“First, you must rid yourselves of this nauseating idea, born of a manifest inferiority complex and a worldly spirit, that pomp, in the appropriate circumstances, has anything in common with vanity or self-importance. A celebrant solemnly approaching the altar to celebrate, a princess led by her king in a noble and delicate minuet, a senior officer reviewing the honored troops at a parade, a liveried butler bringing a sumptuous dish to a Christmas banquet—all wear unusual attire and move with calculated and impeccable dignity. This in no way signifies that their gestures are vain, but rather obedient; their gestures obey an imperative that governs every solemnity. The modern habit of performing ceremonies without any etiquette is not a sign of humility; Rather, it proves the celebrant's inability to lose himself in the service, and his propensity to botch and spoil the pleasure inherent in the ritual of placing beauty at the center of the world and making it accessible to him
Free translation by the blog author.
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