Purple stole Priests wear in Confessional

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dizzy_dave

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What does the purple stole the priest wears in the confessional mean, what is it’s purpose. Does the color mean anything?
 
Yes, purple is the color of penance. Thats why the priest wears purple vestments during Lent. (Also, Advent, but many Roman Catholic parishes in the US are using blue now. Why? I don’t know.)
 
Mike C:
Yes, purple is the color of penance. Thats why the priest wears purple vestments during Lent. (Also, Advent, but many Roman Catholic parishes in the US are using blue now. Why? I don’t know.)
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But in North America Blue is only approved in Mexico, not in the US.?
 
The stole is the symbol/badge of the priest’s power. It must be worn for all liturgical functions.

Purple is for the penitential functions; white for the celebratory ones. Other colors are for specific masses.

Priests frequently have a stole which is purple on one side and white on the other for use outside of mass.

The stole is also the badge of the Deacon, but he wears it crossed on his hip rather than open in front like a priest. This indicates his more limited power
 
The Stole is the sign of authority and is only worn by men who have recieved the sacrament of Holy Orders. The Priest wears the purple stole in the confessional as an exterior reminder to all that he has the authority to forgive or retain sins. I believe that in the Byzantine Church, the priest will drape the penitent with his stole as they confess their sins.
 
Psalm45:9:
The Stole is the sign of authority and is only worn by men who have recieved the sacrament of Holy Orders. The Priest wears the purple stole in the confessional as an exterior reminder to all that he has the authority to forgive or retain sins. I believe that in the Byzantine Church, the priest will drape the penitent with his stole as they confess their sins.
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In my single experience he crossed the stole over my head while he pronounced the words of absolution. He told me that it represented the mercy of god [or maybe the Church] encompassing me.

The priest explained it quite well and impressively, but it was several years back and my memory has grown fuzzy.
 
Does a priest have to wear the stole in Confession? Or is it just symbolical?
 
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Almeria:
Does a priest have to wear the stole in Confession? Or is it just symbolical?
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He is required to wear the purple stole in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. However in the case of an emergency or necessity it does not invalidate the Sacrament.
 
So if he didn’t happen to have one in his office and didn’t feel like going upstairs to get one, is my confession any less valid? Or just next time I should push harder for him to get it?
 
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Almeria:
So if he didn’t happen to have one in his office and didn’t feel like going upstairs to get one, is my confession any less valid? Or just next time I should push harder for him to get it?
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Yes your Confession would be valid. However I would next time push for him to hear Confessions in a more proper place according to Canon Law, like a Confessional or Reconciliation room!
 
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