Mitre 497082 225615145 2008-07-14T15:51:41Z Gimmetrow 1368726 odd link {{ otheruses1|religious headgear}} [[Image:Zenon von Verona3.jpg|thumb|St. [[Zenon of Verona]] wearing a mitre.]] The '''mitre''' (sometimes also spelled miter), from the Greek ''μίτρα'', 'headband' or 'turban', is a type of headgear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of [[bishop]]s and certain [[abbot]]s in the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Anglican Communion]], some [[Lutherans]], and also bishops and certain other clergy in the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], [[Eastern Catholic Churches]] and the [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox Churches]]. ==Origin== [[Image:LEV 8- High priest in robes and breastplate.jpg|thumb|[[Judaism|Jewish]] [[Kohen Gadol|High Priest]] wearing the ''[[mitznefet]]''.]] ===Judaism=== In [[ancient Israel]], the [[Kohen Gadol]] (High Priest) wore a headress called the ''[[Mitznefet]]'' (often translated into [[English language|English]] as "mitre"), which was wound around the head so as to form a broad, flat-topped [[turban]]. Attached to it was the ''[[Tzitz]]'', a plate of solid gold bearing the inscription "[[Holiness]] to [[YHWH]]"<ref>[[w:en:William Henry Green|William Henry Green]], ''General Introduction to the Old Testament'', 1899, p. 143</ref> ({{bibleverse||Exodus|39:14|HE}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Exodus|39:30|HE}}). ===Byzantine empire=== [[Image:Pope Gregory I.jpg|thumb|left|[[Pope Gregory the Great]] wearing the ''camelaucum''.]] The ''camelaucum'' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: [[Kamilavka|καμιλαύκιον]], ''kamilaukion''), the headdress both the mitre and the [[Papal tiara]] stem from, was originally a cap used by officials of the Imperial [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] court. "The tiara [from which the mitre originates] probably developed from the Phrygian cap, or frigium, a conical cap worn in the Greco-Roman world. In the 10th century the tiara was pictured on papal coins."<ref>[[Britannica]] 2004, ''tiara''</ref> Other sources claim the tiara developed the other way around, from the mitre. Its use has possible precedents in the [[Phrygia]]n ''mithraic sacrifice'' and the mitre-like headdress signifying enlightenment and received at a priests inauguration.<ref>[http://www.greylodge.org/occultreview/glor_011/Jennings_rosicrucians.pdf Hargrave Jennings, The Rosicrucians, ch. "Phrygian Cap", p.254f.]</ref> In the late Empire it developed into the closed type of Imperial [[crown (headgear)|crown]] used by [[Byzantine Emperors]] (see illustration of [[Michael III]], 842-867). In Western Europe, the mitre was first used in ancient Rome by the Salii and other priests, and outside of Rome about the year [[1000]]. Worn by a bishop, the mitre is depicted for the first time in two miniatures of the beginning of the eleventh century. The first written mention of it is found in a [[Papal bull|Bull]] of [[Pope Leo IX]] in the year [[1049]]. By [[1150]] the use had spread to bishops throughout the West; by the 14th century the tiara was decorated with three crowns. ==Christian clergy== ===Western Christianity=== In its modern form in [[Western Christianity]], the mitre is a tall folding [[cap]], consisting of two similar parts (the front and back) rising to a peak and sewn together at the sides. Two short [[lappet]]s always hang down from the back. [[Image:Mitre evolution.gif|thumb|The evolution of the mitre, from the ''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'' ([[1913]]).]] In the Roman Catholic church, the right to wear the mitre is confined by [[Canon law (Catholic Church)|Canon law]] to [[bishop]]s and to [[abbot]]s, as it appears in the ceremony of [[consecration]] of a bishop and blessing of an abbot. [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinals]] are now normally supposed to be bishops (since the time of [[Pope John XXIII]]), but even those cardinals who are not bishops and who have been given special permission by the pope to decline consecration as bishops may wear the mitre. Other [[prelate]]s have been granted the use of the mitre by special [[Privilege (canon law)|privilege]], but this is no longer done. Former distinctions between "mitred abbots" and "non-mitred abbots" have been abolished. Three types of mitres are worn by Roman Catholic clergy for different occasions: * The ''simplex'' ('simple', referring to the materials used) is made of undecorated white linen or silk and is worn most notably at funerals and on [[Good Friday]]. It is also worn by concelebrant bishops at a [[Mass]]. Cardinals in the presence of the Pope wear a mitre of white linen damask. * The ''pretiosa'' ('precious') is decorated with precious stones and gold and worn on Sundays and feast days. This type of mitre is rarely decorated with precious stones today, and the designs have become more varied, simple and original, often merely being in the liturgical color of the day. * The ''auriphrygiata'' is of plain gold cloth or white silk with gold, silver or coloured embroidered bands; when seen today it is usually worn by bishops when they preside at the celebration of the sacraments. On formal occasions, an [[altar server]] will wear a shawl-like [[veil]] around his shoulders called a [[vimpa]] when holding the bishop's mitre. The vimpa is used to hold the mitre so the server doesn't touch it with his bare hands. [[Image:BXVI CoA like gfx PioM.svg|thumb|left|[[Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI|Papal Arms]] of Pope Benedict XVI. The [[papal tiara]] was replaced with a bishop's mitre.]] With his [[Papal inauguration|inauguration as pope]], [[Pope Benedict XVI|Benedict XVI]] has broken with tradition and has replaced the [[papal tiara]] even on [[coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI|his papal coat of arms]] with a papal mitre (containing still the three levels of crowns symbolizing the powers of the [[Papacy]] in a simplified form) and [[pallium]]. (The traditional tiara is shown on some renderings of his coat of arms, however.) Prior to Benedict XVI, each Pope's coat of arms always contained the image of the papal tiara and St. Peter's crossed keys, even though the tiara had fallen into disuse in recent years, especially under Popes [[Pope John Paul I|John Paul I]] and [[Pope John Paul II|John Paul II]]. Pope [[Pope Paul VI|Paul VI]] was the last pope to date to begin his papal reign with a formal coronation in June 1963. However, as a sign of the need for greater simplification of the papal rites, as well as a sign of the changing nature of the papacy itself, he abandoned the use of his own tiara in a dramatic ceremony in Saint Peter's Basilica during the second session of [[Second Vatican Council|Vatican II]] in November 1963. However his 1975 [[Apostolic Constitution]] made it clear that the tiara had not been abolished: in it he required that his successor receive a papal coronation. Pope John Paul I, however, declined to follow Pope Paul's instruction and opted for a low-key [[papal inauguration]], a precedent followed by his two successors. Pope John Paul's 1996 Apostolic Constitution left open the option of either a coronation or an inauguration by not specifying what sort of ceremony was to be used, other than that some ceremony must be used to "inaugurate" (begin) a reign. (Technically both coronations and inaugurations fit the description as both inaugurate &ndash; ceremonially begin &ndash; a reign or term of office.) Pope Paul donated his tiara (a gift from his former archdiocese of Milan) to the efforts at relieving poverty in the world. Later, [[Francis Cardinal Spellman]] of New York received the tiara and took it on tour of the United States to raise funds for the