Tonsuring

Thursday the 20th of October saw me flying off to Germany to witness the tonsuring of seminarians attending the FSSP Seminary in Witgrazbad.  The ceremony was scheduled for Saturday morning but earlier that week each of the chosen seminarians was incorporated into the Society.  The incorporation involved, among other things, completing a submission as to why they should be accepted into the Fraternity.  This exercise, I am led to believe, requires to be completed on an annual basis until they reach the diaconate.

Saturday dawned with blue skies and a temperature of minus 3C as we set off for Das Munster Unserer Lieben Frau (The Minster of Our Lady) in Lindau on the Bodensee. 

 His Excellency Vitus Huonder, Bishop of Chur

awaits entrance of the aspirants

In the Fraternal Society of Saint Peter tonsuring is given to seminarians during the early part of their second year, the first being more of a discernment year, and includes clothing the seminarian in a soutanne, cincture and wearing the roman collar.

Those to be tonsured process into church



 Sprinkled with holy water

Tonsurants process into the church again,

this time clothed in their soutannes

The soutanne denotes the modern day cloth of a cleric, the cincture symbolically recalls the "girding of the loins" whilst the roman collar that of the "yoke" around the neck - all reminding the wearer of his giving himself completely to God and accepting the weight of responsibility this brings.

The moment of Tonsure

Locks of hair are cut from the front, back and sides of the head taking on the shape of a cross to remind the seminarian of the Christ Crucified.

The clothing in the surplice

A Bishop's Blessing

 

A happy Group Photograph



As usual I have uploaded additional photogaphs which may be accessed HERE

Please pray for all those tonsured -

Laurent Dejean

Manu Ihou

Edouard Laurant

Henri Lefer

Mark Miles

Alois Nespor

Jaromir Palka

Vasily Prusakov

Gregoire Remusat

Mateusz Rutkowski

Stepan Srubar

Nicolas Telisson

Hilaire Vernier

Roland Weiss