Enough, enough

Enough already. I need no more e-mails telling me that there is only one way to wear a biretta. No more diagrams and pictures showing me how. No more tips. No more hints. No more, no more.

It was a flippant remark and I will not make it again. How on earth has the Anglican Communion (never mind the Roman Church) ever stayed together with this amount of feeling being generated by how to wear a hat?

The truth is, I have only one rule on Biretta wearing which you will find in neither Ritual Notes nor Fortescue-O’Connell, which is only, ever to wear it when it is snowing.

Anyone who wants to follow up Fr David’s comments below about Ritual Notes might be interested to find that the 1894 edition is now online here.

http://anglicanhistory.org/liturgy/ritual_notes_1894/

Here is a typical quote, for those wondering what all the fuss is about:

"The Priest being vested, puts on his Biretta and takes the Chalice by the knob with his left hand (first turning the hinder part of the Veil over the Burse), placing his right hand upon the Burse with a gentle pressure on the centre, in order to prevent anything falling off. He next makes the usual reverence to the Cross of the Sacristy, and preceded by the Server carrying the Missal, proceeds to the Altar with a grave and modest deportment, his body erect, his eyes cast down, holding the Chalice at about the height of his breast, not, however resting upon it nor far removed from it. If the Priest is not to carry the Chalice, it having been already placed on the Altar, he does not put on his Biretta until after he has saluted the Cross, and he walks with hands joined."

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