poor. It is now on permanent view in the Crypt Church in the [[Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] [[Image:1962 consecration of William Evan Sanders - Bishop of Tennessee.jpg|thumb|[[Consecration]] of a bishop in the [[Episcopal Church]], 1962.]] In the [[Church of England]] the mitre fell out of use after the Reformation, but was restored in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a result of the [[Oxford Movement]], and is now worn by most bishops of the [[Anglican Communion]] on at least some occasions. The mitre has always been used in [[ecclesiastical heraldry]] to surmount the coats of arms of bishops in the Church of England (instead of a [[crest (heraldry)|crest]], which is not used by clergy). The mitre was suppressed in all personal arms in the Catholic Church in 1969, and is since only found on diocesan coats of arms and other corporate arms. In heraldry the lappets are depicted with red lining. ===Eastern Christianity=== The most typical mitre in the [[Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Eastern Rite Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholic]] churches is based on the closed Imperial crown of the late [[Byzantine Empire]]. Therefore, it too is ultimately based on the older καμιλαύκιον although it diverged from the secular headdress at a much later date, after it had already undergone further development. It was not used by bishops until after the [[fall of Constantinople]] ([[1453]]). [[Image:Patrijarh Pavle.jpg|thumb|left|[[Pavle, Patriarch of Serbia]].]] The Eastern mitre is made in the shape of a bulbous crown, completely enclosed, and the material is of [[brocade]], [[damask]] or [[cloth of gold]]. It may also be [[embroidery|embroidered]], and is often richly decorated with jewels. There are normally four [[icons]] attached to the mitre (often of Christ, the [[Theotokos]], [[John the Baptist]] and the [[Christian Cross|Cross]]), which the bishop may kiss before he puts it on. Eastern mitres are usually gold, but other [[liturgical colours]] may be used. The mitre is topped by a cross, either made out of metal and standing upright, or embroidered in cloth and lying flat on the top. In [[Greek Orthodox Church|Greek practice]], the mitres of all bishops are topped with a standing cross. In the [[Russian Orthodox Church|Russian tradition]], only [[archbishop]]s and higher will have the standing cross, all others will have the cross lying flat. Sometimes, instead of the flat cross, the mitre may have an [[icon]] on the top. As an item of Imperial [[Wiktionary:regalia|regalia]], along with other such items as the [[sakkos]] (Imperial [[dalmatic]]) and [[epigonation]], the mitre came to signify the temporal authority of bishops (especially that of the [[Patriarch of Constantinople]]) within the administration of the ''[[Millet (Ottoman Empire)|Rum millet]]'' (i.e., the Christian community) of the [[Ottoman Empire]]. The mitre is removed at certain solemn moments during the [[Divine Liturgy]] and other services, usually being removed and replaced by the [[protodeacon]]. The use of the mitre is a prerogative of bishops, but it may be awarded to [[archpriest]]s, [[protopresbyter]]s and [[archimandrite]]s. The priestly mitre is not surmounted by a cross, and is awarded at the discretion of a [[synod]] of bishops. ===Oriental Orthodox Christianity=== [[Image:Pope Shenouda by MichaelSleman 01.jpg|thumb|H.H. [[Pope Shenouda III]] in mitre.]] [[Oriental Orthodox]] bishops sometimes use mitres, either of the Western or Eastern style. In the past, [[Coptic Christianity|Coptic]] bishops have worn the ''ballin'', an [[omophorion]] wound around the head like a [[turban]]. The [[Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria]] will often wear an Eastern-style mitre. Coptic priests frequently wear a mitre, similar to a Western bishop's mitre. [[Syriac Orthodox Church|Syriac