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 style priest
cassock 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). Coloured 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 coloured 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 lay people 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).
