QUESTION : In his newly published autobiography Hope, Pope Francis has taken a firm stance against what he describes as the “rigid” mentality and ostentatious dress of some conservative bishops and cardinals. According to the Pope, this “clerical ostentation” may sometimes mask “mental imbalance, emotional deviation, or behavioural difficulties.” The Pope argues that such practices reflect deeper issues within the Church’s traditionalist factions. Now, there are many discussions on conservative and progressive conflict within the sphere of Catholic Church. How should one understand it? – Sinoj Joseph
ANSWER : Jacob Parappally MSFS
Religious leaders of all faiths are known to wear distinctive garments that set them apart as a special class or group within society. The attire they wear for public functions, especially the vestments worn during religious ceremonies, is often made of fine fabrics and adorned with gold embroidery, symbolizing their sacred authority and esteemed position. These garments inspire admiration from both believers and non-believers alike. Even in primitive religions, priests and other cultic functionaries are easily recognizable by their distinctive attire.
Among all religious leaders, the attire of Church leaders–namely, priests, bishops, and cardinals–stands out for its splendour and majesty. For some, such ostentatious garments symbolize religious authority, tradition, and the grandeur of God’s glory. For others, they are expressions of pride, a claim of superiority over others, and a desire to be regarded as someone special. Such attitudes are the exact opposite of what they are called to be: simple, humble, and credible witnesses of the One who confronted the religious leaders of his time for their ostentatious attire and incorrigible hypocrisy.
The prophetic challenge of Jesus to the priests and priestly class of his time is vividly depicted in the Gospels. In the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 23, Jesus denounces the Pharisees–the religious leaders of his time–for focusing on outward appearances to impress people while being far from what they claimed to be. His observation is expressed in these verses from Matthew 23:5-7: “They [the Pharisees] do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honour at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the marketplaces, and being called ‘Rabbi’ by men.” Jesus’ prophetic criticism of the attire and attitude of religious leaders applies to all religious leaders across generations. It remains highly relevant today, especially when many officials in the Church continue the Pharisaic tradition of dressing ostentatiously to emphasize their position in the Church hierarchy. Pope Francis’ observations about the ostentatious attire of Church officials–whether priests, bishops, or cardinals–closely resemble Jesus’ critique of the priestly class of his time.
In the early Church, the officials of the Church were not known by any terms of honour but simple secular terms like deacon (table-server), elder (presbyter) and overseer or bishop. There was no aura of sacredness attached to these leaders of the Church. They did not have any special dress that separated them from the other members of the community. But in the fourth century there was a growth of sacerdotalism (emphasizing the belief that the priests are sacred mediators between God and human beings). With the declaration of Christianity as the religion of the Roman empire, the self-understanding of the Church then was that the Church superseded the Old Israel. The ‘replacement theology’ of that time insisted that the Old Israel is replaced by the New Israel. With this, the breaking of the bread on the table of fellowship in memory of Lord Jesus became the altar of divine sacrifice, the presidents of the eucharistic celebration became cultic priests and bishops wearing decorated attire borrowing elements from the imperial court attire and the cultic priests of Old Testament times. The ornate dress with gold embroidery and colourful and heavy vestments used for liturgical functions were considered signs of growing authority of the Church.
Around this time in the 5th century we have the testimony of Pope Celestine I in 428 CE strongly rebuking the bishops of Gaul for wearing dresses that made them conspicuous. He lays down a rule which says, “we [the bishops and clergy] should be distinguished from the common people by our learning, not by our clothes; by our conduct, not by our dress; by cleanness of mind, not by the care we spend upon our person” (Mansi, “Concilia”, IV, 465). Perhaps, Pope Celestine expressed the mind of Christ concerning his ministers of his word and sacraments more than any other later teachings about clerical dress especially after eleventh century.
The council of Aachen in 816 stated that, following the teachings of the Church Fathers, clergy should “refrain from excessive and ostentatious dress”. But in the following centuries episcopal legislation continued to order that the clergy should distinguish itself not only by their general moral behaviour but also by their dress. The need for distinctive clerical dress was stressed in late eleventh century in Italy at the council of Melfi in 1089. However, several synods in France as well as in the Second Lateran Council in 1139 discussed about clerical dress. The assembled bishops of the synods and the Council insisted that, the clergy was supposed to act as an example for the laity, a humble and modest dress was important for that mission. In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council made it mandatory for all the Christian clergy to wear distinctive dress. Its purpose was not necessarily to elevate the status of the Christian clerics but give a witness to the laity. Later the clerical attire became a symbol of their claim to hold an elevated position in the Church, Thus, the richly decorated vestments including silk robes, jewelled mitres and gold-threaded chasubles worn by bishops and cardinals in the Middle Ages distinguished them from the rest of the members of the Church.
