WHAT IS THAT HAT . . .

. . . that Fr. Gary is wearing when he’s greeting folks at the door these (chilly) days?

Well, it’s called a “Canterbury Cap”! Here’s a bit more about it:

The Canterbury cap is so called because it was a revival of the prototype worn by Archbishops of Canterbury in the Tudor period. It is admirably illustrated in contemporary portraits of several Primates, when the black velvet cap was typical of a medieval scholar. Outstanding examples include the oil canvas portrait of Thomas Cranmer, painted in 1545 by Gerlach Flicke, now in the National Portrait Gallery (shown above).

When it was restored as outdoor clerical head dress, the cap was in no way confined to clergy in the diocese of Canterbury. Instead of the biretta, it was strongly advocated as “correct dress” for Anglican clergy . . . .

And Fr. Gary wants the “correct dress”! (And it keeps his head warm!)