspect that there may be some who wear it on the East Coast, as the East Coast in general is more formal than the West Coast. But, short of an order or a priestly fraternity, it has fallen from use. Which is not the same thing as “not ever used at all”, but rather, rare.

Likewise, the biretta, at least out here, is noted by its absence; I have not seen one since my pastor, prior to Vatican 2, wore one.

My recollection is that he had that perched on his head during part of the Mass; so perhaps the zuchetto likewise was regulated during the Mass - not forbidden, but worn only during part of the Mass. and perhaps that is a matter for the EF, and not the OF, but I have no inclination to research the matter.

And then there is the flat brimmed, round crown hat I associate with Italy.
Click to expand...
I am, very thankfully, not a priest of the United States so I would not spoil your percentages.

The usage of the black zucchetto at Mass is proper to that of Abbots…except the Premonstratensians, which would use white.

Personally, I use my zucchetto outside of Mass – and never before the Blessed Sacrament exposed – in the autumn and winter. I have one that is lined satin and one that is pure wool. But it is the silver haired set of us that do this…not least because we have a natural tonsure that welcomes the head covering.

In Europe, we use the cassock decidedly more than in the United States or Canada.

The biretta is long at the top of my closet and will not be reappearing. I did not use it in the years I held the indult, when I said the Mass for those requesting it in the vetus ordo. Perhaps, upon my death, it find its way to our museum.

As for the Saturno, I still use it on occasion, most notably in winter or in the season of the cold mist. It actually quite effectively serves a good and practical function in colder climes.
 
Don_Ruggero said:
I am, very thankfully, not a priest of the United States so I would not spoil your percentages.

The usage of the black zucchetto at Mass is proper to that of Abbots…except the Premonstratensians, which would use white.

Personally, I use my zucchetto outside of Mass – and never before the Blessed Sacrament exposed – in the autumn and winter. I have one that is lined satin and one that is pure wool. But it is the silver haired set of us that do this…not least because we have a natural tonsure that welcomes the head covering.

In Europe, we use the cassock decidedly more than in the United States or Canada.

The biretta is long at the top of my closet and will not be reappearing. I did not use it in the years I held the indult, when I said the Mass for those requesting it in the vetus ordo. Perhaps, upon my death, it find its way to our museum.

As for the Saturno, I still use it on occasion, most notably in winter or in the season of the cold mist. It actually quite effectively serves a good and practical function in colder climes.
Click to expand...
Ah - the Saturno. I had no idea what it was called.

When I was a student at Jesuit High School, every single one of the priests and scholastics wore a cassocks wiuth the wide cloth belt; and my pastor then wore a cassock. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t see him in it; but all before the end of Vatican 2. Somewhere along that time, priests moved to wearing a black suit when out in public and it has been decades since I have seen one wearing a cassock.

Then, again, the West Coast is notorious for casual for everyone.

Our retired bishop said the early morning Mass on Easter, and had his zucchetto on appropriately; but other than that they are nowhere to be seen.
 
Don_Ruggero said:
As for the Saturno, I still use it on occasion, most notably in winter or in the season of the cold mist. It actually quite effectively serves a good and practical function in colder climes.
Click to expand...
I like that hat. To me that always says Don Camillo & Fr. Brown.
🙂
 
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