Roman
Cassock is considered to a principle solemn garment. A Roman cassock often has
a series of buttons down the front – sometimes thirty-three (symbolic of the
years of the life of Jesus). The ordinary Roman cassock is worn by Catholic
clerics (as distinct from that worn as choir dress) is black except in tropical
countries, where because of the heat it is white and usually without shoulder
cape (pellegrina). Colored piping and buttons are added in accordance with
rank: purple for chaplains of His Holiness; amaranth red for bishops,
protonotaries apostolic and Honorary Prelates; and scarlet red for cardinals.
A
band cincture or sash, known also as a fascia, may be worn with the cassock.
The Instruction on the dress of prelates specifies that the two ends that hang
down by the side have silk fringes, abolishing the sash with tassels. A black
faille fascia is worn by priests,
deacons, and major seminarians, while a purple faille fascia is used by
bishops, protonotaries apostolic, honorary prelates, and chaplains of His
Holiness when wearing a cassock with colored trim. A black watered-silk
fascia is permitted for priests attached to the papal household, a purple
watered-silk fascia for bishops attached to the papal household (for example,
Apostolic Nuncios), and a scarlet watered-silk fascia for cardinals. The Pope
wears a white watered-silk fascia, with his coat of arms on the ends.
Pope
Benedict XVI in white cassock (sometimes though unofficially called a simar)
with pellegrina and fringed white fascia. In choir dress, chaplains of His
Holiness wear their purple-trimmed black cassocks with a cotta, but bishops,
protonotaries apostolic, and honorary prelates use (with a cotta or, in the
case of bishops, a rochet, and mozzetta) cassocks that are fully purple (this
purple corresponds more closely with a Roman purple and is approximated as
fuchsia) with scarlet trim, while those of cardinals are fully scarlet with
scarlet trim. Cardinals have the additional distinction of having both choir
cassock sleeves and the fascia made of scarlet watered-silk. The cut of the
choir cassock is still a Roman-cut or French-cut Roman cassock.
An
elbow-length shoulder cape, open in front, is sometimes worn with the cassock,
either fixed to it or detachable. It is known as a pellegrina. It is distinct
from the mozzetta, which is buttoned in front and is worn over a rochet.
Cassocks are sometimes worn by seminarians studying for the priesthood, by
religious brothers, by laypeople when assisting with the liturgy in church,
such as altar servers, and by members of choirs (frequently with cotta or, more
usually in Anglican churches, surplice). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassock
