1. General Principles

• • Clergy must wear clerical dress and appropriate vestments when celebrating sacraments and leading liturgies.

  • Clerical dress signifies vocation, not status, and facilitates sacramental grace.

  • Wearing clerical dress is a form of ministry, making clergy identifiable as representatives of Christ.

2. Clerical Dress

• • Consists of a shirt and clerical collar.

  • Colours: Purple (Bishops), Black (Priests), Grey (Deacons), Sky Blue (Deaconesses).

  • Polo shirts in appropriate colours are acceptable for summer. Rainbow-coloured clerical shirts are not permitted.

  • Clerical collars may be Roman or inserted type.

3. Cassocks

• • Traditionally worn as a standalone garment.

  • Used in liturgical celebrations, particularly choir offices.

  • Styles: Roman (button-up front) or Sarum (wrap-around). Sarum preferred but both acceptable.

  • Standard colour: Black. Cincture and cape may also be worn.

  • Clergy in a bishop’s household may wear a Roman purple cincture.

  • Vicars General, Archdeacons, Deans, and Canons may have red buttons, braiding, and a Roman purple cincture.

4. Liturgical Vestments

• • Alb: Worn by all clergy when celebrating the Eucharist. Represents Christ’s presence.

  • Girdle: Worn over the alb; can match liturgical season or be white.

  • Maniple (optional): A small band of cloth worn on the left forearm.

  • Stole: Mandatory for deacons and priests, worn differently based on rank. Colour matches liturgical season.

  • Chasuble: Highly desirable for priests during Eucharist; represents Christ’s love.

  • Dalmatic: Worn by deacons over the alb and stole.

5. Dress for Specific Roles

• • Deaconesses: White blouse/shirt (plain pastel colours acceptable), dark blue, grey, or black skirt/trousers. Choir office dress or alb with girdle and stole for liturgy.

  • Lay Readers: Cassock and surplice with blue scarf or white alb and blue Reader’s stole.

6. Vestments for Sacraments

• • Eucharist: Alb, stole, and chasuble.

  • Baptism: Alb and white/gold stole or cassock, surplice, and scarf/tippet.

  • Reconciliation: Cassock with violet stole; small reconciliation stole for emergencies.

  • Marriage: Alb and white/gold stole or cassock, surplice, and stole.

  • Sacrament of the Sick: Alb with violet stole or cassock, surplice, and stole.

  • Funerals: Alb with violet, black, or Roman purple stole or cassock, surplice, and stole. White stoles may be worn when celebrating the deceased’s life.

  • Blessing of Houses: Alb and white/gold stole or cassock, surplice, and scarf/tippet.

  • Copes: Used for solemn sacraments outside the Eucharist, processions, and Divine Office.

7. Bishops’ Attire

• • Cassock with rochet, red chimere, and tippet.

  • Black chimere for funerals.

  • Zuchetta, cope, and mitre for ceremonial occasions.

  • Alternative: Roman-style cassock with shoulder cape.

8. Liturgical Colours

• • White/Gold: Used anytime, especially for feasts of Christ, the Virgin Mary, angels, confessors, virgins, Christmas, and Easter. Also for funerals (symbolising resurrection).

  • Red: Pentecost, feasts of martyrs, Palm Sunday, Good Friday.

  • Green: Ordinary Time (symbol of hope).

  • Violet: Lent, Advent, All Souls’ Day, and funerals (symbol of penitence and humility).

  • Rose: Third Sunday of Advent, Fourth Sunday of Lent (symbol of joy).

  • Black: Good Friday, All Souls’ Day, funerals (symbol of mourning). Optional in favour of violet.

9. Minimum Required Vestments for Holy Orders

• • White/gold stole.

  • Alb and amice (if necessary), with girdle.

  • Reconciliation stole.

  • White/gold chasuble.

  • Cassock and surplice.

  • Black scarf/tippet.

10. The Holy Sacraments

• The sacraments are outward visible signs of inward spiritual grace, as celebrated by the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.