Orthodox]] bishops wear the ''maşnaphto'' (literally, 'turban') when presiding at the [[Divine Liturgy]]. This is a large, richly embroidered hood, often depicting the [[Holy Spirit]] as a dove. [[Armenian Orthodox]] bishops wear tall and distinctively tapered Western-style mitres. The Armenian bishop's mitre differs from its Western counterpart in that the points at the top are usually joined together. Armenian priests regularly wear Byzantine-style mitres (symbolyzing the sovereignty of Christ). On certain [http://www.epilgrim.org/easter_sunday.htm solemn occasions], Armenian deacons will wear the mitre also, although the deacon's mitre is somewhat narrower than that of the priest. ==Grenadiers== During the 18th and 19th Centuries, soldiers serving as [[Grenadier (soldier)|grenadiers]] in various northern European armies wore a mitre similar to those worn by Western bishops, but made out of metal rather than fabric. The mitre surviving as parade dress in a few [[Prussia]]n and [[Russia]]n grenadier regiments until [[World War I]]. ==Other uses== The [[Bishop (chess)|bishop]] in the board game [[chess]] is represented by a stylized Western mitre. The [[crown]]s of the [[Austrian Empire]] and [[Imperial Russia]] incorporated a mitre of precious metal and jewels into their design. ==Gallery== <gallery> Image:Mitre_eveque_scene_christ_cluny.JPG|French mitre<br />''Deposition with Twelve Apostles''. Ink on cloth<br /><small>[[Musée national du Moyen Âge]], [[hôtel de Cluny]], [[Paris]]</small> Image:Mitre decor tissé scene chretienne cluny.JPG|Elaborately embroidered Westerm mitre <br />''Crucifixion (top), Nativity of Christ (middle), Twelve Apostles (bottom)''<br /><small>Musée national du Moyen, hôtel de Cluny, Paris</small> Image:Mitre-benaki.jpg|Elaborately embroidered Eastern Orthodox mitre, 1715<br /><small>[[Benaki Museum]], [[Athens]].</small> Image:Mitre of Saint Chrysostomos Metropolitan of Smyrna.jpg|Mitre of Orthodox [[Metropolitan bishop|Metropolitan]] [[Chrysostomos of Smyrna]], killed when the Turks captured the city in 1922.<br /><small>[[Old Parliament House, Athens|National Historical Museum]], [[Athens]], [[Greece]].</small> Image:MitreOfBishopSztojkovics.jpg|Mitre of Bishop Sztojkovics, ca. 1860, stolen from the [[Serbian Orthodox]] Cathedral, [[Szentendre]], [[Hungary]] in 1989. Image:Mitre1.jpg|Orthodox mitre, 2000, [[Kiev]] Image:Mitra1.jpg|Orthodox mitre, 2000, Kiev Image:Al Quds Patriarch.jpg|Bishops of the [[Armenian Catholic Church]] in [[Jerusalem]] </gallery> ==References== {{Reflist}} *{{CathEncy | id=10404a}} *{{cite book | last=Noonan, Jr. | first=James-Charles | title=The Church Visible: The Ceremonial Life and Protocol of the Roman Catholic Church | year=1996 | publisher=Viking | id=ISBN 0-670-86745-4 | pages=p.191}} ==External links== *[http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Mitre "Mitre"] article from the ''Classic Encyclopedia'' *[http://dappledphotos.blogspot.com/2005/10/mighty-mitres.html Mitres] Photographs and descriptions of the different types of mitres *[http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/SketaeImages/skete_Kavsokalyvia/MITRE.html Episcopal Mitre from Kavsokalyvia], [[Mount Athos]] *[http://www.dieter-philippi.de/mydante_1479.html Information, pictures and literature about clerical headgear in German language] ---- {{Papal symbols and ceremonial}} {{commonscat|Mitres}} [[Category:Episcopacy in Roman Catholicism]] [[Category:Episcopacy in Anglicanism]] [[Category:Headgear]] [[Category:Eastern Christian vestments]] [[Category:Papal vestments]] [[Category:Roman Catholic vestments]] [[ar:برطل]] [[ca:Mitra]] [[de:Mitra]] [[el:Μίτρα]] [[es:Mitra (indumentaria)]] [[fr:Mitre]] [[id:Mitra (pakaian)]] [[it:Mitria]] [[nl:Mijter]] [[ja:ミトラ (司教冠)]] [[no:Mitra]] [[pl:Mitra (nakrycie głowy)]] [[pt:Mitra]] [[ru:Митра (головной убор)]] [[sr:Митра (епископска)]] [[sv:Mitra]] [[zh:禮冠]]