by Christopher Gray
Intermountain Catholic

Return to special coverage of Bishop Wester's Installation

SALT LAKE CITY — Professional attire is so commonplace that its eloquent nonverbal communication slips into the background. Letter carriers, police officers, military personnel, and fast food restaurant employees all wear immediately identifiable uniforms. Similarly, Catholic clergy and men and women in many religious orders wear special clothes and other articles as a sign of the work to which they have been called to dedicate their lives.

Bishops, too, wear special items that set them apart as bishops. Many of these vestments and accessories can be traced far back in the history of the Church, and some can be traced even further back in time.

When Bishop John Wester was ordained Sept. 18, 1998, he was given three items of special significance to bishops: a ring, a crosier, and a miter.

The Ring: The ring symbolizes the bishop’s marriage to the Church and is the most important symbol of his office. The “Ceremonial of Bishops,” a book which gives bishops instruction for their liturgical responsibilities, identifies the ring as something “he is to wear always.”

The Crosier: Also called the shepherd’s staff, the crosier is made of either metal or wood, with a curved crook at its top. Reminiscent of the staff which shepherds use in tending their flocks, the crosier reminds both bishops and their the people of the diocese that he stands in their midst as Christ, the Good Shepherd. The staff is to be held in procession, during the Gospel and the homily, in receiving religious vows and promises or a profession of faith, and when bestowing a blessing except when the blessing includes the laying on of hands.

The Miter: The miter is a two-sided, pointed headdress which can be traced to the high priests of the Old Testament. It became a common liturgical vesture of bishops by the 10th century.

All three of these primary symbols of the bishop’s office can vary in style and may be very simple or lavishly decorated. Whatever the extent of the ornamentation, the fundamental symbols of the ring, the crosier, and the miter are reminders to a bishop and the people of his dedication to them in giving himself in service, his responsibility to be a shepherd of Christ’s flock, and his role as a high priest of the new covenant.

The pallium, a woolen band worn around the neck, is added to this list in the case of archbishops. Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco, who was the eighth bishop of Salt Lake City, received a pallium from Pope Benedict XVI June 29, 2006, at a special ceremony at the Vatican.

On a secondary level, there are several other items often associated with bishops.

Cassock: A garment reaching from shoulders to ankles, the cassock is closed with buttons along the length of the front, and with the familiar white clerical collar around the neck. The color of the cassock indicates the office of the wearer: white for the pope, red for cardinals, purple for bishops, black with purple highlights for monsignors, and black for priests. There is usually a wide, belt-like sash, called the fascia, around the waist. The sash is usually the same color as the cassock. Today, the cassock is considered more decorative than functional.

Rochet: The rochet is a white outer garment reaching from the shoulders to below the waist. There is sometimes an embroidered decoration at the hem of both the garment and the sleeves. It is distinguished from the very similar surplice by having tighter sleeves.

Mozzetta: A small, cape-like garment worn over the rochet, reaching from shoulders to about halfway to the waist. The mozzetta is the same color as the cassock, and is usually worn only by cardinals and bishops.

Pectoral cross: Another prominent feature of the bishop’s insignia is the pectoral cross. This is usually worn suspended from a chain of gold or silver around the bishop’s neck. Often, when wearing a suit, the bishop keeps the cross in his left pocket over his heart. This chain is therefore suspended across his black shirt. When wearing the cassock, rochet, and mozzetta, the cross is suspended from a cord which hangs forward with the cross, around his neck, and down the back to the length of the mozzetta. The cord is usually braided with green and gold. The “Ceremonial of Bishops” instructs the bishop that the pectoral cross on this cord is worn over his alb and either under or over the chasuble when he celebrates Mass.

Zucchetto: Centuries ago, when they took the first step toward the priesthood, new clerics were tonsured – shaving a small circle of the crown of the head. In the Mediterranean, the zucchetto, from the Italian word for gourd, can be interpreted as a protection from the elements for those who braved the tonsure. The color of the cap varies, as with the cassock, according to the office of the wearer. At one time all clerics, including bishops and priests, would have worn a zucchetto. Today it is almost exclusively worn by the pope, cardinals, and bishops.

Biretta: The Biretta is another hat-like head covering. Its peaks, tufts, and colors varied according to the office of the wearer. Like the zucchetto, most clerics would have worn a biretta. Many readers will recall the black biretta of parish priests several decades ago, and if their pastor was a monsignor, his biretta held a purple tuft. The biretta is now used almost exclusively by cardinals.

According to the “Ceremonial of Bishops,” the cassock, the rochet, the mozzetta, the pectoral cross, the zucchetto, and a biretta are together known as the ceremonial “choir dress” of a bishop.

Ferraiolo: This long cape with a large flat collar flows from the shoulders to the ankles. Its color varies with the office of the wearer; the color would be the same as that of the cassock and is used only on very formal occasions, and outside of liturgical functions. For example, the ferraiolo might be worn by the bishop at the graduation of a diocesan high school or at a formal dinner.

At Mass, the bishop wears the recognizable alb, a long white garment worn by all clergy; a stole, a long white garment worn around the neck and down the front by priests and bishops and attached on the side by deacons; and a chasuble, a large outer garment shaped like a poncho.

All these traditions are codified in two books specifically addressed to bishops regarding their liturgical responsibilities. The “Roman Pontifical” is a book of ceremonies which the bishop usually celebrates, such as dedications and the sacraments of confirmation and holy orders. The other is the “Ceremonial of Bishops” which gathers all the instructions for liturgical actions which involve a bishop into a handbook for the bishop.

These are the miter, chasuble, and stole Bishop Wester will wear at his installation at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City March 14. The crosier above the miter was often used by Archbishop Niederauer at Mass at the Cathedral; it was originally used by Bishop Duane G. Hunt, the fifth bishop of Salt Lake City.