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PAPAL SECRETARIAT

OF STATE

INSTRUCTION

on the

DRESS OF CARDINALS, BISHOPS

AND OTHER PRELATES

March 31, 1969

UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE





PAPAL SECRETARIAT

OF STATE

INSTRUCTION

on the

DRESS OF CARDINALS, BISHOPS

AND OTHER PRELATES

In the diligent exercise of his vigilance over all the Church,

and the observance of the indications and spirit of the Second

Vatican Ecumenical Council, His Holiness Pope Paul VI has not

failed to dedicate his attention also to certain exterior forms of

ecclesiastical life, with the intention of bringing them into closer

correspondence with the changing circumstances of the times,

and of making them now accord better with higher spiritual values

which they should express and promote.

This is well known to be a subject to which the modern

mentality is particularly sensitive, one that demands the avoidance

of possible extremes in one direction or the other, and an ability

to bring correctness and decorum into harmony with simplicity,

practicality, and the spirit of humility and poverty, which must

always and preeminently shine forth in those who, by their

investiture in ecclesiastical offices, have some special responsibil-

ity in the service of the People of God.

It is on the basis of such criteria that, in the course of the

last two years, the Holy Father has given directions for the

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publication of certain rules on the dress and other prerogatives

of Cardinals (Reference No. 3711 of the Sacred Congregation

for Ceremonial, dated June 6, 1967), of a Motu Proprio on the

Reorganization of the Pontifical Household (“Pontificalis Domus"

of March 28, 1968), and of another Motu Proprio, complemented

by an Instruction of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, on the use

of pontifical insignia (“Pontificalia Insignia" of June 21, 1968;

Instruction of the same date, Reference No. R.32/968).

Wishing now to renew further and on a broader scale the disci-

pline on dress, titles and coats-of-arms of Cardinals, Bishops and

lesser Prelates, His Holiness charged a special Commission of

Cardinals and his Secretariat of State to study the matter with

care, taking account, at the same time and in just measure, of

tradition, modern needs, and the deeper values implicit in certain

forms of living, exterior and contingent though they be.

The fruit of that labour is the present Instruction, which the

Holy Father deigned to approve in the Audience granted to the

undersigned Cardinal Secretary of State on the twenty-eighth day

of March, 1969, disposing likewise that it should come into force

on the thirteenth day of April, Low Sunday, 1969.

Part One: Dress

A) For the Cardinals:

1. The following continue in use: the cassock of red wool or

similar material, with trimmings, lining, buttons and thread of

red silk, and the mozzetta of the same material and colour as the

cassock but without the small hood.

The mantelletta is abolished.

2. The use is also continued of the black cassock with

trimmings, lining, buttonholes and buttons of red silk, but with-

out the upper half-sleeves.

The elbow-length cape, trimmed in the same manner as

this cassock, may be worn over it.

3. With both the red cassock and the red-trimmed black

cassock there is worn the sash of red watered-silk ribbon, with

silk fringes at the two ends.

The sash with tassels is abolished.

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4. When the red cassock is worn, red hose are also worn.

With the red-trimmed black cassock the wearing of red hose is

optional.

5. The dress for ordinary use may be the black cassock

without red trim. With this black cassock, red hose are not worn.

The red “collare” (rabat or rabbi) and the red watered-silk skull-

cap may be worn, even with the black cassock without red trim.

6. The red watered-silk biretta is to be worn only with choral

dress, and not as common headdress.

7. The use of the red watered-silk cloak (“ferraiuolo”) is no

longer obligatory for papal audiences and ceremonies held in the

presence of the Holy Father. Its use is optional in other cases also,

but should always be restricted to circumstances of special

solemnity.

8. The red cloak (“Tabarro”) is abolished. In its place a

decorous black cloak, even with cape, can be used.

9. The red cardinalitial hat (“galero”) and the red plush hat

are abolished. The black plush hat is retained. When appropriate,

it can be adorned with the red and gold cord and tassels.

10. The use of red shoes and of buckles, even the silver buckles

on black shoes, is suppressed.

11. The rochet of linen, or similar material, is retained. The

surplice or cotta is never worn over the rochet.

12. The cappa magna, always without ermine, is no longer

obligatory; it can be used only outside Rome, in circumstances of

very special solemnity.

13. The use of the cord and of the chain for the pectoral cross

is retained. The cord must be used only when the red cassock or

sacred vestments are worn.

B) For Bishops:

14. By analogy with what has been allowed for cardinals, the

purple cassock, the mozzetta without the small hood, and the

black cassock with red trim are retained.

The mozzetta can be worn anywhere, even by titular

bishops.

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The mantelletta is abolished.

The red-trimmed black cassock is no longer obligatory as

ordinary dress. The red-trimmed cape may be worn over it.

