Judging from the viewing statistics, people really enjoyed the British Pathé video which we posted a few days ago of the installation of a boy-bishop in England in 1935. I mentioned in the post that I couldn’t find any recent Catholic examples, but someone helpfully pointed out in the combox that the tradition is alive and well in Spain, where they are called “obispillos - little bishops.” Here is a video from last year of the installation of the obispillo at the cathedral-school (escolanía) in Burgos.
And another from 2008, taken at Chavagnes International College, an English-language Catholic boarding school in France which has a strong liturgical life.
Here is a wonderful photo of the obispillo of Montserrat, Spain, and some members of his chapter, taken in 1927. I am given to understand that smiling for portraits, both painted and photographed, was considered quite inappropriate until the mid-1940s; one of the things I have always like about this picture is that the three canons (“canoniguillos”?) in mozzetta look very serious indeed, but His Excellency and the crook- and miter-bearers really seem like they are trying to suppress a grin.
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File these under two of my favorite headings: “Tradition is for the Young” and “Fostering Young Vocations.”
And another from 2008, taken at Chavagnes International College, an English-language Catholic boarding school in France which has a strong liturgical life.
Here is a wonderful photo of the obispillo of Montserrat, Spain, and some members of his chapter, taken in 1927. I am given to understand that smiling for portraits, both painted and photographed, was considered quite inappropriate until the mid-1940s; one of the things I have always like about this picture is that the three canons (“canoniguillos”?) in mozzetta look very serious indeed, but His Excellency and the crook- and miter-bearers really seem like they are trying to suppress a grin.
File these under two of my favorite headings: “Tradition is for the Young” and “Fostering Young Vocations.”