Priests Put Limits on Church Ceremonies : Decorum: Upset about circus-like atmosphere at baptisms and marriages, pastors in Italian province issue 18 suggestions to restore dignity.

First came the 10 Commandments; now a group of Catholic pastors has come up with the 18 suggestions.

The priests, all pastors of parishes in the northern Italian diocese of Padova, were concerned about the way marriages had begun to resemble three-ring circuses, with photographers, video camera operators and their assistants all running around the altar to get the best angles.

Not only weddings but also baptisms, confirmations and first communion ceremonies should be filled with respect for God and the liturgy, the pastors said. To ensure they are, the priests drew up a list of suggestions to protect the dignity of the religious ceremonies.

“The churches were at times being turned into a kind of theater,” said Don Quintino Creuso, who drew up the 18 norms that were approved by his fellow pastors.

The suggestions range from the pious--participants should demonstrate a proper understanding of the Catholic faith--to the practical: no garish camera lights, gaudy floral arrangements, low-cut dresses or crude wedding jokes at the church door.

Not only that, but the excessive throwing of rice after the marriage ceremony should be abandoned, as it runs “contrary to common sense.”

“We decided that there was just too much confusion, when these should be spiritual encounters,” said Don Riccardo Poleto, pastor at the church of St. Giorgio delle Pertiche.

Wealthier Italians tend to hold luxurious weddings with sumptuous meals after the religious service, and church officials have often appealed for more sobriety at these celebrations.

But they have had little success in their calls for moderation. The need to make a good impression--what is called bella figura --simply remains too strong in Italian society.

The regulations are valid for one area of the diocese of Padova, although Creuso said he believes they will be accepted elsewhere.

The rules call for only one photographer and one video operator to be in the church during celebrations. There are no exceptions to that rule, and no flash cameras will be allowed.

The priests also asked that floral arrangements be as simple as possible.

The rules also call for a certain modesty in dress. “Short and low-cut dresses are to be avoided,” reads No. 15, reminding the faithful that “interior beauty” is what should show during the celebration of the sacraments.

“The idea of the rules is to help us maintain a little bit of dignity,” Creuso said.