A lot of symbolisms were attached to the flowing robes and intricate embroidery worn by the priests, bishops and the cardinals. They were supposed to signify the sacred nature of their offices. The mitres of the bishops and cardinals are to signify their wisdom and authority to teach the true doctrine and the crosier or the ceremonial staff to symbolize their role as the pastors of the faithful. The splendour of the vestments is to symbolize the majesty of God, the red colour indicates the willingness of those who wear them to sacrifice themselves for their faith and the white expressing the glorious resurrection of Christ.
We cannot deny the influence of the socio-cultural situation of the society of the early centuries when Christianity became the religion of the Roman empire on the production and use of ostentatious attire for those who held offices in the Church. The symbolism was probably superimposed on them to justify their use. With the evolution of religious consciousness, we see the abandoning of old symbols that have lost their significance and people look for more reality and attracted by authenticity of the persons than pomposity of their dress. Pope Francis’s criticism of clerical dress needs to be seen in this light.
Pope Francis follows the tradition of Pope Celestine I of the 5th century, who stated that priests and bishops should be distinguished by the content of their character rather than by the ostentatious garments they wear. Pope Francis recognizes the connection between psychological insecurity, a false sense of the sacred, and rigid attitudes in both personal life and ministry and the dress they wear. He argues that such inner insecurity often manifests in excessive concern for ceremonial attire and external displays of authority. In his book Hope: The Autobiography, Pope Francis states: “It is curious to see this fascination for what is not understood, for what appears somewhat hidden, seems also at times to interest the younger generations. This rigidity is often accompanied by elegant and costly tailoring, lace, fancy trimmings, rochets. Not a taste for tradition but clerical ostentation, which then is none other than an ecclesiastic version of individualism. Not a return to the sacred but to quite the opposite, to sectarian worldliness. These ways of dressing up sometimes conceal mental imbalance, emotional deviation, behavioural difficulties–a personal problem that may be exploited.”
Pope Francis echoes the concerns of critics of the Church whose genuine criticisms should be understood as prophetic denunciations. These critics argue that the extravagant attire of bishops and cardinals starkly contrasts with the Church’s teachings on humility, charity, simplicity, and concern for the poorest and most marginalized. The opulence of Vatican ceremonies and the lavish vestments worn by those conducting them have led some to question whether the Church should redirect its wealth toward social justice initiatives rather than maintaining its historical grandeur.
Pope Francis’ stance on traditional ostentatious clerical dress is credible because he embodies the values of simplicity and humility in his own life. He has rejected traditionally extravagant papal garments, opting instead for a simpler dress and lifestyle that is in tune with his convictions about servant leadership. This raises an important question about religious leadership: Should clergy conform to a world that places great value on external appearances, or should they adopt an austere lifestyle as a countercultural witness to the Gospel? Any believer has the right to ask: Does the ostentatious attire of Church officials glorify God, or does it risk scandalizing the faithful–those who value the simple lifestyle of Christ’s disciples?
The challenge for the Church today is to recapture the dynamic life of the early Church, helping it to grow and deepen as a communion by enriching it with new insights into its doctrines and beliefs–insights attained through the evolving religious consciousness of its faithful. The Church must remain open to the Spirit, which constantly makes all things new. However, there is a tendency among some to cling to tradition without fully understanding its significance for the present time. Pope Francis refers to this as the fossilization of tradition. He emphasizes that tradition is a living reality, not a statue–just as Christ is not a statue. One of the greatest challenges facing the Church today is that some of its members are stubbornly attached to certain traditions, especially regarding the liturgy, in ways that prevent growth and renewal.
Pope Francis states: “The liturgy cannot be a rite that is an end in itself, detached from pastoral considerations, nor the exercise of an abstract spiritualism wrapped in a vague sense of mystery. The liturgy is an encounter, and it is a new start towards others.” A lack of openness in pastoral matters, rigidity in clinging to fossilized understanding of doctrines and liturgical practices, and a failure to engage in proper theological study and reflection often manifest outwardly in the extravagant attire worn by Church officials. Pope Francis critiques this attitude, stating: “We need to sweep away even more the culture of courtliness, in the papal court and everywhere else. The Church is not a court, it is not a place for coteries, favouritism, machination, nor is it the last European court of an absolute monarchy. With Vatican II, the Church became a sign and instrument for the unity of the whole human race.”
For the Church to credibly continue its mission of witnessing to Christ and his values, its presence in the world must be characterized by simplicity, unity, self-emptying love, humanity, and a prophetic commitment to justice and human rights and not by ostentatious clerical attire or exaggerated, elaborate liturgical ceremonies.
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