Magnificent! Those who may think these vestments too modern should realize that they are a modern form of medieval vestments.
Fr.Franklyn McAfee | 12.02.06 - 2:36 pm | #

They're actually really close to the ones he wore last year at First Vespers, but not exactly the same.
http://www.catholicpressphoto.co...web/ default.htm
Nevertheless, I am sure there are plenty of people who will hate them and call for Archbishop Marini's head. Oh well.
Richard | Homepage | 12.02.06 - 3:16 pm | #

hard to say exactly what colors they are but the detail is amazing. crossed keys all over etc.
CBM | 12.02.06 - 4:30 pm | #

I also love these vestments: and was very taken with the ornament on the stole.

Yes, they do look a little like last year's Advent cope, but it looked more distinctly purple, whereas this one looks red (the ornament of the mitre reinforces this).

BTW Thomas: a belated thank you for your great coverage of Benedict's visit to Turkey and for reminding us to pray about it.

Michael of the Saint Bede Studio.
Michael Sternbeck | Homepage | 12.02.06 - 6:49 pm | #

Gorgeous. Who wouldn't love them?!
Laura | 12.02.06 - 7:14 pm | #

Benedict just got back for Constantinople and saw the Patriarch constantly all decked out...and thought to himself: It's high time I started setting the vesture standard.
Peregrinator | Homepage | 12.02.06 - 8:20 pm | #

Notice also that these vestments actually _fit_ our little pope and make him look like a line instead of a period. (I've been unhappy about the fit of a lot of his stuff. And I'm not usually someone who even _notices_ that kind of thing!)
Maureen | Homepage | 12.02.06 - 9:14 pm | #

When I saw him on EWTN today the first thought I had was that Bartholowmew gave him some fashion pointers hehe. These are really impressive looking.
catholicgop | Homepage | 12.03.06 - 12:08 am | #

Beautiful and grand!

Sometimes I think even Catholic clergy look way too simple. Dazzling and breath-taking vestments is part of the sensory experience of The Holy Mass, of the awe we are to feel towards God.

If the majesty and splendour of a man can cause us to gape, consider the majesty and splendor of God. And certainly a man acting in the place of God (in persona Christi) ought to be bedecked appropriately.

Something we can certainly learn from our Eastern Rite/Eastern Orthodox brethren.
Muslihoon | Homepage | 12.03.06 - 12:48 am | #

Impressive, and rather a bit Christmassy, too.
Panda Rosa | 12.03.06 - 9:33 pm | #

I look at pictures like that and think, "Gee. I love being Catholic!"
Katrina Leigh | Homepage | 12.04.06 - 9:52 am | #

I like the photo of the Holy Father looking straight into the camera lens-very penetrating gaze!

Ditto on your coverage of the visit to Turkey, Thomas-you did great!
irishgirl | 12.05.06 - 8:42 am | #

A careful eye will see medieval inspirations for designs of papal textiles such as Pentecost's tongues of fire resembling the flames of Divine Revelation in the Burning Bush scene in the Sistine chapel. The regular geometrical pattern resembles this wee gem : the depiction of Philosophers on a painted church in Sucevita, Romania - perhaps the fashionistas in Rome do indeed aspire to a Byzantine aesthetic?
Clare Krishan | 12.07.06 - 12:32 pm | #

oops - I didn't mean for the wee gem to be so wee that it got truncated! Here's the URL again href="http://www.users.cloud9.net/~romania/suc/ Philosophers_(Plato_with_coffin_on_head).html
more painted churches here:
http://www.users.cloud9.net/~rom...t/~romania/vor/
Clare Krishan | 12.07.06 - 12:41 pm | #

And botticelli's "Trials and calling of Moses" can be found specifically at
http://www.wga.hu/cgi-bin/highli...ml& find=sistine
not the michelangelo page I linked to, sorry!
Clare Krishan | 12.07.06 - 12:44 pm | #