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. The word leitourgia is derived from the two Greek words, leos and ergon. Leos, meaning the people of God and Ergon meaning the work. ... Men and women wearing suits, an example of one of the many modern forms of clothing (from the 1937 Chicago Woolen Mills catalog) Clothing is defined, in its broadest sense, as coverings for the torso and limbs as well as coverings for the hands (gloves), feet (socks, shoes, sandals, boots... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religions, especially the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican Churches. ... Roman Catholic priests in clerical clothing. ... In most Protestant churches, a minister is a member of the ordained clergy who leads a congregation or participates in a role in a parachurch ministry; such a person may also be called a Pastor, Preacher, Bishop, Chaplain or Elder. ... St. ... A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... Nun in cloister, 1930; photograph by Doris Ulmann A nun is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. ...

In modern times, many Christian clergy have adopted the use of a clergy shirt with a clerical collar. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Christianity. ... A Clergy shirt is an item of clerical clothing worn by some members of the Christian clergy. ... On the right, an example of a Clerical collar. ...

Orthodox Christianity

In Orthodoxy, a useful distinction between vestments and clerical clothing is that vestments are required to be blessed before wearing them- clerical clothing is not, and is regarded as normal clothes. Orthodox Christianity is a generalized reference to the Eastern traditions of Christianity, as opposed to the Western traditions (which descend through, or alongside of, the Roman Catholic Church) or the Eastern Rite Catholic churches. ...

• Inner Cassock The inner cassock (more commonly, simply Cassock) is a floor length garment, usually black, worn by all clergy members, monastics, and seminarians.
• Outer Cassock Called a Ryasa (Russian: ряса) or Exorason, the outer cassock is a large, flowing garment worn over the inner cassock by bishops, priests, deacons, and monastics.
• Skufia A soft-sided cap worn by monastics or awarded to clergy as a mark of honor.
• Kamilavka A stiff hat worn by monastics or awarded to clergy as a mark of honor.
• Apostolnik A veil worn either by nuns, either alone or with a skufia.
• Epanokamelavkion A veil extending over the back, worn with the kamilavka by all monastics and bishops.
• Klobuk A kamilavka with an epanokamelavkion permanently attached; more common in the Russian tradition.

A Roman Catholic priest from Belgian Congo wearing the Roman cassock. ... A Roman Catholic priest from Belgian Congo wearing the Roman cassock. ... A Roman Catholic priest from Belgian Congo wearing the Roman cassock. ... A Roman Catholic priest from Belgian Congo wearing the Roman cassock. ... A Skufia (also Skufiya or Skoufos) is an item of clerical clothing worn by worn by Orthodox Christian monastics (in which case it is black [1]) or awarded to clergy as a mark of honor (in which case it is usually red or purple). ... A Kamilavka (Greek Καμιλαυκα — also kamilavkion (καμιλαυκιον), kalimmavkhion (καλυμμαύχιον), or kalimafi (καλιμαυι)) is an item of clerical clothing worn by worn by Orthodox Christian monks (in which case it is black) or awarded to clergy as a mark of honor (in which case it is usually red or purple). ... Eastern Orthodox Nuns. ... is a made up word ... Eastern Orthodox Monks wearing klobuks. ...

Catholicism

On the right, an example of the full collar shirt and cassock; on the left, a clerical shirt that could have a tab collar inserted.

the fur mozetta; 17th century

• Cassock: A long-sleeved, hoodless garment most often made of lightweight black fabric. Cassocks are generally ankle-length.

• Clergy Shirt: There are several types of clergy shirts:

• High banded collar: This is probably the most common type of shirt. It resembles a standard dress shirt, but has a standing black collar that is sewn to accommodate a white cloth or soft plastic insert, leaving a small white square at the base of the throat.
• Neckband: A collarless shirt (similar to a banded collar shirt) with a thin strip of cloth that fits over the neck of the shirt, creating a solid white collar that sourrounds the neck, like a turtleneck sweater. The collar may be fastened with collar stays or buttons. These shirts are traditional in Catholicism but most often worn by Anglican clergy, particularly broad church clergy.
• Tab-Collar: A collared shirt that resembles a standard dress shirt, but with a smaller collar. The collar either buttons or pins flat against the shirt, and a white strip (about the size of a tongue depressor) is inserted to form a small white square. These shirts are the norm, as part of a Clerical Suit, for both Roman Catholic and Lutheran clergy.
• Full collar shirt and cassock: These are very similar to banded collar shirts, except the collar is higher. These are worn under a cassock or a waist length shirt modeled after a cassock, so that only the white square shows up (as in the tab collar shirt). When the cassock is placed over the shirt, the Nehru-like collar of the cassock (or cassock-style shirt) exposes only a small white square of the full collar shirt, creating the familiar "Roman" collar. It is not, however, a white collar attached to a contrasting color shirt, as in the case of the neckband shirt, but an all-white, high-collar shirt worn under the cassock or cassock-like shirt, so that only the white at the collar shows forth. However, most clergy choose to attach a clerical collar to the inside of the Nehru-like collar of the cassock or shirt, rather than wear a full collar shirt.
• "rabat": These shirts are similar to tuxedo vests; they are only shirt fronts with a neckstrap and waist strap to hold them on. They generally have a raised black collar (like a Nehru jacket) with a cut out section that reveals a white collar from behind. These shirts are very popular for clergy who do not normally wear clericals, as they may be slipped over the existing shirt in a situation where a clerical shirt is required. "Dickie"-style clerical shirts are designed to imitate a full collar shirt with a cassock-like shirt over top, and are typically indistinguishable from a full collar shirt when worn under a jacket.

