Alberti Magni Opera Omnia, Vol. XXXVII

Whiteness signifies innocence, redness signifies patience. This, however, is properly the Lord's garment, in such a way that it is neither angelic nor human. For Angels have innocence but not patience: humans, however, have patience and not innocence, for all have sinned: but he alone had innocence who did no sin, and patience who bore our sins in his body upon the tree: therefore that garment is proper to him alone: therefore the Angel announcing this ought to have been clothed in a white and ruddy garment.

2. Item, The man whom Ezekiel saw, who signified Christ as man, was as the appearance of electrum original: "1": but electrum has silver, which is white, and gold, which is red: therefore the Angel announcing this ought to have been clothed in a white and ruddy garment.

3. Item, To the Angels asking: Who is this who comes from Edom, with stained garments original: "2"? The Lord replied: I who speak justice original: "3", etc. As if he said: I am the only one who has innocence. And they replied: Why then is your garment red original: "4"? etc. As if marveling at the beauty of the white and red, that is, of innocence and patience: therefore that is properly the Lord's garment: therefore also [it is the garment] of the Angel, etc.

§ IV.

It seems, however, still that the garment ought to have been white: because it is read in Ezekiel original: "5" that he saw a man clothed in linen, and six others with him. And Gregory explains that one alone was clothed in linen, that is, that one alone was conceived without sin.

§ V.

Response.

For the solution of these and similar things, it must be noted what Dionysius says, speaking of this matter: "But there are times when those things which were done by the holy Angels are symbols of divine judgments that are acted out upon us. Some indeed declaring correcting discipline or punishing justice. Others, however, liberating from anguish, or the end of discipline, or the presumption of prior benevolence, or the appearance of other gifts, whether small or great, sensible or invisible. And altogether perhaps a perspicacious mind does not hesitate to beautifully unite invisible things to visible ones original: "6"." From this, however, it is gathered that all things which are done concerning the assumption of the form in which the apparition occurs, must visibly declare that invisible thing which the Angel first and principally came to announce.

I say, therefore, that this Angel ought to have come in a bright garment, both because of the announcer himself, and because of the recipient, and because of the announced. Because of himself: because the whiteness of the garment designates the innocence of the Angel. And for this reason a white and red garment is not fitting for the Angel: because it is not born apt to have innocence with passion. Item, regarding the recipient, a bright garment was fitting: because she who conceived was without sin, and without sin conceived him who could not sin: hence everything was white and there was nothing black there. Item, she conceived without lust and gave birth without pain: therefore this conception and nativity were consummated without the redness of lustful and painful passion: therefore, since this Angel first and principally and by himself intended to announce nothing but the Incarnation, he ought not to have had a red or bicolor garment, but only a white one. Item, regarding the announced: for here is announced he who took the first fruits of our mass with the dissolution of penalty and the immunity of guilt: and thus in the first purity and clarity. Item, the mode of taking and proceeding in this Incarnation was without corruption, without diminution, without mixture, just as light proceeds from light: therefore as for all things that were in this Annunciation, it was fitting for the Angel to come in a clear garment.

All the reasons and authorities, however, which prove the Lord to be clothed in sackcloth, or a multicolored tunic, or white or red or sordid vestments, speak of the Lordly body according to the state of the passion, and not according to the property of the Incarnation.

1 Ezechiel 1, 4.
2 Isa. 63, 1.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid., v. 2.

5 Ezechiel 9 and 10 passim.
6 S. Dionysius, Book on the Celestial Hierarchy, ch. 15.