What's The Significance Of Ministerial Attire Finery?

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 12:49 pm

I have been watching the O Bama Eulogy for Rev.Pickney and can't help but notice all the well decked out clergy in their shiny mostly purple colored finery and got to thinking about different religions and how their clergy is attired. Now for a non believer like my self perhaps this is a dumb question, but I am serious. Are clergy in the Catholic faith attired like the military to show their rank, from the white collar of the lowly parish priest to the stunning attire of the Bishop or Cardinal? What's with the African American clergy I am watching on TV? Is there a pecking order based on who has the biggest cross on a chain around their neck? Even Jews with the yarmulke and other vestments like the big broad black hats. To the best of my knowledge it seems like it's mostly Christian and Jews that go to these lengths. OK you say, "How about Muslims"? Oh yeah they have their little thing going don't they? I am a Octogenarian and guess I am defined by the carefully concealed behind the ear hearing aids that I wear as well as a a sure but tentative walking step, but my thoughts, morals, integrity, fairness,honesty you will have to ask or observe.

Post by **spot** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:44 pm

Your Buddhists, rather pleasingly, don't dress by rank or by their proximity to Nirvana.

And British Methodism is non-episcopal, every uniformed British Methodist minister wears an identical frock and dog-collar during services and a black clerical suit (built to last at least fifty years) when attending meetings. The look can scarcely have changed since John Wesley went round on horseback, except he had a coat as well.

The Dress to Excess brigade are surely Orthodox ministers, but you're quite right that the Romans in full conclave are as bad. Unless they're monks. Your monk dresses down.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:58 pm

What's with the color purple? Does it have some religious significance? Many garments and trappings are purple.

Post by **spot** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 2:02 pm

Lon;1481406 wrote: What's with the color purple? Does it have some religious significance? Many garments and trappings are purple.

Back in Constantinople, the Roman Emperor declared Christianity the sole state religion. He and his immediate family wore the purple, for anyone else it was treasonous illegality. That exclusivity was passed into the Roman Church where it became the distinguishing mark of Bishops, and from them into Anglicanism. That's my guess - I'm not sure where one might look for an impartial answer. There's a Catholic Encyclopedia somewhere which will undoubtedly lie from partiality.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 12:16 am

Lon;1481406 wrote: What's with the color purple? Does it have some religious significance? Many garments and trappings are purple.

We take the variiety and choice of colour avaialable for granted nowadays but it wasn't alway so. The colour purple was spectacular and expensive to produce it became associated with wealth and/or prestige in the latter stages of the roman empire it bacame a colour only worn by the emperor - imperial purple. As spot says it was passed on to the popes with the the popes took over from the emperors as the real power in the declining years of the roman empire. Scarlet took over. People used to talk about taking tne mantle or passing the mantle purple or scarlet the colouir was significant in the catholic church and still is to the protestant reformers the gaudiness was one of the things they objected to which is why most protestant sects just use black robes. 21st century and christian priests dress like roman emperors and no one wonders why.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple

Fashion has had a surprising importance throughout history.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 7:42 am

It has something to do with the colour purple being indicative of sin, which is why it is only at children's funerals where a white sash is worn.

Post by **spot** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 8:02 am

FourPart;1481441 wrote: It has something to do with the colour purple being indicative of sin, which is why it is only at children's funerals where a white sash is worn.

You have not, I fear, grasped the nature of sin. A child is born corrupt and sinful. That's a dogmatic truth. Baptism washes all sin from the initiate and can only be applied once. That's a dogmatic truth too. That's why the Emperor Constantine, for example, and millions of other heathens since, have postponed their baptism to their deathbed and thereby guaranteed their entry to heaven. That, at least, is exactly what they believed to be true. I don't hold it out as a truth, merely as a belief. An unbaptized child has no place in heaven, white sash or not.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 10:45 am

spot;1481444 wrote: You have not, I fear, grasped the nature of sin. A child is born corrupt and sinful. That's a dogmatic truth. Baptism washes all sin from the initiate and can only be applied once. That's a dogmatic truth too. That's why the Emperor Constantine, for example, and millions of other heathens since, have postponed their baptism to their deathbed and thereby guaranteed their entry to heaven. That, at least, is exactly what they believed to be true. I don't hold it out as a truth, merely as a belief. An unbaptized child has no place in heaven, white sash or not.
Such is the Christian sympathy offered to a Mother whose new born dies in childbirth. "Sorry, he was full of Sin. He was Evil. No way will his soul get to Heaven. He's Toast!!"

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 10:50 am

FourPart;1481441 wrote: It has something to do with the colour purple being indicative of sin, which is why it is only at children's funerals where a white sash is worn.

No it's not it's the royal colour and was before roman times as well the catholic popes took over the raiments from the roman emperors.

You dont know your bible

Mark 15:16-27New King James Version (NKJV)

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. 17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, 18 and began to salute Him, â€œHail, King of the Jews!â€ 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. 20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

posted by spot

You have not, I fear, grasped the nature of sin. A child is born corrupt and sinful. That's a dogmatic truth. Baptism washes all sin from the initiate and can only be applied once. That's a dogmatic truth too. That's why the Emperor Constantine, for example, and millions of other heathens since, have postponed their baptism to their deathbed and thereby guaranteed their entry to heaven. That, at least, is exactly what they believed to be true. I don't hold it out as a truth, merely as a belief. An unbaptized child has no place in heaven, white sash or not.

Things have progressed at least they donlt go to limbo any more the pope has abolished it.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 11:09 am

I think the costumes make them all look like overgrown cockroaches when they walk. No offense to cockroaches intended.

ETA: I figured I'd say that last bit before the post gets reported.

Post by **LarsMac** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 3:33 pm

Ahso!;1481452 wrote: I think the costumes make them all look like overgrown cockroaches when they walk. No offense to cockroaches intended.

ETA: I figured I'd say that last bit before the post gets reported.

Well, I have never, yet, encountered a cockroach dressed in Purple.

Post by **spot** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 3:59 pm

The Giant Hissing Cardinal has not been seen since voting at The Second Vatican Council. It may be licking its wounds and waiting for a proper authoritarian Pope to take office.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 4:10 pm

LarsMac;1481490 wrote: Well, I have never, yet, encountered a cockroach dressed in Purple.It's natural for them.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q= ... 2910630859

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 4:33 am

gmc;1481450 wrote: No it's not it's the royal colour and was before roman times as well the catholic popes took over the raiments from the roman emperors.

Not necessarily so:

Color Symbolism in Christianity - Christianity Symbols Colors

Purple is the color for penitence and mourning. It is also the color of royalty. Purple is the liturgical color for the seasons of Advent and Lent.

The reason Purple was the colour of Royalty is that it was, until relatively recently, an extremely difficult & costly process to make a purple dye, and it was only the very wealthy, such as Royalty, that could afford it.

Post by **spot** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 6:01 am

I had a purple satin tie when I was a teenager, off Leicester Market.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 6:04 am

[sarcasm]Purple is cheap to make now, how else could those welfare loving blacks afford it? Come to think of it, don't they like purple Cadillacs too?[/sarcasm]