While I was visiting the chapel where Archbishop Romero was murdered I happened to capture what may be the most unusual biretta spotting I have ever come across. This site is proud of the birettas it has spotted, but what about this??!!
St Teresa of Avila wearing a biretta. Unfortunately the photograph is from an upward angle, but I assure you I walked all around the image and sure enough, St Teresa, as a doctor of the Church, is shown wearing the academic sign of her doctorate: the biretta. How long before we see St Therese of the Child Jesus and St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross sporting one? I hope not too long.
No doubt the feminazis will be using this as proof that St Theresa was in favour of wimmyn priests…;-)
Dear Fr. Dwight,Might it be that her image is wearing the biretta because the University of Salamanca conferred upon her the academic degree Doctor Ecclesiae? If so, that brings us back to the biretta as an academically rooted item. Just a thought.Richard
Dear Richard, I bow to your superior knowledge and accept the academic roots of the biretta. However, i was sure it had an even more ancient root in Byzantium, but I cannot find a trace of it on the web.
Dear Fr. Dwight,Like much of academic dress, the biretta may indeed have a more ancient origin. I rather like the link with Byzantium that you suggested, and would like to see it proven. I think that this would make a splendid topic for a thesis!Richard
Did St Teresa have an earned academic doctorate? I hadn’t heard of this before. I know she’s one smart, tough cookie! Her teaching has helped my prayer life immensely… mystical experiences, unsought.Even if she doesn’t have a real doctorate, that’s cool, because her wisdom is way beyond what academia is capable of (speaking as one who works in it).
I believe that the University of Salamanca conferred upon her the academic degree Doctor Ecclesiae “honoris causa.” I think that it may have even been conferred posthumously.