What would Jesus wear?

Some of you on my email lists may recall a slideshow that I sent out a couple of years ago. It was a series of photos of the former archbishop of St. Louis, Raymond Leo Burke. He and his entourage were dressed in ornate vestments that they must have believed had something to do with Jesus of Nazareth.

Here are just two of those photos, which I think were all taken in St. Louis::





Four years ago, Archbishop Burke was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to be the head of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (the Vatican equivalent of the U.S. Supreme Court.) In November of 2010, Burke was made a cardinal. At those heights, he must have graduated to an even more extravagant ceremonial wardrobe.

A friend recently sent me the link to an article that reveals some of the prices paid by the best-dressed princes of the church. Readers, you should first take a very deep breath.

Cassock: $775.00

Sash: $243.00

Pectoral cross: $2,502.00

Zucchetto (beanie): $173.75

Biretta (square hat with pom-pom): $347.50

Alb (white garment worn over cassock): $550.00

Chasuble (outer garment for Mass): $12,500.00

Gloves: $1,390.00 a pair (four sets for four colors)

Ceremonial shoes: $1,112.00 a pair

Buskins (leggings): $1,112.00 a pair

Mitre (the tall pointed hat), three styles:
$1,042.00
$8,340.00
$18,070.00

I have omitted other very expensive vestments including the tunic, dalmatic and cope.

This stuff is available at stores in Rome including the following:

* Ars-Regia, found online at www.tridentinum.com (One must register to see prices.)

* Gammarelli, a family business that goes back to 1798, found at http://www.gammarelli.com

Meanwhile, back in Nazareth of Galilee...