June 3, 2004

Why does a priest wear a collar?

By Fr. Robert Marshall, Pastor, Sacred Heart-Humboldt, St. Matthew-Milan

QUESTION: Why do priests wear all black with a white collar? What is the significance of the priest's white collar?

ANSWER: Nothing, it seems, changes more often than fashion. If you look at portraits from the time our nation was founded George and Martha Washington, for example you will notice quite a change from the clothes we wear today. While not quite as dramatic, the clothes worn by priests and other members of the clergy have also changed over the years. The white collar (which is usually paired with a companion black collar) customarily referred to as a "Roman collar" was developed over several centuries and has been worn in a form somewhat similar to that of the present day only since the mid-1800s.

It has been customary for many years for clergy to dress in black. Black was adopted as a sign of simplicity color being somewhat festive and associated with the more wealthy. As color became associated with liturgy different colors of vestments being associated with different feasts and seasons the clergy began to dress without color when not celebrating liturgy. (In tropical climates, clergy more often wear white.)

The most common garment for the clergy was the cassock, which derived from the clothing worn for warmth by most people in the fifth century. Because churches often remained unheated, the cassock was retained by the clergy long after it was abandoned by others. By the middle ages, the cassock was so associated with the clergy that it became their distinctive garb. Among the typical features of the cassock is a standing black collar. Most often this collar has a small, notched opening an opening that will be important as the Roman collar develops.

In the fashions of the fifteenth century, men clergy and laity began to turn their linen collars up and over their outer garments. Gradually these collars became elaborate, often varying in style and ornamentation from country to country. In order to protect the collar from getting soiled, a separate linen band was sewn on the collar where it was worn against the neck. It was this linen band that was removed and laundered, rather than the entire collar.

Eventually, the ornamentation of collars became too extensive and Rome demanded that clergy adopt a simpler style. With all lace and other worldly decorations removed, the protective linen band became the most prominent feature of the clerical collar. As the centuries progressed, this linen "choker" was stiffened with starch and began to resemble the collars worn today.

Some Catholic clergy and ministers of other Christian denominations continue to wear the simple, white band collar (although these days, the collar is usually made of plastic, not linen). More frequently, however, Catholic clergy wear clothing that approximates what would be seen if the simple white band collar is worn beneath a black cassock all that shows through is the little notch of white under the chin. This collar has become so identified with Catholic clergy that you rarely see it worn by ministers of other denominations. It is, therefore, the "Roman" collar.

Even today, you may see your priest wearing a Roman collar with a cassock. More often, I suspect, you will see him in one of two other garments a "tab shirt" or a "rabat." The "tab shirt" is simply a black (or white or sometimes another color) shirt with a simple fabric collar in the same color as the shirt. This collar is constructed to permit the insertion of a little "tab" of white plastic. Most priests prefer tab shirts because they look professional but are also comfortable.

At other times, priests will wear a "rabat" (pronounced, rab' bee). It is a vest often backless which is designed to be worn under a suit coat. The rabat has a full white plastic collar that fits all the way around the neck. The collar fastens to and is partially hidden by a somewhat shorter black collar with the familiar notch in the front. Because the rabat is a vest, it is usually worn with a white or black long-sleeved shirt sometimes with French cuffs. A rabat is considered more formal than a tab shirt because a rabat necessarily requires a suit coat. Both tab shirts and rabats are perfectly acceptable as clerical clothing.

It should be noted that not all priests dress alike. Priests from religious communities frequently wear their religious habits instead of the clerical garb described above. A Dominican priest, for example, will often be seen in the white tunic and scapular of his order, while a Franciscan priest might be seen in a brown or gray robe tied with a simple rope cincture. Habits are also appropriate clerical garb for those religious order priests entitled to their use.

If you are a teenager or young adult and have a question you would like Fr. Robert Marshall to address, send it to the Diocese of Memphis Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, 5825 Shelby Oaks Drive, Memphis, TN 38134 or fax (901) 373-1269 or e-mail catherine.mensi@cc.cdom.org.