Clerical clothing is non-liturgical clothing worn exclusively by clergy. It is distinct from vestments in that it is not reserved specifically for services. Practices vary: clerical clothing is sometimes worn under vestments, and sometimes as the everyday clothing or street wear of a priest, minister, or other clergy member. In some cases, it can be similar or identical to the habit of a monk or nun.
In modern times, many Christian clergy have adopted the use of a clergy shirt with a clerical collar.
Contents |
In Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholicism, a useful distinction between liturgical vestments and clerical clothing is that vestments are required to be blessed before being worn. Conversely, clerical clothing is not, and is regarded as daily wear.
In 1215, a church council made it mandatory for all the Christian clergy to wear a distinctive dress. Its purpose was not necessarily to elevate the status of the Christian clerics; it was intended that they would catch the public eye if any member of the clergy is seen on the street.[1]
In Rome, Roman Catholic clergy are permitted to wear black, grey, and blue clerical shirts, while in the United States they are permitted to wear only black, quite likely because of long-standing custom.
Anglicanism began to shed its adherence to Protestant ideals in the nineteenth century. During that period it was the fashion among gentlemen to wear a detachable collar which was washed and starched separately from the shirt. Initially with the detachable collar, Anglican clergy wore a white cravat,later a white bow tie, with a waistcoat with a standing collar and a loose clerical frock coat resembling a knee length cassock with multiple buttons to waist level. Alternatively they could wear the normal style of gentleman's frock coat and a rabat (See above).In the middle of the century Anglican ministers began turning the collar around backwards, creating the first versions of the "dog collar". This form of distinctive dress was seen as a controversial affectation of the high church party, but as time progressed the collar-turned-backwards became more common, and even survived the demise of detachable collars among the general public. Though black waistcoat has given way to black shirt, the collar has become a daily part of clerical costume for most Anglican ministers. However, some Anglican clergy join with ministers of reformed churches in eschewing distinctive clerical costume entirely.. During the 20th century Anglican bishops began wearing purple (officially violet) shirts as a sign of their office. Along with the pectoral cross and episcopal ring, this marks them off from other clergy in appearance. While there is no law among the churches of the Anglican Communion that prevents other members of the clergy from wearing a purple shirt, to do so is generally not considered appropriate.
Traditionally, Anglican clergy regularly wore the cassock in public, although this is less common. The traditional Anglican headwear with the cassock was the Canterbury cap, which is now seldom used. Some Anglo-Catholic clergy still wear the Biretta. Bishops and archdeacons traditionally wore a shortened version of the cassock, called an apron (which hung just above the knee), along with gaiters. The gaiters, buttoned up the side, would cover the trouser leg to a point just below the knee. This form of everyday vesture, common up until the 1960s, is now almost extinct.
Anglican clergy typically favour a double-breasted cassock (known as a Sarum), often with an external button at chest level on which to hook an academic hood (which is worn as part of the choir habit). Clergy of a more Anglo-Catholic persuasion however often favour a cassock similar to Roman Catholic clergy. Single breasted cassocks of other designs are also sometimes used. Like Roman Catholic clergy, some Anglican clergy wear the fascia (known within Anglicanism as a cincture) around the waist, while others prefer a belt.
Clergy of the royal peculiars, senior chaplains to the forces, members of the Chapels Royal and Honorary Chaplains to the Queen may wear a scarlet cassock and a special badge (Queen's cypher surmounted by St Edward's crown surrounded in oak and laurel leafs) on their scarf.
In Lutheran churches, pastors mainly wear
and a Lutheran bishop might wear
In the UK Methodist church, a minister often wears a simple business suit with a coloured shirt and clerical collar. For communion (in Methodism, more usually called "the Lord's Supper") and other services, he or she may sometimes wear a cassock, perhaps with bands. For the most formal occasions, such as the (British) Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in London, a traditional black Geneva preaching gown, academic hood and bands may be worn.
Methodist Deacons (male or female) have a less strict dress code; but they often wear dark blue clothing, and always wear the cross of their religious order.
The dress of those lay members of the congregation who sing in the choir, and of the organist, varies from congregation to congregation. A typical costume might be a blue cassock, English-style plain white surplice, and for women a canterbury cap.
Dress in the United Methodist Church differs from the British norms.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||