Most Roman Catholic clergy choose to wear the cassock-style shirt with a full clerical collar or the tab-collar shirt, with the small white insert. 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. The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus of Nazareth, with its traditions first established by the Twelve Apostles and... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 853 KB)Clerical clothing, Vienna, Austria, 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 853 KB)Clerical clothing, Vienna, Austria, 2005. ... A Roman Catholic priest from Belgian Congo wearing the Roman cassock. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1236x1672, 343 KB) Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743), Portrait de Bossuet Source: own work Musée du Louvre, Paris File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Jacques-Bénigne... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1236x1672, 343 KB) Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743), Portrait de Bossuet Source: own work Musée du Louvre, Paris File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Jacques-Bénigne... Look up mozzetta in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A Roman Catholic priest from Belgian Congo wearing the Roman cassock. ... On the right, an example of a Clerical collar. ... The Nehru jacket is an article of clothing that originates in India and became popular in the West in the 1960s. ... On the right, an example of a Clerical collar. ...

Anglicanism

Anglicanism generally follows the same traditions as Roman Catholicism in regards to clerical clothing, with some notable variations. Unlike the practice of most Roman Catholic clergy, many Anglicans prefer using the wrap-around collar (often colloquially referred to as a "dog collar") alongside the tab-collar. The use of the high-band collar is rare among Anglican clergy. The wrap-around collar is affixed by a stud to the top button-hole of the shirt, and a stud clipping the two ends of the collar together with the shirt at the back. Traditionally, Anglican clergy have worn the collar with a black shirt and attire; but many today wear shirts of a variety of colours and patterns with the collar. As with their Roman Catholic counterparts, more formal Anglican clergy may wear a rabat, perhaps with traditional pinstriped trousers and black jacket. The term Anglican (from medieval Latin ecclesia Anglicana meaning the English church) is used to describe the people, institutions, and churches as well as the liturgical traditions and theological concepts developed by the established Church of England, the Anglican Communion and the Continuing Anglican Churches (a loosely affiliated group of... Pin striping describes the application of a pin stripe: a very thin line of paint or other material, generally used for decoration. ...

Anglican bishops alone are entitled to wear a purple clergy shirt as a sign of their office. Along with the pectoral cross and episcopal ring, this marks them off from other clergy in appearance. Clergy of royal peculiars may wear a scarlet clergy shirt. A Pectoral cross (sometimes simply Pectoral, from the Latin pectoralis, of the chest) is a cross, usually large, worn around the neck on a cord or a chain. ... Ecclesiastical ring,18th century An Ecclesiastical ring is a finger ring worn by a clergyman, such as a Bishops ring. ... A Royal Peculiar (or Royal Peculier) is a place of worship that falls directly under the jurisdiction of the British monarch, rather than a diocese. ...

Traditionally, Anglican clergy regularly wore the cassock in public. Although this is now rare, some clergy still elect to wear a cassock when within the precincts of their parish church. This may be worn with a Canterbury cap. Bishops may wear a purple or violet cassock, and clergy of royal peculiars may wear a scarlet cassock. Also traditionally, in a complementary fashion, bishops and archdeacons would wear 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. The Canterbury cap is a square cloth hat with sharp corners found in the Anglican communion, similar to the Counter-Reformations biretta, the notable exception being that a Canterbury cap has four ridges, compared to the birettas three. ... For the Major League Baseball player, see Maurice Archdeacon. ... A full length apron An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of the body. ... Gaiters are a type of protective clothing for a persons ankles and legs below the knee. ...

External links

• Why Clergy Should Wear Clericals