The power of clothing at Pope Francis' funeral

If there's one thing the Catholic Church knows how to do very well, it's powerfully convey power and authority through clothing. Good designs are those that don't need to change over time and, therefore, become timeless. In their case, they wear clothing that dates back to the medieval period and has survived with few variations to the present day. This explains why garments like the cassock are considered a suit, since, at the time their dress code was established, men didn't yet wear trousers. Clothing that is based on formal simplicity to reinforce the idea of a supposed renunciation of material goods. which falls to pieces when you see displays like today's, where the Church displays the tentacles of its power like a peacock.

Catholic clothing is also characterized by a rich symbolic framework, such as its color scheme. The colors of popes, for example, are red and white, as exemplified by the fact that Pope Francis was buried wearing a white cassock and a red chasuble. In the case of white, they argue that it alludes to purity, while red is a reference to the blood of Christ's martyrdom and is used in the funerals of pontiffs.But beyond these justifications, which are very well-received due to their connection to the Bible, it is important to know that in the past, these colors were used to demonstrate power. The color range from red to purple, colors widely used by high-ranking ecclesiastical officials, came from a mollusk that was very difficult to obtain, which meant that only high dignitaries used them to demonstrate their power in front of a population that could neither afford to buy dyed fabrics nor maintain them. Amidst a population dressed mostly in beige, high-ranking religious officials distinguished themselves and imposed their authority through the brilliance of red and the neatness of white. A distinction in colors that can also be seen in the drone view of the funeral, with a large black stain that contrasts with the religious figures and the Papal Swiss Guard, the only ones authorized to wear bright colors.

There's no denying that we're generally easy-going, having elevated to the status of a revolutionary feat the simple fact that Pope Francis preferred black shoes instead of the white or red ones characteristic of his predecessors. Rather than reforming papal attire, he simply refused to fully deploy its possibilities, in contrast to the ostentatious and conservative taste of Benedict XVI, who went all out on ornamental matters, wearing red loafers by the Italian house of Adriano Stefanelli. camauro (hat) of velvet and ermine, jewels or luxurious pluvial capes.

Zelensky, protagonist

If there's one thing the Catholic Church is also good at, it's imposing on others what they should do and think. Therefore, from attending a papal audience at the Vatican to entering a church, it also involves adhering to dress code protocols. Getting others to bend to the aesthetic mandates you impose on them is a clear demonstration of power and indoctrination.

At burials, men must wear dark jackets and covered shoes. which has made Volodymyr Zelensky, for the first time in three years, has put aside his military T-shirt for a jacket, moreover, very similar to a combat jacket. Women must also wear black, but in their case, they are required to provide a visual demonstration of moral decorum. They cannot leave their arms or legs exposed above the knees, and they are also recommended to cover their hair, as Queen Letizia, Melania Trump, Jill Biden, and Mette-Marit of Norway have done. A clear echo of the sexist idea that has accompanied us for centuries, of considering women's hair indecent. What is clear is that the Catholic Church is masterful at displaying power and has little to envy of Hollywood blockbusters or Paris Haute Couture Week.