Fashion show of priestly garb

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On a beautiful but balmy Saturday afternoon, I wanted to escape the heat so I took refuge at the Ayala Museum. It helped that it was featuring, on that afternoon, the creations of designer-turned-monk Dom Martin Hizon Gomez, OSB.


Gomez used Filipino fabrics and ethnic patterns as designs for the priests' robes. There are several colours, I learned, connected with the time of the year or with the religious festivities. Red vestments are worn during the Feasts of the Holy Spirit and the Martyrs. Blue is the theme for feasts honouring the Virgin Mary. Purple is worn during Advent and Lent. Black is for Masses for the Dead. Priests wear pink vestments too, on Gaudete Sunday and Laetare Sunday. Gold is worn to honour the solemnities of the Lord. And green is used during ordinary time.


I always thought that priests just wore coloured vestments based on when they felt like wearing the different colours!

At the end of the day, I still felt that this exhibit looks like a department store display for priests' robes. It's basically a fashion show!

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