John A. F. P. Nainfa's Costume of Prelates of the Catholic Church is a detailed and authoritative reference on the dress, insignia, and etiquette of the Catholic Church's clerical hierarchy. Based on Roman customs and papal decrees, the book describes the symbolic meaning, historical origins, and proper usage of ecclesiastical garments from cassocks to mitres. Lavishly illustrated and meticulously researched, Nainfa's work is not only a guide to liturgical fashion but a study of the theological and ceremonial significance of vestments. An invaluable resource for scholars of Catholicism, ecclesiastical art, and religious ceremony, this book captures the grandeur and continuity of church tradition through the language of dress.