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The mitre is a type of folding cap worn by Catholic bishops and other clergy, including cardinals, archbishops, and the pope. It consists of two stiffened parts sewn together on the sides, with a piece of foldable material uniting them at the top. The right to wear the mitre belongs to the pope, cardinals, and bishops, and it is worn during processions and when sitting, giving the homily, and pronouncing blessings. The mitre is removed when the bishop prays or leads the Eucharistic prayer, as a sign of humility. There are three types of mitres worn by Roman Catholic bishops for different occasions: the mitra simplex, made of undecorated white linen or silk; the mitra auriphrygiata, made of plain gold cloth or white silk with gold or silver embroidered bands; and the mitra pretiosa, decorated with precious stones and gold.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is a mitre? | A kind of folding cap with two like parts, each stiffened by a lining and rising to a peak. |
| Who wears it? | The Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, and some abbots. |
| When is it worn? | During processions, when sitting, during the homily, and when doing the blessing at the end. |
| When is it not worn? | When praying to God or in reverence to God. |
| Types of mitres | Simplex, Auriphrygiata, and Pretiosa. |
| Simplex | Made of undecorated white linen or silk, worn at funerals, on Good Friday, and for some other services. |
| Auriphrygiata | Made of plain gold cloth or white silk with gold or silver embroidered bands, worn during penitential seasons (Advent and Lent) and at some other times. |
| Pretiosa | Decorated with precious stones and gold, worn on Sundays and feast days, as well as for ceremonies such as the election of a pope, the consecration of a bishop, or the canonization of a saint. |
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What You'll Learn
Bishops wear the mitre to represent their authority
The mitre is a liturgical headdress worn by bishops in the Roman Catholic Church. It is a type of folding cap, consisting of two stiffened parts sewn together on the sides, with a piece of material uniting them at the top. The mitre is always supposed to be white, with red fringes on the lappets at the back.
The right to wear the mitre is reserved for the pope, cardinals, and bishops. However, special papal privilege may be granted to others, such as abbots and certain prelates, who are then allowed to wear a simple mitre of white linen. The mitre is distinct from other episcopal vestments as it is laid aside when the bishop prays.
The type of mitre worn depends on the occasion. The mitra simplex, made of undecorated white linen or silk, is worn during funerals, Lent, Good Friday, and by concelebrant bishops at Mass. The mitra auriphrygiata, made of plain gold cloth or white silk with gold or silver embroidery, is worn during Advent and Lent, on fast days, and during penitential seasons. The mitra pretiosa, the most ornate, is decorated with precious stones and gold. It is worn on the principal Mass on solemn Sundays (except during Lent) and feast days.
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Cardinals wear a mitre of white linen damask
The mitre is a type of folding cap, consisting of two stiffened parts that rise to a peak and are sewn together on the sides. It is a ceremonial headdress worn by bishops and certain abbots in traditional Christianity. In the Catholic Church, all cardinals, whether or not they are bishops, are entitled to wear the mitre.
The right to wear the mitre is reserved for the pope, cardinals, and bishops. However, special papal privilege may be granted to others, such as abbots, dignitaries of cathedral chapters, and certain prelates of the papal Curia. These individuals are typically limited to wearing a simple mitre of white linen unless expressly granted permission to wear a different type.
There are three types of mitres worn by Roman Catholic clergy for different occasions: the simplex, the auriphrygiata, and the pretiosa. Cardinals in the presence of the Pope wear a mitre of white linen damask, specifically the mitra simplex, or 'simple mitre'. This type of mitre is made of undecorated white linen or silk and its white lappets traditionally end in red fringes. It is worn during funerals, Lent, on Good Friday, and by concelebrant bishops at Mass.
The other types of mitres are the auriphrygiata, made of plain gold cloth or white silk with gold, silver, or coloured embroidered bands, and the pretiosa, decorated with precious stones and gold. The auriphrygiata is typically worn by bishops when they preside over the celebration of the sacraments, while the pretiosa is worn on the principal Mass on the most solemn Sundays (except during Lent) and feast days.
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The mitre is always supposed to be white
The mitre is a distinctive type of folding cap worn by Catholic bishops and other clergy. It is made up of two stiffened, peaked parts that are sewn together at the sides and connected by a piece of foldable material at the top. The mitre is, theoretically, always meant to be white. This is because the colour white is associated with purity and holiness, and the mitre itself represents the wearer's authority as a teacher and leader within the Church.
