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Time of India
19-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Time of India
Why did Queen Letizia of Spain wear a white dress at Pope Leo XIV's inauguration while others wore black? Here's the reason
Pope Leo XIV 's inauguration mass was held on May 18, 2025 in the heart of Vatican City, drawing together believers, world leaders, and members of the royal family. There were a lot of people there, and according to tradition, everyone wears black when they are around a pope. Specifically, when most women meet the pope, strict protocol requires them to wear black and a veil. However, at Pope Leo XIV's inauguration Mass, Spain's Queen Letizia stood out in snow-white. She is one of only seven women worldwide who have been allowed to wear white around the head of the Catholic Church. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Jacket Every Hiker Needs [Buy Now] Trek Kit India Shop Now Undo What is the 'privilège du blanc'? Spain's Queen Letizia's appearance was not a fashion statement but rather a centuries-long privilege reserved for only a few Catholic royal women worldwide. The " privilège du blanc " allows a select group of Catholic queens and princesses, including Spain's Queen Letizia, to wear white in the presence of the Pope, symbolising their dynasties' historical ties to the Church. Live Events Beyond simply white gowns, Le Privilège du Blanc is about history and impact. It continues to serve as a vital reminder of Christendom's past, present, and future, as per a report by The NY Post. Who are the seven royals allowed to wear white? The seven women who are exempt from this rule are Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Sofía of Spain, Queen Paola and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, and Princess Marina of Naples, besides Queen Letizia of Spain, as per a report by Town & Country. They are the only ones who possess privilège du blanc. At Pope Leo XIV's inauguration, Letizia, Princess Charlene of Monaco, and Queen Mathilde of Belgium followed tradition, while other female attendees dressed in black. WWD reports that Spain's Queen Letizia wore a stunning white long-sleeved tea-length dress from Redondo Brand with an asymmetrical draped neckline for the ceremony besides nude Magrit heels, Ansorena1845 pearl drop earrings, a small white square purse, and a lace veil over her head. Why must everyone else dress in black before a pope? On X, Dr. Taylor Marshall explained that wearing black clothing symbolises "humility and the desire to remain unnoticed". It is customary for everyone to wear black when the Pope is present. For women, this means wearing long sleeves that cover the shoulders and black clothing that covers the knees. Marshall wrote in his tweet that it serves as a reminder that the Catholic Church has high expectations for the clothing of the laity and believes that Catholic monarchs are essential to Christendom, as quoted in a report by The NY Post. FAQs Why did Queen Letizia wear white whereas others wore black? She has the "privilège du blanc," a Vatican concession allowing certain Catholic royals to appear in white before the pope. How many women today have this privilege? There are only seven queens: the queens of Spain and Belgium, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Paola, Queen Sofia, and Princess Marina of Naples.
New York Post
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Only a handful of women allowed to wear white to Pope Leo XIV's inauguration— here's why everyone else must dress in black
Pope Leo XIV's inauguration ceremony took place in Vatican City earlier today. Many were in attendance, and as tradition goes — when a person is in the presence of a pope, they dress in black, except for Queen Letizia of Spain, who is one of seven women in the world who were granted permission to wear white around the head of the Catholic Church. The privilège du blanc, which translates to privilege of white, is a custom in the Catholic Church that appoints a select group of royal Catholic women to wear white instead of the customary black. Advertisement Black garments signify 'humility and the desire to remain unnoticed,' Dr. Taylor Marshall explained on X (formerly Twitter). When in the Pope's presence, typically everyone must wear black. Advertisement Women must specifically wear black attire that covers their knees and long sleeves that cover their shoulders. They must also cover their chest to prevent any cleavage from potentially showing. In addition to Queen Letizia of Spain — the six other women who are the exception to this rule are Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Sofía of Spain, Queen Paola and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg and Princess Marina of Naples. They are the only ones to have privilège du blanc, according to Town & Country. 'It's a reminder that the Catholic Church holds high standards for the attire of the laity and recognizes Catholic monarchs as integral to Christendom,' Marshall said in his tweet. Advertisement These women are a part of a small group who are the only ones allowed to wear white in the pope's presence. AFP via Getty Images 'Le Privilège du Blanc isn't just about white dresses; it's about history, influence, and remains an essential reminder of the history (and future) of Christendom.' Queen Letizia of Spain was seen wearing white during a private visit with Pope Francis back in June 2014 — and of course, Pope Leo XIV's inauguration wasn't any different. At the ceremony, she donned a stunning white long-sleeved tea-length dress with an asymmetrical draped neckline from Redondo Brand, nude Magrit heels, Ansorena1845 pearl drop earrings, a small white square purse, complete with a lace veil over her head, according to WWD. Advertisement Queen Letizia of Spain looked elegant at the Sunday ceremony. Getty Images She was joined by Princess Charlene of Monaco and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, who were also wearing white at Sunday's ceremony. Tens of thousands of people were in attendance at Vatican City, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana and other members of Congress.
