VESTES SAGRADAS: PODER E INFLUÊNCIA OU SÍMBOLO DO SAGRADO? UMA REFLEXÃO

Abstract

Starting from the fact that the liturgical vestments often lose their symbolic value from the sacred, being instrumentalized, referring only to a possible beauty or extravagance in the liturgy. There seems to be a glimpse of the royal beauty of the garments, in the sense of relating them to a monarchical period, associating them with nobility and royalty. The present article intends to analyze what in fact the Sacred Vestes symbolize. For this we will resort to a brief conceptualization of what is a symbol. After the brief conceptualization, we will verify if there is a Roman Catholic Church's official position about the meanings of the Holy Vest and also how the various areas of knowledge understand their symbolism. From these analyzes, we will see how the visual becomes important for the formation and affirmation of an identity, and after that, to belong to or be excluded from a certain social group or class. We will then understand the affective value of clothing, which aims to fulfill certain functions in its use, not only of protection, but of modesty and decoration, demonstrating the wearer’s influence and power under the one who sees. Thus we shall set out for the final explanation which is just as the Sacred Vestes are instrumentalized just like the other secular garments, to signify personal power and influence rather than refer to the Sacred. We will finish with the reflection on how we could rescue the original symbolic value of such vestments.