Why does the deacon wear a zucchetto during Mass?

[Edwood]

I thought some might be interested in this.

I asked the deacon today why he wears a zucchetto during Mass? He said because he’s an inveterate hat/cap wearer outside of Mass and that wearing the zucchetto during Mass feels comfortable to him, particularly when it’s cold inside the cathedral. He told me he wears one as well outside of Mass in conjunction with a cassock.

He said there is absolutely no problem with either his bishop or the rector of the cathedral regarding wearing the zucchetto. He said he has received gifts of new zucchettos from regulars at the cathedral since he was been ordained some years ago.

 

[Jeanne_S]

 

[fcijrr1993]

What is a zucchetto?:

 

[Andres88]

I really thought only bishops were allowed to wear them.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I thought some might be interested in this.

I asked the deacon today why he wears a zucchetto during Mass? He said because he’s an inveterate hat/cap wearer outside of Mass and that wearing the zucchetto during Mass feels comfortable to him, particularly when it’s cold inside the cathedral. He told me he wears one as well outside of Mass in conjunction with a cassock.

He said there is absolutely no problem with either his bishop or the rector of the cathedral regarding wearing the zucchetto. He said he has received gifts of new zucchettos from regulars at the cathedral since he was been ordained some years ago.

I am glad you were able to get the question answered from the source. It did seem like from your previous research that there was no issue with a deacon wearing one.

It’s interesting that he’s recived gifts of them. I guess you know now that any hat gift would be welcome to him! :tiphat:

 

[Chatter163]

Like the biretta, any cleric may wear one. Priests and deacons can wear a black one. Certainly this is not common, but it is Omk for them to do so.

 

[Aran_Houlihan]

I really thought only bishops were allowed to wear them.

I was told that but normally the deacon would wear e the biretta like any cleric may wear one. Priests and deacons can wear a black one.

 

[Lapey]

I thought some might be interested in this.

I asked the deacon today why he wears a zucchetto during Mass? He said because he’s an inveterate hat/cap wearer outside of Mass and that wearing the zucchetto during Mass feels comfortable to him, particularly when it’s cold inside the cathedral. He told me he wears one as well outside of Mass in conjunction with a cassock.

He said there is absolutely no problem with either his bishop or the rector of the cathedral regarding wearing the zucchetto. He said he has received gifts of new zucchettos from regulars at the cathedral since he was been ordained some years ago.

I was told that but normally the deacon would wear e the biretta like any cleric may wear one. Priests and deacons can wear a black one.

Since this was brought up several days ago I have not found anything in the Latin Rite Church that allows anyone but the Bisop to wear a zucchetto while serving in Mass. Outside of Mass it may be worn, yes.

 

[Lapey]

What is a zucchetto?:

 

[Aran_Houlihan]

I think the biretta l lokks nicer than the zucchetto

 

[malphono]

Like the biretta, any cleric may wear one. Priests and deacons can wear a black one. Certainly this is not common, but it is Omk for them to do so.

This is true, but unlike the biretta, it’s not worn during Mass or any other formal liturgical service. That is reserved to bishops.

Since this was brought up several days ago I have not found anything in the Latin Rite Church that allows anyone but the Bisop to wear a zucchetto while serving in Mass.

And of course that’s because there’s nothing to be found.

Outside of Mass it may be worn, yes.

Yes, although it hasn’t been common, even among priests, since at least the reforms of Pius IX.

 

[Lapey]

This is true, but unlike the biretta, it’s not worn during Mass or any other formal liturgical service. That is reserved to bishops.

And of course that’s because there’s nothing to be found.

Yes, although it hasn’t been common, even among priests, since at least the reforms of Pius IX.

I see you are a Maronite Catholic, what are the norms for clerical garb for deacons? The Melkite Deacon I know and serve with occassionally does wear the black birretta almost always, with a clerical collar and all black dress. I was just curious about what you see. Thanks.

 

[malphono]

I see you are a Maronite Catholic, what are the norms for clerical garb for deacons?

Deacons often wear a clerical collar: “permanent” deacons when “on duty” and “transitional” deacons more generally. However, (and with the exception of some transitional deacons), it’s quite unusual to see one in a cassock, although all (permanent and transitional alike) are expected to wear the jibbee (equivalent of the Melkite outer riasa) for liturgical services. There is no headgear, although (and I’m not sure about this) there may have been in the long-ago past, but monastics have the phiro (a zuchetto-like skullcap common to all the West Syriac Churches).

