The Canterbury cap is a square cloth

hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

with sharp corners. It originated in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, and is commonly found in the

Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Founded in 1867 in London, the communion has more than 85 million members within the Church of England and other ...

, as well as in the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

where it is used by Ordinariate clergy. It is also soft and foldable, "Constructed to fold flat when not in use ..." The Canterbury cap is the medieval '' biretta,'' descended from the ancient '' pileus'' headcovering. It is sometimes called the "catercap". In Anglican churches,

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

are entitled to wear the cap, which is worn for processions and when seated to listen to Scripture or to give a homily, but not when at the Holy Table. It forms part of the "canonical" outdoor clerical dress, along with cassock, gown, and tippet. The cap is made of black velvet for bishops and doctors, otherwise of black wool. In 1899, Percy Dearmer wrote in ''The Parson's Handbook'': A similar cap called the Oxford soft cap is worn today as part of academic dress by some women

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-le ...

s at the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

instead of the mortarboard. It has a flap at the back which is held up with buttons unlike the Canterbury cap. The Tudor bonnet is also a similar academic cap worn by a person who holds a

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''li ...

. The Canterbury cap differs from the present-day biretta, as a Canterbury cap has four ridges, compared to the biretta's three. In addition, the biretta is (sometimes) rigid, or rigid but folding, while the Canterbury cap is always soft and easily folds when not in use. In the

, its use is identical to that of the modern biretta, into which, on the continent, the cap evolved into throughout the centuries.

Gallery

File:San Juan Fisher Obispo de Rochester y Mártir.jpg, St. John Fisher, the

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

pre-Reformation Bishop of Rochester, shown here with the medieval

rochet A rochet () is a white vestment generally worn by a Roman Catholic or Anglican bishop in choir dress. It is unknown in the Eastern churches. The rochet in its Roman form is similar to a surplice, except that the sleeves are narrower. In its Angl ...

, tippet, and the cap. File:Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke.jpg,

Thomas Cranmer Thomas Cranmer (2 July 1489 – 21 March 1556) was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build the case for the annulment of Henry ...

, former archbishop of Canterbury, wearing a Canterbury cap File:Richard Bancroft.png, Richard Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury, in a Canterbury cap

References

External links

* Anglican vestments Hats {{Hats

Gallery

See also

References

External links