Times
17-05-2025
- Times
Empty beaches and Roman ruins on the UK's prettiest pilgrimage trail
After his death in AD642, St Oswald's remains were scattered far and wide. A tooth went to Winchester and a finger to St Paul's Cathedral. Fragments of his skull ended up in Germany and the Swiss Alps. So venerated was this Anglo-Saxon king that his remains were coveted all across Christendom. He was a hero, a kind of King Arthur figure for the nascent Kingdom of England (though Oswald was definitely real). And though his body parts became far flung, I suspect his heart (metaphorically speaking) remained in his native Northumbria, on those places along the 97-mile St Oswald's Way from Lindisfarne to Hadrian's Wall, where he famously vanquished an invading Welsh army. That battle site is Heavenfield, a place name whose peculiar poetry lodged in my mind. One spring day I set out to walk there. First I boarded a northbound train at King's Cross. There were views of Peterborough Cathedral (once home to Oswald's arm) and York Minster (once also containing a bit of Oswald, unspecified). The train slowed beside Durham Cathedral (an erstwhile home to his head). But everyone knows this train journey is at its most majestic north of Newcastle. Here the railway shrugs off the usual lineside clutter of buddleia and barbed wire, the views suddenly become far-reaching and unbounded, taking in shining estuaries, marram grass and marine air. Those on board glance up from their phones as the only 'coast' on the East Coast Mainline materialises: a taunting presence for any English passenger travelling north of Berwick, for these last miles of the country are also the very loveliest. They are sacred too. Lindisfarne soon appeared, silhouetted against a sparkling sea. An hour later, having disembarked at Berwick and caught an onward taxi, I was standing on the tidal causeway that links Lindisfarne to the mainland. The tide was slack and low, the sun shining. Everyone was chipper because Newcastle United had just won the League Cup. 'The weather's canny,' said the taxi driver who dropped me off. 'St Oswald is smiling on you.' The first miles of St Oswald's Way took me inland, crossing fields full of molehills and month-old lambs, the path meandering back and forth across the East Coast Mainline. There were no foot bridges: a lineside phone box connected me to the signalman. 'You are now safe to proceed,' he intoned with a priest-like solemnity. I hurried on. With the possible exception of Cornwall, nowhere in England clings to its local saints as tightly as Northumberland. Thousands visit Lindisfarne because of its connections to St Cuthbert, whose nature-loving philosophy and wild swimming habits resonate among the environmentally conscious. But the island's story really begins with St Oswald, the warrior king who first offered this landmass as a place for a monastery in the 7th century. Oswald was part of a dynasty of Northumbrian monarchs, all with unpronounceable names, a fondness for confusing alliances and a talent for familial backstabbing. All you need to know is that Oswald returned home from exile in Scotland to claim his rightful throne, defeat the invading Welsh and be among the first to spread the good news in pagan England. Over those days of walking, I came to know him in a small way. He stood in stone behind the altar of St Aidan's Church, Bamburgh: stoic, bearded, a king from a pack of cards. He struck a more contemplative figure in wood, carved into the pulpit at St John the Baptist Church, Alnmouth. A pilgrimage along St Oswald's Way is a Christian one, but it is also a journey into the soul of his former kingdom. Of those old Anglo-Saxon lands — Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia — Northumbria is perhaps the last one still meaningful to its residents. Oswald is still present from birth to death in these parts, lending his name to primary schools and also to the northeast's biggest hospice. 'Medieval saints were once perceived as friends and neighbours,' Dr Anne Bailey of the University of Oxford told me. 'Both then and now they seem to offer people a sense of identity, a reassuring sense of community, especially as their stories and legends are often tied to the local landscape.' From the battlements at Bamburgh — the modern successor of the castle from which Oswald had his court — the footpath travelled some 28 miles south along the coast. I walked half of that distance on the sand. These were not the congested coves of bank holiday Cornwall, but Northumbrian beaches: vast at high tide and swelling to the size of deserts or Bolivian salt pans once the waves made their retreat. It was shoulder-season on this northern shoulder of England, so some beaches were without footprints altogether. Only the dogs that outran the surveillance of their owners left pawprints to intersect my own. I tied my boots to my backpack and went barefoot. I picnicked by the ashes of driftwood campfires. I heard the thwip of a passing golf ball on the seaside links. I saw swans