Jesuit Priests

[PeteMurray]

Gets me to thinking that Osprey should produce a booklet on the uniforms of the Catholic missionary orders... :wink:

Errrr.... Black?  

And faded black. ::

Very nicely done on these guys. I think using them in Africa, too, is a great idea.

[warrenpeace]

I believe they come in any colour you want - so long as it's black  ::

Actually, at least one order used rough brown clothing, at least during the 16th and 17th Centuries.  There was a great war movie that come out in 1974 about a battle over a Cameroon border town in 1915, and the two French missionaries were wearing white.  Different orders had different standards for what kind of uncomfortable clothing the brothers were supposed to wear.  I came accross the topic reading about the Golden Age of Piracy and the way many of the Spanish missionaries and priests in the Carribean were neglecting the uncomfortable clothing specified by their orders and were wearing sinful silk stockings and fancy clothes.  Also, there was some  competitiveness between the various missionary orders, which I think is a fair twist to throw into a miniatures game.

In fact, I found links to a missionary society founded in Algeria in 1866 called the "White Fathers" after the color of their robes.  They had a significant role in Central Africa during the scramble:

http://www.thepelicans.co.uk/history34.htm

And the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, dominant missionary order in western and northern Canada wore buffalo robes, at least until they realized that the buffalo were going extinct:

http://www.umanitoba.ca/colleges/st_pauls/ccha/Back%20Issues/CCHA1989/Huel.htm

From the Wiki article on the Dominican order there is this bit:

In England and other countries the Dominicans are referred to as Blackfriars on account of the black cappa or cloak they wear over their white habits. Dominicans were Blackfriars, as opposed to Whitefriars (i.e., the Carmelites) or Greyfriars (i.e., Franciscans).

And the Benedictines, Augustinians, and Jesuits wore black. Franciscans and Capuchins wore brown.  There was a society called the "Grey Nuns" in northwest Canada.  The Norbertines were known as the "White Canons" for their white habits:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premonstratensian

Wiki and the Catholic Encyclopedia are important sources for this sort of info, but it takes a while to sort through it all.  That's why I jokingly suggested that Osprey organize and present all this info.

This isn't too much information, is it? :mrgreen:

[Gluteus Maximus]

I believe they come in any colour you want - so long as it's black  ::

Actually, at least one order used rough brown clothing, at least during the 16th and 17th Centuries.  There was a great war movie that come out in 1974 about a battle over a Cameroon border town in 1915, and the two French missionaries were wearing white.  Different orders had different standards for what kind of uncomfortable clothing the brothers were supposed to wear.  I came accross the topic reading about the Golden Age of Piracy and the way many of the Spanish missionaries and priests in the Carribean were neglecting the uncomfortable clothing specified by their orders and were wearing sinful silk stockings and fancy clothes.  Also, there was some  competitiveness between the various missionary orders, which I think is a fair twist to throw into a miniatures game.

In fact, I found links to a missionary society founded in Algeria in 1866 called the "White Fathers" after the color of their robes.  They had a significant role in Central Africa during the scramble:

http://www.thepelicans.co.uk/history34.htm

And the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, dominant missionary order in western and northern Canada wore buffalo robes, at least until they realized that the buffalo were going extinct:

http://www.umanitoba.ca/colleges/st_pauls/ccha/Back%20Issues/CCHA1989/Huel.htm

From the Wiki article on the Dominican order there is this bit:

In England and other countries the Dominicans are referred to as Blackfriars on account of the black cappa or cloak they wear over their white habits. Dominicans were Blackfriars, as opposed to Whitefriars (i.e., the Carmelites) or Greyfriars (i.e., Franciscans).

And the Benedictines, Augustinians, and Jesuits wore black. Franciscans and Capuchins wore brown.  There was a society called the "Grey Nuns" in northwest Canada.  The Norbertines were known as the "White Canons" for their white habits:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premonstratensian

Wiki and the Catholic Encyclopedia are important sources for this sort of info, but it takes a while to sort through it all.  That's why I jokingly suggested that Osprey organize and present all this info.

This isn't too much information, is it? :mrgreen:

Smart-arse!   :wink:  ::

Not too much info at all. You've just successfully reduced my overall ignorance score. Actually, the white clothing sounds quite attractive - especially as my Darkest Africa is set in roughly the areas you mention.

Just goes to show - you never stop learning new stuff!  

[Lt. Hazel]

May be white is a little bit "cooler" than black in the heart of africa.. ::

[Gluteus Maximus]

May be white is a little bit "cooler" than black in the heart of africa.. ::

Are Priests cool?  ::

I can never understand why, when white is supposed to be cooler in hot climes, some desert tribes [Berbers?] wear dark blues & black

[Lt. Hazel]

I can never understand why, when white is supposed to be cooler in hot climes, some desert tribes [Berbers?] wear dark blues & black Confused

I think it´s a macho-thing :mrgreen:  
I´m not sure for berbers, but the tuareg wear dark blues+black.

[HerbyF]

I know of at least one order that the lower ranking brothers & priests were to dress in sack cloth. Sack cloth is a burlap of off white or tan color.

[dijit]

Are Priests cool?  ::

I can never understand why, when white is supposed to be cooler in hot climes, some desert tribes [Berbers?] wear dark blues & black

It's something to do with the black creating an updraft or something like that. I had it explained to me when i was in Jordan, and then it made perfect sense, just a pity I can't remember the whole logic of it now though.
Duncan

[white knight]

Could the updraft thing perhaps be relating to the tents, rather than the robes?

The black colour of the clothes supposedly allows the perspiration to evaporate slowly. The fabric is lightweight and loosely woven. Because it's very loose it flows in the breeze even if that breeze is created only by the wearer's own movement such as walking. As the fabric moves, the body is cooled.

Or so I heard. Might not be accurate at all.

[Hammers]

What caused this resurrection?

[dijit]

What caused this resurrection?

Good question, didn't look at the original thread start date.

[Hammers]

Good question, didn't look at the original thread start date.

Well, in this age of recycling it is perhaps a good thing. Lets save a polar bear and only post on vintage threads for a year.

[dijit]

Well, in this age of recycling it is perhaps a good thing. Lets save a polar bear and only post on vintage threads for a year.

[Hubbynz]

Lovely painting, what is your reciepe for black?

[carlos marighela]

W#ell 'm happy the thread was resurrected. Missed this the first time around and I think they would work nicely for a "The Mission" type scenario even if they are considerably more animated than the Jeremy Irons film version.