:cold:
Hi,
What is the official policy on the clothing worn by the clergy during Mass? If a Bishop wanted to wear a 3 piece suit and offer Mass, could he?
It just seems odd to me that I can't recall Jesus or the Apostles wearing any regalia and yet it seems to be a major part of our ceremonies.
Thanks for the help.
Eric
Great question! There are a few reasons for our wearing of Vestments. "A Good book called "How Christ said the First Mass" published by Tan reveals the Jewish origin of some of these vestments that we wear because we are fulfillments of the Jews. Although this point may be argued by different scholars that have different opinions as the Scholars of the Catholic encyclopedia disagree, we can still say that the sacrificial dress was part of Jewish culture that affected the mindset and outlook of the new covenant Christians and their dress even in a non-direct and merely culteral way.
For example see here:
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Vestments
Here is article on the Miter(or bishops hat)
Miters (This Rock: March 1992)
Check this out from exodus
Exodus 28:2–4:
"For your brother Aaron you will make sacred vestments to give dignity and magnificence. You will instruct all the skilled men, whom I have endowed with skill, to make Aaron’s vestments for his consecration to my priesthood. These are the vestments which they must make: a pectoral, an ephod, a robe, an embroidered tunic, a turban, and a belt. They must make sacred vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons, for them to be priests in my service."
We have Priest that wear special clothing because our Pastors are not just ministers like the protestants but our Pastors are real Priest that Offer real Sacrifice, the Eucharist. Sacrificial vestments have been around since the Jewish times. The ministers are not priest and offer no sacrifice. My Church history class taught us the rest. The early Church was made up of both Jews and gentiles(Pagan of Greek and Roman origin). Both Pagans and Jews were accustomed to vestments, special clothing, (Not just a suit or a dressy outfit but rather things with important symbolic significance) and things like Alters and candles in their sacrificial rites. The beauty of the Catholic church is that God used both of the cultures, their dress and rites and what was good in them and eventually in time He(God) developed our understanding of these things over time, even centuries and perfected them for use in the Catholic Church. So we now relate these vestments to Christ and his new covenant priesthood, the Catholic priest, and the new covenant sacrifice, the Mass our heavenly worship.
*******Also, Scripture Scholar and devout Catholic theologian Dr Scott Hahn reveals in his book(The Lambs supper) that the Mass is based off of the heavenly worship in the Book of Revelation. In Revelation we see Priest(Presbyters) of Christ wearing vestments in heavenly worship(Rev 4:4 for example)************.
I hope that helps. God bless you!