out on the sea, and saw too that ancient instinct common to Anglo-Saxon menfolk in the northeast: to whip off shirts at a rumour of sunshine, and expose swan-white skin. Beyond Warkworth Castle, the path veered inland, the direction Oswald would have led his army to confront Cadwallon of Gwynedd, who had invaded his kingdom. Here, St Oswald's Way crosses landscapes as empty as any in England: endless rolling fields, moorlands the hue of Newcastle Brown Ale. Chains of pylons hummed and phone masts relayed calls between England and Scotland. There was an older piece of infrastructure too, present since AD122. St Oswald's Way briefly travels along Hadrian's Wall, reaching its end destination at the tiny church at Heavenfield. It was walking along the Roman parapet that I bumped into its vicar, the Rev Sarah Lunn. • 14 of the best walking holidays in the UK 'Whenever I have something troubling me, I walk up here,' she explained to me as we walked. 'Oswald is still a presence here. We know he walked in this landscape.' She led me to the church — marking the spot where Oswald erected the first wooden cross on English soil before defeating the Welsh, his forces trapping them against the Roman Wall. The church we entered was small, lit only by candles. Mice had eaten out the innards of the Victorian organ so it no longer worked; some years ago the bell fell from the tower in a storm. Lunn explained that the key to Heavenfield was also lost long ago, meaning anyone can wander in and savour its particular silence, and perhaps reflect on the righteous battle once fought here, and other battles fought in other places at other times. • I've been going on walking holidays for 20 years. These are Europe's best I walked many pilgrim trails for my book, On This Holy Island, andSt Oswald's Way is still one of the quietest of England's long-distance paths. But I still sense that Oswald might become a saint for our times: a king who stood resolute when his land came under attack. Not so far from the watchtowers of Bamburgh is the RAF control centre at Boulmer, scanning UK airspace for threats from afar. Lunn kindly gave me a lift to Newcastle station, and soon I rolled again past those cathedrals where bits of Oswald's body were once stored: Durham, York, Peterborough. After spending just a few days on his trail, I felt oddly Smith was a guest of Macs Adventure, which has four nights' B&B on a self-guided itinerary along St Oswald's Way from £485pp, including luggage transfers and maps ( On This Holy Island by Oliver Smith is out now in paperback (Bloomsbury £10.99). To order a copy go to or call 020 3176 2935. Free UK standard P&P on online orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members By Siobhan Grogan Following in the footsteps of the miquelots, medieval pilgrims who travelled to Mont St Michel in France, this 155-mile trail connects the abbey in Normandy to Winchester Cathedral. The UK section is now marked with green signs and stretches 29 miles from the church to Portsmouth, weaving through Bishop's Waltham and Southwick. Stop along the way at the Crown, a 16th-century coaching inn in Bishop's Waltham with eight contemporary rooms named after French ships or admirals (B&B doubles from £98; then finish at the Ship Leopard Hotel, a modern, adults-only hotel close to Portsmouth Harbour (B&B doubles from £129; This circular trail from Sundon Hills Country Park traces 86 miles through Bedfordshire countryside, dedicated to the memory of John Bunyan, the 17th-century author of The Pilgrim's Progress. The route takes in various places associated with the writer, including Harlington Manor, where he was interrogated in 1660, and Bedford, where he was released from jail in 1672. The full trail takes eight days. Break it up with stops at the White Hart, an 18th-century coaching inn in the Georgian market town of Ampthill (B&B doubles from £76; and the quirkily decorated Red Lion in Stevington (B&B doubles from £80; Dubbed 'the Welsh Camino', this challenging 135-mile route crosses north Wales from Basingwerk Abbey, near Holywell, to Aberdaron and Bardsey Island, otherwise known as the Island of 20,000 Saints. It follows the trail pilgrims have used since the 7th century and takes about two weeks, passing moorlands, coastline and farmland between stone churches dedicated to 6th-century saints and past a thousand-year-old, 12ft-high cross at Maen Achwyfan. Rest your weary feet along the route at the Hawk & Buckle, a five-room, 17th-century coaching inn in Denbigh (B&B doubles from £95; and the comfortable Ship Hotel, metres from the beach in Aberdaron (B&B doubles from £140;
Boston Globe
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
A US-born Pope emerges as a potential contrast to Trump on the world stage
