why do preists where the color black?

-- rosie dismal (skyline526@hotmail.com), April 02, 2001

Answers

Response to preists

Jmj

Hello, Rosie.
Father William Saunders, dean of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College (and a priest of the Diocese of Arlington), provides the answer:
"The symbolism of the cassock is as follows; The Roman collar symbolizes obedience; the sash or cincture around that waist, chastity; and the color black, poverty. Moreover, black is a color of mourning and death ... the symbolism is dying to oneself to rise and serve the Lord as well as giving witness of the Kingdom yet to come."
I copied those words from a newspaper column, worth reading in its entirety, at the Arlington (Virginia) Catholic Herald site.

St. James, pray for us. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@desc.dla.mil), April 03, 2001.

Response to preists

So why do Franciscans wear brown or priests in Africa wear white?-- unless it's because it's so hot and balck absorbs heat? E

-- Ellen K. Hornby (dkh@canada.com), June 16, 2001.