The Cerulean Indult (Torquise/Cyan privilege)

Topic starter

As far as I know only Spanish territories get to wear Cerulean/Torquise/Light Blue and only during the Octave of the Immaculate Conception.

However the Papacy awarded the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines the right to wear Cerulean in every Mary related Feast and Solemnity (As opposed to only the Immaculate Conception in other Spanish territories) as a reward for ReCatholicizing ourselves after the schism of the Aglipayan church and the Iglesia Ni Christo and the influence of American Protestants.

https://deipraesidiosuffultus.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/liturgical-blue/

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Ironically, the privilege to use the cerulean colour was granted to the Philippines when she was no longer a colony of Spain. The Fathers of the First Provincial Council of Manila, organised by the great vicar general of the see, Don Silvino López Tuñón, who issued the decree that excommunicated Gregorio Aglipay (not Fray Bernardino Nozaleda y Villa, as is commonly believed), requested Pope Saint Pius X to extend the privilege to all the churches of the archipelago. In an audience on 11 February 1910, Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val presented the petitions of the Council Fathers, and the Pope acceded to the request for the cerulean privilege.

From the Audience with His Holiness
on 11 February 1910

Indults and privileges granted
to the Philippine Islands
at the request of the Fathers of the Council of Manila
asking for them

The Most Reverend Fathers of the First Provincial Council of Manila, with humble prayers to His Holiness, our Lord Pius, by Divine Providence, Pope X, presented their requests in the following tenor, namely:

[…]

XX. That that He may deign to grant the privilege of using vestments of the cerulean colour in either Solemn Masses or Low Masses of the Immaculate Blessed Virgin Mary in all churches of our region.

Hereafter, His Holiness, with me the Cardinal Secretary of State referring, mindful of the extension to the Philippine Islands not only of the Constitution Trans Oceanum of Leo XIII, of blessed memory, as in the decree published on 1 January of the present year, but also of the nine privileges which were confirmed for a period of ten years to Latin America on 1 January of the present year, ordered to be written in response:

[…]

To XX. For grace, without prejudice to the rubrics and decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Rites.

All things to the contrary, even those worthy of special mention, notwithstanding.

Given in Rome, on the day, month, and year aforementioned.

✠ R. Card. Merry del Val
Secretary of State

Let us examine Fray Ylla on how this indult should be applied to the Philippines: First, the privilege is perpetual, because it does not indicate a time of duration. In accordance with canon 70 of the 1917 CIC: “A privilege, unless otherwise indicated, is to be considered perpetual.” (Cf. canon 78 §1, 1983 CIC: “A privilege is presumed to be perpetual, unless the contrary is proved.”) From the time, therefore, of its concession on 11 February 1910, up to the present time and into the future, the Philippines retains the right to use cerulean vestments for the Masses celebrated in honour of the Immaculate Conception.

Posted : 12/07/2023 3:25 am

Rick Cool reacted

The Cerulean Privilage granted to us is very rare and beautiful. The Imperial Purple of the Roman Empire is very common Liturgically (Used universally in the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches).

However the Cerulean indult only applies to Spanish territories, Portugal which was once even temporarily united to Spain in the Iberian Union doesn't even have the Cerulean Indult.

Beautiful Color. Would love to wear Cerulean now. If Catholic Queens have the Privilège du blanc

(Right to wear White in the prescence of the Pope) at least Spanish colonies have the Privilège du cærulean,

(Right to wear Light Blue/Teal/Cyan/Cerulean/Celeste in Holy Liturgy)

Latin Americans exercising Privilège du cærulean