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
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A Bishop's Blessing |
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| 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
