Sian Powell; 12/4/08
The Pope has decided he will not wear the vestments specially designed for World Youth Day and billed as “chic clergy couture” on the WYD website. The “earthy-red” coloured vestments feature the Southern Cross constellation on the front and an indigenous feature titled “Marjorie’s Bird” on the back. The Pope is known to dislike vestment symbols that are not explicitly Christian. He may, though, wear some variation on the vestment design, a WYD spokeswoman said. The snub may be the first of many in the clash of cultures between the liturgically and theologically conservative Pope Benedict XVI and the exuberance of the youth day. Conservative liturgist Father Tim Deeter has already left Sydney and his WYD choirmaster position because of “stress”, a WYD spokesman said.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23526177-5013404,00.html
Tags: Australia, Christianity