Ask A Priest…

Why do priests wear clerical attire?

Fr. Jeremy’s Answer: In the Order of Celebrating Matrimony, the liturgical book that is used during a Christian wedding, the priest extends his hand and blesses the rings of the bride and groom in the following words, “may the Lord bless these rings, which you will give to each other as a sign of love and fidelity.” These rings become more than simple rings but rather are symbols of a deeper reality to which they have dedicated their lives. In a similar way, priests and religious who have dedicated their lives to the service of God in definitive and public way wear external articles of clothing to express the internal reality to which they have given their lives. In canon 284, in the Code of Canon Law, it specifies that, “[c]lerics are to wear suitable ecclesiastical garb according to the norms issued by the conference of bishops and according to legitimate local customs.” Meaning, that priests are to wear specific attire when serving at the altar in the form of vestments, while also wearing specific attire outside of the liturgy. The Congregation for Clergy, in its Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests, states that “it is particularly important that the community be able to recognise [sic] the priest, man of God and dispenser of his mysteries, by his attire as well, which is an unequivocal sign of his dedication and his identity as a public minister.” The overall style and design of clerical attire has changed throughout church history. In dioceses in the United States, a black suit and a Roman collar or a cassock is the usual attire for diocesan priests. Diocesan clerical attire has several symbolic elements that are worth noting. First is the color. The color black symbolically represents the priest’s voluntary “death” to the world in order to spend his life completely and totally in the service of the Lord. The Roman collar, which is composed of a black collar with a white “square” situated over the priest’s voice box, symbolizes the use of his voice in teaching, preaching, absolving sins, and offering the sacrifice of the Mass. The style of the collar, or whether a priest wears a Roman collar or a cassock, is predominantly a matter of preference. The most important thing about clerical attire, much like the rings that are worn by a married couple, is that it brings to mind the deeper reality of who the minister represents and the love and mercy God has for his people through them.