How to dress to attend Mass?

Every Sunday, families around the world come to Mass with a heart willing to receive the word of God. However, one important aspect is often neglected: respect in dress within the house of the Lord.

Father Josemaría Mayora Padilla, priest of Opus Dei, shared in an interview with ACI Prensa the importance of dressing appropriately to attend Mass, highlighting that “the way we dress, the way we present ourselves, reflects what is inside” of everyone.

For the priest, it is a matter of “logic and agreement” to choose what to wear to enter a temple, and he explained that the ideal is for the clothing to be in relation “to our inner preparation for what we are going to celebrate.”

“The Church, the temple, is the house of God. And it is important that we go dressed presented according to the dignity in which we are going to participate,” said Father Mayora Padilla.

Dress recommendations for attending Mass

Regarding what he considers appropriate clothing for Mass, the priest acknowledged that, currently, there is “a lot of freedom” in choosing clothing, which also implies “a lot of responsibility for each person.”

Father Mayora Padilla commented that “each person has their different dynamics and schedules, and perhaps there are people who attend Mass and then go to exercise or come from exercising. In that sense, there is a lot of freedom and a lot of responsibility for each person.”

However, he urged people to opt, whenever possible, for a style of clothing that reflects the respect due to the sacred place. He considered that the “dress code casual business It is interesting,” as opposed to the idea of ​​attending “Mass as if we were on vacation; in shorts, in a tank top, in pants or practically (like) people who can wear pajamas.”

“Everything that is ‘going up’ in the dignity of clothing seems to me to add a lot and is a very positive thing,” the priest emphasized, adding that “above all, women should dress appropriately for what they “It is attended, and the men too, so they should go with due elegance.”

Especially, Father Mayora Padilla invited respect for clothing at funerals, with the intention of “demonstrating through clothing that inner mourning and that desire to accompany people whose family member or loved one has died, so that they also express it in “the way of dressing”

Finally, Father Mayora Padilla pointed out that external decorum must be accompanied by an adequate interior disposition for the celebration of the Eucharist: “It is not enough to dress very well if inside we are not well disposed” to meet God.

How should you dress to go to the Holy See?

The Vatican Museums website It points out that in its facilities, as well as in the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Gardens, “only visitors are allowed to be dressed decently.”

“Sleeveless and/or low-cut clothing, shorts that do not cover the knees, miniskirts or caps are not permitted,” the website states.

“Decorum also extends to visible personal objects, as well as equally visible personal distinctive signs (such as tattoos), which may offend Catholic morality, the Catholic religion and the common feeling of modesty,” he adds.

Similar provisions apply in Catholic temples around the world.

The way each person dresses “reflects what is inside”

Recommendations for tourists visiting Catholic churches

In June of this year, a Spanish “influencer” recently visited Mexico City and entered a Catholic church wearing “shorts”, short pants. The young woman was harshly rebuked for the way she dressed by a parishioner, and the video of the altercation went viral.

On that occasion, Father José Alberto Medel, priest of the Diocese of Xochimilco, told the weekly From Faith —from the Primate Archdiocese of Mexico— that “although temples are open to everyone, they are not public spaces.”

Indicating that each site has its dress code, the priest called on people who attend places of devotion to be “properly dressed.”

On that occasion, Father Medel suggested to the priests who are in charge of parishes that receive many tourists “put up signs or have people inform visitors about the appropriate ways of dressing and behaving inside, since they also “You can be very well dressed and perform reckless actions.”