15. With regard to the sash, hose, ordinary dress, collare

(rabat), skull-cap, biretta, "ferraiuolo," cloak ("tabarro"), buckles,

rochet, the rules laid down in Nos. 3-8 and 10-13 above are to be

followed.

16. The use of the black plush hat with green cord and tassels,

the same for all bishops, both residential and titular, is retained.

17. Bishops named from Religious Orders and Congregations

will use the purple cassock, and the cassocks with red trim and

without red trim, in all respects the same as other bishops.

C) For lesser Prelates:

18. For the superior prelates of the offices of the Roman Curia

who have not episcopal rank; for the Auditors of the Rota; for the

Promotor General of Justice and the Defender of the Bond of the

Apostolic Signatura; for the apostolic protonotaries "de numero"

and the four Clerics of the Camera, the purple cassock, the purple

mantelletta, the rochet, the red-trimmed black cassock without

cape, the purple sash with fringes of silk at the two ends, the

purple "ferraiuolo" (non-obligatory), and the red tuft on the

biretta are all retained.

The sash with tassels, coloured hose and shoe-buckles

are abolished.

19. For the apostolic protonotaries supernumerary, and for the

prelates of honor of His Holiness, the purple mantelletta, the sash

with tassels, colored hose, shoe-buckles and the red tuft on the

biretta are all abolished.

But there are retained the purple cassock, the red-trimmed

black cassock without cape, and the sash with fringes. When

appropriate, the unpleated surplice (cotta) can be worn over the

purple cassock, instead of the rochet.

The purple "ferraiuolo," although not obligatory, is re-

tained for the supernumerary apostolic protonotaries, but not for

the prelates of honor.

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20. For the chaplains of His Holiness the purple-trimmed black

cassock with purple sash is retained, to be used also in sacred

ceremonies.

The purple cassock, the “mantellone” of the same colour,

the sash with tassels and the buckles on shoes are abolished.

Part Two: Titles and Coat-of-arms

21. The so-called titles of kinship used by the Supreme Pontiff

with reference to cardinals, bishops and other ecclesiastics will

be, respectively, only the following: “Our Venerable Brother,”

“Venerable Brother” and “Beloved son.”

22. There may still be used, for cardinals and bishops respec-

tively, the titles “Eminence” and “Excellency,” which may also be

qualified by the adjectival phrase “Most Reverend.”

23. In addressing a cardinal or a bishop there may be used

respectively the simple titles “Lord Cardinal” and “Monsignor.”

24. The title “Monsignor” used in addressing bishops may be

accompanied by the adjectival phrase “Most Reverend.”

25. For the prelates enumerated in No. 18, the title of “Mon-

signor” may be accompanied by the adjectival phrase “Most

Reverend.”

For the dean of the Sacred Roman Rota and the secretary

of the Apostolic Signatura, there may also be used the title

“Excellency,” without the addition of “Most Reverend.”

26. For supernumerary apostolic protonotaries, prelates of

honor and chaplains of His Holiness there may be used the title

“Monsignor,” preceded, where appropriate, by “Reverend.”

27. In formal written address, the expressions “kissing the

Sacred Purple,” “kissing the Sacred Ring” may be omitted.

28. The use of coats-of-arms by cardinals and bishops is

permitted.

The shield of the coat-of-arms must conform to the rules

of heraldry and must be simple and clear.

The use of the crozier and mitre in the coat-of-arms is

suppressed.

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29. Cardinals may place their coats-of-arms on the exterior of

the churches of their title or diaconate.

From these churches the portrait of the titular cardinal

shall be removed. In the interior, near the main door, the name

of the titular cardinal may be placed in a suitable frame which will

harmonize with the style of the sacred building.

Additional Provisions

30. With regard to the dress and titles of cardinals and

patriarchs of the Oriental Rite, the traditional usages of those

rites shall be followed.

31. Patriarchs of the Latin Rite who are not cardinals will

dress like other bishops.

32. Pontifical representatives, whether bishops or not, will

follow the rules laid down above for bishops.

Nevertheless, in the area of their jurisdiction, they may use

the sash, zucchetto, biretta and ferraiuolo of watered silk.

They will be accorded the title of “Venerable Brother," as

mentioned in No. 21, only if they are bishops.

33. Those prelates and abbots “nullius," apostolic admin-

istrators, vicars and prefects apostolic, who are not bishops, may

dress like bishops.

34. In the matter of titles, episcopal conferences may lay down

suitable rules which take into account local usages, while at the

same time following the dispositions and criteria contained in the

present Instruction.

35. Concerning the dress and titles of canons, holders of

benefices and parish priests, suitable norms will be issued by

the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, following the criteria of

simplification contained in the present document.

From the Vatican, March 31, 1969.

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