Thai Catholic church under fire for giving students Friar Tuck ‘embarrassing’ haircuts
- Boys’ haircuts, in which a crown of hair surrounds a shaved head, widely mocked online
A Catholic church in Thailand is being mocked after a group of altar boys was given haircuts that mimicked the appearance of traditional Catholic friars.
The haircut, called a “coronal tonsure”, involves shaving the top of the head completely bald while leaving a ring of hair around the fringes. This style preserves the hair on the sides and the bangs, resembling a crown. It is also called the Roman or Petrine tonsure and is named after Saint Peter.
After images of the boys’ haircuts emerged online, observers cried foul, expressing sympathy for the “poor boys” and their “embarrassing” haircuts.
Yet, the church insists it was their idea to sport the hairdo.
The coronal tonsure haircut first emerged in the 4th and 5th centuries and was a common hairstyle among Catholic monks until Pope Paul VI abolished it in 1973.
The style was said to be inspired by the crown of thorns worn by Jesus during his crucifixion.
