The ‘tools’ of a bishop: What the miter, crosier and ring mean

DETROIT – When a priest of the Roman Catholic Church becomes a bishop, he is entitled to wear certain vestments and utilize specific liturgical adornments. In addition to the colorful cassock and sash, bishops are identified by the following articles:

Miter

Pointed headwear worn only by the pope, cardinals, bishops and occasionally abbots and monsignors, the miter is of Roman origin. It derived from a non-liturgical papal head covering called the “camelaucum,” a helmet-shaped cap. Use of the miter began as early as the eighth century and has evolved through many shapes and designs. By about 1100 to 1150 A.D., the custom of wearing the miter was common among bishops.

Crosier

A symbol of episcopal office since the early days of the Church, the crosier is given to bishops during the consecration liturgy. Durandus, an early Church writer, explained the significance of the croser: “The end is sharp to goad the slothful, the middle is straight to signify righteous rule, while the head is bent to draw in and attract souls to the way of God.” In the past, bishops and archbishops carried their crosiers with the crook turned outward, while auxiliaries carried them with the crook facing inward.

Ring

Worn on the fourth finger of the right hand, the ring is a sign of a bishop’s betrothal to his Church. A decree from Pope Boniface IV in 610 A.D. and documents from the Fourth Council of Toledo in 633 A.D. are the first recorded mentions of a ring as an ornament of the office of bishop. Also in the 600s, St. Isidore of Seville declared that the ring of a bishop is “an emblem of pontifical dignity.”

Pectoral cross

The latest episcopal ornament to be adopted, the “Crux Pextoralis” is worn by the pope, cardinals, bishops, abbots and other prelates entitled to use the pontifical insignia. The first mention made of the pectoral cross as part of pontifical ornament is by Innocent III, and its use as such only became customary toward the close of the Middle Ages. It is worn on the chest attached to a chain or silken cord. While the pectoral crosses in use today are relatively modest, they are made of some precious metal. In the past, these crosses tended to be more ornamented, with diamonds, pearls or similar embellishment, and contained either the relics of a saint or a particle of the Holy Cross.