A group of boys could be seen sporting a coronal tonsure, a hairstyle common among Catholic monks until it was abolished in 1973. - ST ANTHONY CHURCH DONMOTTANOI/FACEBOOK
BANGKOK: It was a cool haircut for Catholic monks in the 4th century. But when a group of young boys in Thailand were seen in a June 7 Facebook post with the hair on their crowns shaved to the scalp and only the hair on the sides of their heads and bangs retained, all hell broke loose – in the comments section.
A Catholic church in Thailand is now being both ridiculed and pilloried for getting a group of young students to sport what is known as a coronal tonsure.
A coronal tonsure, which first appeared in the 4th and 5th centuries, is a hairstyle that was seen among Catholic monks until it was abolished by Pope Paul VI in 1973. It is supposed to mirror the image of Jesus with the crown of thorns as he was being crucified.
So, the crown of the head is shaved. The hair on the side and bangs are kept, forming what is supposed to look like a crown.
But when photos were posted of young students making an appearance at St Anthony Church Donmottanoi in Ratchaburi province sporting coronal tonsures, concerned parents, armchair historians, fashionistas and the usual motley crew of kibitzers and jokesters pounced.
“The bros have all been given the skirted eggshell to welcome them in,” said Boods Behr, of Perth, in Western Australia.
Peter Sonneveld, from Athens, Greece, remarked: “Catholic monks and priests. Shouldn’t they be happy they only had their hair cut?”
Jason O’Connell, who lives in Korat city, Thailand, joked: “It’s the Friar Tuck crew, the most dangerous gang in Thailand”, referring to one of Robin Hood’s Merry Men.
There were cries of “bloody disgusting”, “poor kids”, “embarrassing” and “simply cruel”.
There was a bountiful heap of hilarious GIFs, and laughing and angry emojis.
There were those who pointed out that the archaic hairstyle is no longer part of Catholic tradition.
Some commented that all the online brouhaha is much ado about nothing.
“What a ‘drama’. The boys got a haircut for a celebration. This hair will grow back,” said Stephan Studtmann.
There were nasty swipes at the Catholic church as well.
The official Facebook page of St Anthony Church Donmottanoi said the theatrical presentation was part of a religious event in honour of its patron saint, Saint Anthony of Padua, who was known to sport a coronal tonsure.
It added that the boys were not forced to shave their crowns, and were even “compensated” for participating.
The church added that the boys’ parents also agreed to it.
“It was performed to elevate the event,” it said.
After the event, it said, the boys were allowed to shave whatever hair they had left and grow it back again to whatever style they wanted. - The Straits Times/ANN
