.htaccess error document 403

I know how to create a .htaccess and what instructions to put in to it.
Unfortunately I can not get the server to utilize the error documents. When someone encounters a “Forbidden” site it still just says Forbidden instead of calling my php file.
I only get the error document redirect when I try to access the .htaccess file through the web.

I created the .htaccess via “touch” and edited via “vi editor”
I have 644 permissions on it.
I have a .htaccess file siting in every directory including root, but they are not the same instructions.

“#custom error docs
ErrorDocument 404 /notfound.php
ErrorDocument 403 /forbidden.php
ErrorDocument 500 /error.php

# protect the htaccess file
<Files .htaccess>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</Files>

# disable the server signature
ServerSignature Off

# protect wpconfig.php
<files wp-config.php>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</files>

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ – [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
“

Cheers!