Mozzetta
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The mozzetta is a short elbow-length cape that covers the shoulders and is buttoned over the breast. It is worn as part of choir dress by some of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church, among them the Pope, cardinals, bishops, abbots, canons, superiors and deacons. It is also often worn by Anglican clergy. It used to have a small hood on the back on the mozzette of bishops and cardinals but this was discontinued by Pope Paul VI, however, certain canons and abbots' mozzette had a hood on the back, especially the Pope.
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[edit] Color
The color of the mozzetta, which is always worn with a cassock and sometimes other choral vestments, represents the hierarchical rank of the person wearing it. Bishops wear a purple and cardinals a scarlet mozzetta. Since they seldom wear cassocks, most secular priests do not now wear the mozzetta, though some religious orders have, as part of their religious habit, a black mozzetta (notably the Congregation of Holy Cross).
[edit] Papal mozzetta
The Pope wears two versions of the mozzetta: one, an unlined satin mozzetta and another a crimson velvet ermine-trimmed mozzetta. One version of the papal mozzetta fell into disuse during the pontificate of John Paul II (1978-2005). Pope Benedict XVI, however, wore the red velvet mozzetta trimmed in ermine during the papal station at the image of the Madonna near the Spanish Steps that traditionally marks the beginning of Rome's Christmas season, and he wears it on all the occasions where this cloth is necessary.
The papal mozzetta, with its regal trimming, is reminiscent of the days of papal temporal power. It was worn year-round by pontiffs of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Later, it has been worn largely in wintertime. The rest of the year, the popes wear the same light-wool cloak cardinals used.
[edit] Shoulder cape
A shoulder-cape, shorter than a mozzetta, is sometimes worn by altar servers according to local customs.
[edit] References
- Braun, Joseph. (1913). "Mozetta". Catholic Encyclopedia.
[edit] External links
- The Mozetta. Dappled Photos (December 8, 2005).
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