A little pomp and colour goes along way

by Letters Editor · January 5, 2012

From JB Henrick, Pretoria

Doctor John Straughan�s letter �Bishops, let’s stop the pomp� (November 23) refers. In a long life (I�m now 84 years old), I have seen an amazing dropping of pomp in the Church, from the pope down to clergy.

Gone are the days when popes were crowned with the triple tiara. Paul VI was the last to be crowned.

Gone are the days when popes were carried shoulder-high on the mobile throne (sedia gestatoria) under an eight-poled canopy and flanked by the flabella�the large ostrich feathered fans, reminiscent of the ancient pharaohs.

Gone are the days when cardinals, archbishops and bishops had long trains (the cappa magna), metres long and topped by a cape trimmed with the royal ermine.

I remember as a boy singing in the choir at the re-opening of the Kimberley cathedral. Looking over the balcony of the choir loft watching the slow procession of priests, monsignori, bishops and so on and then lastly the apostolic delegate from 1922-44, Archbishop Bernard Gijlswijk, in a white cassock (he was a Dominican), with a black train lined with white. I thought it would never end.

Leading that procession was a young altar boy carrying a candle. Today he is Mgr Vincent Hill of Pretoria and he remembers it well.

The train for bishops was later shortened so the wearer could carry it over his left arm. Today it too has gone.

How many remember the days when at a Pontifical High Mass, the bishop was vested at the throne, the vestments brought one by one from the altar?

It added nearly 20 minutes to the length of the Mass. The poor bishop had to wear a cassock, alb, stole, sub-deacon�s tunicle, deacon�s tunicle, chasuble, mitre, buskins and slippers. De-vesting was the same in reverse as layer after layer was removed. A boy watching this procedure is reputed to have said to his mother: �Look Ma, just like an onion.�

As for non-liturgical garb, at civil or social functions bishops wore a cassock, lace surplice, rochette and a long light cloak tied at the neck with ribbon (sessaiocola). Monsignori and priests also wore this cloak at functions.

Thank the Lord most of this has gone. I do wish that lace on albs and surplices was also dropped. It is hardly suitable for male garb. I once heard an archbishop say he found it embarrassing.

As for crosiers, I don�t think much is spent on expensive crosiers these days. Most bishops inherit their predecessor�s crosier. I�d rather see them used than being dropped and placed in museums.

When the pope dons simple monastic garb, he does wear the religious white garb of a monastic bishop, going back to Pope St Pius V (in white). Popes have worn white ever since.

I�d hate to see everything colourful dropped, or must everything be drab black like the puritans and our Calvinist brethren?

I do think though, that a �little pomp� goes a long way to relieve the drabness of daily life.