I'm betting it started out because "OMG, we humans are so sinful," so the priests wore black to symbolize humanity's sinfulness. The white collar is also maybe symbolic, of trying to be a light in the darkness, and/or that there's a small bit of good in even the most sinful person, and that through the priests, you can be forgiven because God sees even that bit of goodness in you.
Or maybe it's a rank thing. Lower-ranked priests wear black because they're not much higher up from the rabble, and have to work to get to pretty colors like red and so on. Or all of the above.
Or it could just be they never really thought about it, wore black because it takes more work to clean white robes.
In one of my scifi universes, on Traipah, it's the opposite: black is the good color, white is the bad one. But lots of Orders wear white robes, mainly because in their culture, white is easier to clean. Also, the symbolism isn't really Good/Evil. Black is creation and a variety of good things because black absorbs all colors of light. White, depending on the source, reflects all colors of light, or IS all colors of light. And white's symbolism with them is, with most people, as simple as "wave a white flag to express disagreement." With "wave a black flag to express agreement." So neither is really good or bad.
Actually the black comes from the Dominicans becoming the pre-eminent monastic order after the plague. Since they were charged with rooting out heresy and overseeing the activities of the priesthood, they took over the training of priests in many areas, and the priests (hoping to keep the Inquisition far away) aped the Black Friars in dress.
The bad guys were black meme may also be traced to the Dominicans. For centuries seeing one of their black-robed inquisitors meant torture, death, and hefty fines for the slightest infraction. The Hounds of God were not popular people.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2011-03-20 10:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 10:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 11:32 pm (UTC)All symbols are relative, and have whatever meaning they are given where and when they are used.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 11:53 pm (UTC)Or maybe it's a rank thing. Lower-ranked priests wear black because they're not much higher up from the rabble, and have to work to get to pretty colors like red and so on. Or all of the above.
Or it could just be they never really thought about it, wore black because it takes more work to clean white robes.
In one of my scifi universes, on Traipah, it's the opposite: black is the good color, white is the bad one. But lots of Orders wear white robes, mainly because in their culture, white is easier to clean. Also, the symbolism isn't really Good/Evil. Black is creation and a variety of good things because black absorbs all colors of light. White, depending on the source, reflects all colors of light, or IS all colors of light. And white's symbolism with them is, with most people, as simple as "wave a white flag to express disagreement." With "wave a black flag to express agreement." So neither is really good or bad.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-21 12:41 am (UTC)The bad guys were black meme may also be traced to the Dominicans. For centuries seeing one of their black-robed inquisitors meant torture, death, and hefty fines for the slightest infraction. The Hounds of God were not popular people.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-21 08:46 pm (UTC)