Pope Leo XIV concelebrated Mass with the College of Cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican the day after his election as the 267th pontiff. Uncredited/Associated Press Advertisement There are indications that the first American pontiff disapproves of some of the Trump administration's hard-line stances. A social media account under his name 'We have this powerful moral voice that is going to be able to potentially confront the other most powerful American voice,' said Charlie Sykes, an anti-Trump conservative who is Catholic. 'Donald Trump bestrides the world as the ugly American, and now we have another prominent American who is able to confront him.' Advertisement Sykes said Leo's advocacy on behalf of migrants, in particular, could challenge Trump, who has pursued an aggressive campaign to deport them as quickly as possible. 'Part of Donald Trump's appeal is that he is the great champion of Christendom, and now he's going to have to explain that to a fellow American who is the pope,' Sykes said. 'There are very few, if any, figures that have the platform and the voice of the Holy See.' John Prevost, 'I know he's not happy with what's going on with immigration,' he said. 'I know that for a fact. How far he'll go with it is only one's guess, but he won't just sit back. I don't think he'll be the silent one.' Still, Vatican analysts say Leo is more reserved than his predecessor, and while they expect him to continue to defend migrants and the poor, some do not expect him to do so in as outspoken a manner as Pope Francis. Trump and his supporters have also found aspects of the new pope's background that excite them, including his ardent anti-abortion advocacy and his opposition to a government plan in Peru to add teachings on gender in schools. Mackenzie Magas and Kaylee Mellentine, from Missouri, posed for a photo with a newspaper showing the new Pope Leo XIV on the front page, in front of the St. Peter Basilica on Friday. Markus Schreiber/Associated Press 'He's said and done some mixed things in the past,' said John Yep, CEO of Catholics for Catholics, a group that supports Trump. 'Let's see how he does. I don't want to rush to judgments right off the bat.' Advertisement In the hours since Leo's selection, the president has had only praise for the church's new leader. Trump and Vice President JD Vance congratulated him in posts on social media and celebrated his American heritage. 'The president made his reaction to Pope Leo's announcement yesterday very clear,' Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told reporters Friday when asked about the pope's comments. 'He's very proud to have an American pope.' It is unclear if either Trump or Vance had been aware of Leo's criticism of their policies, but some of the president's most strident supporters have registered their displeasure. 'He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis,' Laura Loomer, the far-right activist who has persuaded Trump to fire some of his aides for not being loyal enough, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a former House speaker and a devout Catholic, praised Leo's commitment to the poor and said she hoped he could unite American Catholics across partisan divides. 'His values-based vision for the church is quite different from what we're seeing from some leaders, if you call them that, in our country, but I don't expect him to be engaged in a political debate with the president of the United States,' she said in an interview. Even though Leo is an American by birth, he has spent most of his adult life outside the country, and now as the head of state of another nation, it remains to be seen what relationship he will have with the United States. Francis, who hailed from Argentina, never returned to his place of birth after becoming the church's leader. Advertisement American cardinals said at a news conference Friday that Leo's American identity was not a factor in his selection. When he was announced, the Vatican made no mention of his U.S. nationality, instead introducing him as the second pope from the Americas. Newly elected Pope Leo XIV (center) leaves after concelebrating his first Mass with the College of Cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel. Uncredited/Associated Press Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C., said the conclave was not seen as a 'continuation of the American election.' The cardinals' selection of an American pope Indeed, some spectators gathered in St. Peter's Square on Thursday were bewildered when his identity emerged. 'Un Americano?' several muttered in Italian. 'I am surprised and disappointed,' said Adam Mocarski, 31, from Poland. Some analysts have posited that the cardinals selected Leo precisely because of Trump. The president agitated many Catholics, even some of his allies, when he posted an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pope after Francis died. 'The president might well be right to claim credit for the selection, at least in part, given the photo he posted on social media,' said Rocco Palmo, a Catholic church analyst. 'The choice of Leo is the cardinals' way of saying, 'This is our process, and we decide what is Catholic, not the White House.'' Advertisement This article originally appeared in .