The Melkite Deacon I know and serve with occassionally does wear the black birretta almost always, with a clerical collar and all black dress. I was just curious about what you see. Thanks.

A Melkite deacon wears a biretta??? I would expect a kamilavkion (the “stovepipe” hat), but not a biretta.

 

[malphono]

Deacons often wear a clerical collar: “permanent” deacons when “on duty” and “transitional” deacons more generally. However, (and with the exception of some transitional deacons), it’s quite unusual to see one in a cassock, although all (permanent and transitional alike) are expected to wear the jibbee (equivalent of the Melkite outer riasa) for liturgical services. There is no headgear, although (and I’m not sure about this) there may have been in the long-ago past, but monastics have the phiro (a zuchetto-like skullcap common to all the West Syriac Churches).

A Melkite deacon wears a biretta??? I would expect a kamilavion (the “stovepipe”), but not a biretta.

 

[Lapey]

A Melkite deacon wears a biretta??? I would expect a kamilavkion (the “stovepipe” hat), but not a biretta.

This is so uncommon in the Latin Rite I may not know what I am talking about. Do you have a picture of a “stovepipe” hat? Please excuse my ignorance…

I found it.

 

[malphono]

This is so uncommon in the Latin Rite I may not know what I am talking about. Do you have a picture of a “stovepipe” hat? Please excuse my ignorance…

I found it.

Yep … that’s it.

 

[Lapey]

Deacons often wear a clerical collar: “permanent” deacons when “on duty” and “transitional” deacons more generally. However, (and with the exception of some transitional deacons), it’s quite unusual to see one in a cassock, although all (permanent and transitional alike) are expected to wear the jibbee (equivalent of the Melkite outer riasa) for liturgical services. There is no headgear, although (and I’m not sure about this) there may have been in the long-ago past, but monastics have the phiro (a zuchetto-like skullcap common to all the West Syriac Churches).

A Melkite deacon wears a biretta??? I would expect a kamilavkion (the “stovepipe” hat), but not a biretta.

You’ve realy got me thinking now, it may have not been a biretta. Been a while since I have seen him wearing it. He does wear the stole that wraps around his chest and over his left shoulder to right waist. These stoles are quite beautiful in my opinion.

 

[Chatter163]

This is true, but unlike the biretta, it’s not worn during Mass or any other formal liturgical service. That is reserved to bishops.

Correct; I had forgotten that the OP was referring specifically to its use during Mass.

 

[GwenL]

I believe that the use of the zuchetto during Mass is allowed for religious order priests and even those in simple vows, as governed by their religious order.

I’ve seen our Conventual Franciscans wear a black zuchetto (they have black habits). I think that the Franciscans with brown habits can wear a brown zuchetto.

Also, when the rubrics call for a biretta, a religious priest raises his hood–the hood and not the zuchetto functions as does the biretta. Our rector (an OFM Conv) celebrates Mass in the Extraordinary Form, and when a secular priest would don the biretta, the Franciscan raises the hood. He’s celebrated a solemn high Mass a few times with FSSP priests as deacon and subdeacon, and the FSSP priests are donning/doffing their birettas as our rector does the same with his hood.

We have one young man, a novice friar from our parish, who wears the black zuchetto to keep warm. He was getting set to be in choir for an EF Mass, and the rector asked him if he knew when to doff and don the zuchetto. The novice said no, and the rector told him to go without and follow his example on the hood. That tells me that it would be OK to wear it during Mass, but only if you know what to do!

 

[malphono]

I’ve seen our Conventual Franciscans wear a black zuchetto (they have black habits). I think that the Franciscans with brown habits can wear a brown zuchetto.

Yes, but the capuce is formally part of the habit whereas the zuchetto, especially these days, is optional. Some wear it but most do not. Even back in the days when it was commonly used, it wasn’t worn at Mass, although whether it was worn (doffed and donned) in choro would depend on the particular Order’s custom.

We have one young man, a novice friar from our parish, who wears the black zuchetto to keep warm. He was getting set to be in choir for an EF Mass, and the rector asked him if he knew when to doff and don the zuchetto. The novice said no, and the rector told him to go without and follow his example on the hood. That tells me that it would be OK to wear it during Mass, but only if you know what to do!

The key here is that the friar was to be “in choir” and not serving Mass. It’s really never been worn when functioning at Mass except by bishops and blessed abbots. Even non-episcopal Canon Lawyers (who also are allowed a ring that they are to remove before celebrating Mass) do not wear it at Mass.