The Ninth Ordo states that the camelaucum, from which the mitre developed, was made of white cloth and shaped like a helmet. The mitre is believed to have originated in the tenth century when the pope began to wear it during processions and subsequent church services. By the end of the eleventh century, the mitre was depicted in miniatures and mentioned in a Bull of Leo IX, who granted the Roman mitre to Bishop Eberhard of Trier in 1049. By the twelfth century, the custom of wearing the mitre had become widespread among bishops.
There are three types of mitres worn by Roman Catholic clergy for different occasions: the simplex, the auriphrygiata, and the pretiosa. The simplex, or simple mitre, is made of undecorated white linen or silk and is worn during funerals, Lent, Good Friday, and by concelebrant bishops at Mass. The auriphrygiata is made of plain gold cloth or white silk with gold, silver, or coloured embroidered bands. It is typically worn by bishops when they preside over the celebration of the sacraments. The pretiosa, or 'precious' mitre, is the most ornate, decorated with precious stones and gold. It is reserved for the principal Mass on solemn Sundays (except during Lent) and feast days.
The mitre is an important symbol of authority and is worn during specific parts of the Mass, such as during processions, when sitting, during the homily, and when giving blessings. However, it is always removed when the bishop prays or leads the congregation in prayer, as a sign of humility before God.
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The mitre is a type of folding cap
The mitre is worn by Roman Catholic bishops, cardinals, archbishops, and the pope, as well as by some abbots and Anglican and Lutheran bishops. It is worn during processions and when sitting, delivering a homily, or giving a blessing. The mitre represents the bishop's authority as a shepherd and teacher.
There are three types of mitres worn in the Roman Catholic Church: the simplex, the auriphrygiata, and the pretiosa. The simplex is made of undecorated white linen or silk and is worn at funerals, on Good Friday, and during Lent. Cardinals in the presence of the pope wear a mitre of white linen damask. The auriphrygiata is made of plain gold cloth or white silk with gold, silver, or coloured embroidered bands. It is worn by bishops when they preside over the celebration of the sacraments. The pretiosa is the most ornate, decorated with precious stones and gold. It is worn on the principal Mass on solemn Sundays (except during Lent) and feast days.
The use of the mitre has evolved over time. It first appeared in the eleventh century and was granted to Bishop Eberhard of Trier by Pope Leo IX in 1049. By the end of the eighteenth century, the mitre had been largely replaced by other types of headgear in military contexts. However, it continued to be used in certain ceremonial contexts and is still worn by Catholic clergy today.
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The mitre is worn during processions and when sitting
The mitre is a type of folding cap with two stiffened, peaked parts that are sewn together at the sides. It is a liturgical headdress worn by Roman Catholic bishops, including cardinals, archbishops, and popes, as well as some abbots and Anglican and Lutheran bishops. The right to wear the mitre belongs to the pope, cardinals, and bishops, while others require special papal privilege. The mitre is always laid aside when the bishop prays, such as at the orationes of the Mass, the Canon of the Mass, and in conferring Holy Orders.
The mitre is also worn in the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches, where it is based on the closed Imperial crown of the late Byzantine Empire. The date of its adoption is disputed, with some sources claiming it began in the 16th or 17th century, while others suggest it started after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. In ancient times, the philosopher's seat was a sign of authority, and this image of a teacher sitting while their pupils stood is reflected in the early Christian image of bishops and Christ as teachers.
During Mass, the mitre is removed and placed on a silver platter just before the Preface and replaced after the ablutions. This removal of the mitre during the Mass is not considered "swapping" but rather taking it off and putting it back on at specific ritualistic points in the service.
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Frequently asked questions
A mitre is a kind of folding cap worn by Catholic bishops, cardinals, archbishops, and the pope. It is made of two like parts, each stiffened by a lining and rising to a peak. These are sewn together on the sides but are united above by a piece of material that can fold together.
Catholic bishops wear a mitre during processions and when sitting, during the homily, and when doing the blessing at the end. The mitre is also worn to represent the bishop's authority as a shepherd and teacher.
There are three types of mitres worn by Catholic bishops: the simplex, the auriphrygiata, and the pretiosa. The type of mitre worn depends on the occasion.
The mitre is supposed to be white. However, the pretiosa mitre is decorated with precious stones and gold, while the auriphrygiata is made of plain gold cloth or white silk with gold or silver embroidered bands.