Vancouver Sun
08-05-2025
- General
- Vancouver Sun
'The common good': The last Pope Leo was a champion of the working poor
In 2013, when Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio became pope he chose the name Francis, a tribute to one of the most popular saints in the history of Christendom. St. Francis of Assisi, who lived in the 13th century, was loved because of his deep devotion to the poor. Indeed, Pope Francis showed a great love for the most marginalized of this world, especially the millions of migrants who are the poorest of the world. So what does the name Pope Leo XIV possibly indicate for this new papacy? Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Pope Leo XIII, who served from 1878 to 1903, has not been declared a saint, but his influence on the Church and the world was immense. He, too, showed a great concern for working people everywhere who slaved away for a mere pittance and had little time for family or even to worship God. They were in many ways the dross of the Industrial Revolution, who, along with poor pay, were subject to the illnesses and diseases spewed out by factories. If his new name is something to go by, we might expect our new Pope to also show great concern for those who labour under the dark cloud of exploitation. On May 15, 1891, Leo promulgated the encyclical Rerum Novarum, which translates to 'Of New Things.' For Catholics, and any observer of the plight of labour, the encyclical was considered — and still is — a landmark document on worker rights. Last month, Fr. Joe Connelly wrote a beautiful essay on the Catholic website Guardian Angels in praise of Rerum Novarum, a document that was not just relevant to conditions in the late 19th century but to many parts of the world today. 'During an era marked by the rise of capitalism and the exploitation of labor, Pope Leo XIII boldly defended the rights of workers and the sanctity of the family,' he wrote. 'Rerum Novarum emphasized the importance of just wages, decent working conditions, and the rights of laborers to organize for their mutual benefit. Rejecting the extremes of unchecked capitalism and socialism, the encyclical called for a balanced approach that respects both the rights of workers and the principles of private property.' He notes that the encyclical underscored the Catholic principle of 'subsidiarity,' which reminded smaller groups in society to address social needs. 'Rather than relying solely on the state, the encyclical emphasizes the responsibilities of families, local entities, and voluntary associations in caring for the vulnerable and promoting the common good. This principle remains as relevant today as it was in Pope Leo XIII's time, guiding Catholics in their efforts to foster solidarity and build thriving societies.' The encyclical urged the owners of capital to give their workers decent pay, shorter workdays and workweeks, so that those who laboured would have time to spend with families and in worship. Pope Leo XIII also told workers that they had the right to form unions in order to become a collective force in dealing with management. At the heart of Catholic social teaching, of which Rerum Novarum is likely the greatest document, the emphasis is on moral values and the dignity of the human person. In 2011, when I was the religion reporter for the National Post, I interviewed Thomas E. Woods, a conservative Catholic and libertarian, and author of How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. Many at the time of Pope Leo XIII, and even today, thought the encyclical smacked of socialism. Woods said that was never the case: 'The Church is categorically opposed to socialism. Leo XIII said the right of private property is sacred and inviolable. Those are his words. That's totally incompatible with socialism.' Rather, Woods said, Pope Leo XIII was reminding Catholics and others that they have a responsibility to those around them. 'We've come to look to the state for so many aspects of life, we just instinctively think that anything that is important is something the state has to do,' Woods said. 'Benedict XVI and John Paul II have both said the welfare state can have an enervating effect on people and communities because it leads us to think that we have no responsibility toward other people because the state will take care of it. That's not good for anybody's soul.' Charles Lewis was the National Post's religion reporter from 2007 to 2013. He is also this year's recipient of the Archbishop Adam Exner Award, given by the (Canadian) Catholic Civil Rights League for 'Catholic Excellence in Public Life.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
