White outfit, wrong occasion, Cherie (Cherie Blair didn't wear black to meet the Pope)

UK Telegraph ^ | 4/29/06 | Malcolm Moore and Jonathan Petre

[wagglebee]

Cherie Blair provoked surprise in the Vatican and the ire of a Roman Catholic MP yesterday by wearing all-white to meet the Pope, a privilege normally reserved for Catholic Queens.

The Vatican convention is that females meeting the Pontiff should wear black, preferably with a black veil, or mantilla.

	Cherie Blair with Pope Benedict

When the Queen met Pope John Paul II six years ago, she observed the code meticulously.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, wore black, but omitted the veil.

By contrast, Mrs Blair, a staunch Catholic, chose to exercise the "privilege du blanc", usually granted only to the wives of Catholic monarchs.

Her breach of the protocol was surprising, since she has kept closely to the Church's dress code in the past.

Mrs Blair may not have worn a hat to the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales but she mourned the passing of John Paul II in a mantilla.

Technically, only three women should wear white in the presence of the Pope.

They are Queen Sofia of Spain, Queen Paola of Belgium and Josephine Charlotte, the wife of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg. Queen Sofia exercised her privilege in a meeting with the previous Pope in 2003.

Ann Widdecombe, the former Tory minister and a convert to Catholicism, was scathing about Mrs Blair.

"Even the Queen wore black to meet the Pope," she said. "This shows that she has a very grand idea of herself.

"She is a Catholic. She knows what the tradition is when meeting the Pope.

"She obviously thinks she is the first lady.

"My message to her is 'You are not a Catholic Queen, my dear, and you never will be.' "

Mrs Blair was in Rome for a Church-organised conference entitled "Vanishing Youth? Solidarity with Children and Young People in an Age of Turbulence".

She was invited as an expert and remained afterwards for a private meeting with the Pope. A spokesman for the Vatican declined to reveal what they had discussed.

[hoosierham]

Modest dress with no slogans,pictures,or dirt ought to be the minimum.

The tux thing is kind of silly unless you are a penguin.

[Havoc]

Excuse me; but, I didn't cast aspersions on Catholics. I asked a rather pointed question - in jest or otherwise, the point is made. Were I interested in casting aspersions, I would do so.

[Havoc]

Right. And you can't deal with substance so you want to make digs at me thinking it will be of some use... How original. ;)

[Havoc]

Really. Guess you'd have to point that out for us in light of the definition of what a bigot is.. Please, point out the bigoted things said specifically. This should be a hoot.

[Havoc]

Please give us a break, you're a Catholic hating nutbag and everyone on this thread knows it.

No. But thanks for playing. Bigot is just a label you guys throw because you're cowards and can't deal with the truth. Rather than deal with it, you mock me. I'm used to it. It's boring.

[Havoc]

Checked it. It's still there :)

[Havoc]

Yet another tired and boring card - the "church of one" argument. You guys really need to invest in some new ones.

[Ditter]

Blunder? Oh good grief, the blunder was made by the person who made up these silly rules!

[Havoc]

You need to check your Bible. I referenced the Apostles. Last I checked, there was no Apostle Barnabas. Barnabas was a disciple. Seems you're reaching awful far in attempt to counter the scripture and have only met a wall..

[Havoc]

Right and wrong occasions seem to be concepts for people with too much time on their hands and an overblown sense of their own self-worth in my experience.

[TaxachusettsMan]

Get help.

[Havoc]

Decorum becomes "interesting" shall we say, when ohhh, Jews are expected to dress this way and germans that... decorum.. you know. For all the people hollaring about "bigots", it's interesting that it's your decorum that says only Catholics can wear white (symbolically pure/righteous) where non-Catholics would have to wear - other than the pure/righteous garb. It is, shall we say, the genteel bigotry that nobody notices because they're just 'used to it'. ;)

[TaxachusettsMan]

Your posts speak for themselves . . . volumes.

Get those sheets pressed before the next midnight ride.

[Conservative til I die]

"Mrs Blair, a staunch Catholic, chose to exercise the "privilege du blanc", usually granted only to the wives of Catholic monarchs." _______________________________________ i guess it is the king, not the queen, who has to be Catholic.

I think you're missing the point. The way the dress etiquette works is that the privilige of wearing white is reserved for those women meeting both the following criteria: 1) Catholic 2) Queen.

Mrs. Blair only fits one of those criteria. As you might know, the office of Prime Minister is not a monarchical one.

I'm not sure what the big to-do is about this. It's not like they're being forced to wear yellow stars.

Once again, I believe if this was not the Pope or the Vatican, there wouldn't be an issue with most FReepers.

[Conservative til I die]

Excuse me; but, I didn't cast aspersions on Catholics.

Give it a rest. You regularly cast aspersions on Catholics. In fact, I think it might be 98% of your purpose here.

[Ladysmith]

Bite me.

[Havoc]

Yes, I'm sure they do. Your charges, however, do not. Still waiting. Or are we to understand you are retracting your false accusation in light of the facts.. ;)

[Conservative til I die]

Yet another tired and boring card - the "church of one" argument. You guys really need to invest in some new ones.

Hey, have you taught Christ a thing or two about Christianity yet? I mean, since after merely perusing the Scriptures you know it all - wheras everyone else in the last 2000 years or so has gotten it wrong - you've got to be someone special.

[Havoc]

Regularly? Really? Can you point an instance out or is this yet another of the famous hollow charge nights.

[Conservative til I die]

Right and wrong occasions seem to be concepts for people with too much time on their hands and an overblown sense of their own self-worth in my experience.

Based on your lack of manners on FR this comes as no shock.