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A religious habit is a distinctive set of religious clothing worn by members of a
religious order A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious pract ...
. Traditionally some plain garb recognizable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious
eremitic A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...
and anchoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform style. Uniformity and distinctiveness by order often evolved and changed over time. Interpretation of terms for clothes in religious rules could change over centuries. Furthermore, every time new communities gained importance in a cultural area the need for visual separation increased for new as well as old communities. Thus, modern habits are rooted in historic forms, but do not necessarily resemble them in cut, colour, material, detail or use. In
Christian monastic Christian monasticism is the devotional practice of Christians who live ascetic and typically cloistered lives that are dedicated to Christian worship. It began to develop early in the history of the Christian Church, modeled upon scriptural ex ...
orders of the
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
,
Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched ...
and
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of t ...
Churches, the habit often consists of a tunic covered by a scapular and cowl, with a hood for
monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedic ...
s or
friar A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ...
s and a veil for nuns; in apostolic orders it may be a distinctive form of
cassock The cassock or soutane is a Christian clerical clothing coat used by the clergy and male religious of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, in addition to some clergy in certain Protestant denom ...
for men, or a distinctive habit and veil for women. Catholic
Canon Law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is t ...
requires only that the garb of their members be in some way identifiable so that the person may serve as a witness of the Evangelical counsels. In many orders, the conclusion of postulancy and the beginning of the novitiate is marked by a ceremony, in which the new novice is accepted as a novice and then clothed in the community's habit by the
superior Superior may refer to: *Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind Places *Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state *Lake ...
. In some cases the novice's habit will be somewhat different from the customary habit: for instance, in certain orders of women that use the veil, it is common for novices to wear a white veil while professed members wear black, or if the order generally wears white, the novice wears a grey veil. Among some
Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...
communities of men, novices wear a sort of overshirt over their tunic;
Carthusian The Carthusians, also known as the Order of Carthusians ( la, Ordo Cartusiensis), are a Latin enclosed religious order of the Catholic Church. The order was founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns. The order has i ...
novices wear a black cloak over their white habit.


Buddhism

Kāṣāya (
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...
: काषाय kāṣāya;
Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of '' Theravāda'' Buddh ...
: kasāva; ), "chougu" (
Tibetan Tibetan may mean: * of, from, or related to Tibet * Tibetan people, an ethnic group * Tibetan language: ** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard ** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken diale ...
) are the robes of
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
monks A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedic ...
and
nuns A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...
, named after a brown or saffron dye. In Sanskrit and Pali, these robes are also given the more general term ''cīvara'', which references the robes without regard to color.


Origin and construction

Buddhist kāṣāya are said to have originated in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
as set of robes for the devotees of
Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
. A notable variant has a pattern reminiscent of an Asian rice field. Original kāṣāya were constructed of discarded
fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not ...
. These were stitched together to form three rectangular pieces of cloth, which were then fitted over the body in a specific manner. The three main pieces of cloth are the ''antarvāsa'', the ''uttarāsaṅga'', and the '. Together they form the "triple robe," or ''tricīvara''. The tricīvara is described more fully in the Theravāda Vinaya (Vin 1:94 289).


Uttarāsaṅga

A robe covering the upper body. It is worn over the undergarment, or antarvāsa. In representations of the Buddha, the uttarāsaṅga rarely appears as the uppermost garment, since it is often covered by the outer robe, or saṃghāti.


Saṃghāti

The saṃghāti is an outer robe used for various occasions. It comes over the upper robe ('), and the undergarment (''antarvāsa''). In representations of the Buddha, the saṃghāti is usually the most visible garment, with the undergarment or uttarāsaṅga protruding at the bottom. It is quite similar in shape to the Greek himation, and its shape and folds have been treated in Greek style in the
Greco-Buddhist art The Greco-Buddhist art or Gandhara art of the north Indian subcontinent is the artistic manifestation of Greco-Buddhism, a cultural syncretism between Ancient Greek art and Buddhism. It had mainly evolved in the ancient region of Gandhara. The ...
of Gandhāra.


Additions

Other items that may have been worn with the triple robe were: * a waist cloth, the kushalaka * a buckled belt, the samakaksika


Kāṣāya in Indian Buddhism

In India, variations of the kāṣāya robe distinguished different types of monastics. These represented the different schools that they belonged to, and their robes ranged widely from red and ochre, to blue and black. Between 148 and 170 CE, the
Parthia Parthia ( peo, 𐎱𐎼𐎰𐎺 ''Parθava''; xpr, 𐭐𐭓𐭕𐭅 ''Parθaw''; pal, 𐭯𐭫𐭮𐭥𐭡𐭥 ''Pahlaw'') is a historical region located in northeastern Greater Iran. It was conquered and subjugated by the empire of the Med ...
n monk An Shigao came to China and translated a work which describes the color of monastic robes utilized in five major Indian Buddhist sects, called ''Dà Bǐqiū Sānqiān Wēiyí'' (Ch. 大比丘三千威儀). Another text translated at a later date, the ''Śariputraparipṛcchā'', contains a very similar passage corroborating this information, but the colors for the Sarvāstivāda and Dharmaguptaka sects are reversed. In traditions of
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
, which follow the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, red robes are regarded as characteristic of the Mūlasarvāstivādins. According to Dudjom Rinpoche from the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the robes of fully ordained Mahāsāṃghika monastics were to be sewn out of more than seven sections, but no more than twenty-three sections. The symbols sewn on the robes were the endless knot (Skt. ''śrīvatsa'') and the conch shell (Skt. ''śaṅkha''), two of the Eight Auspicious Signs in Buddhism.


Jiāshā in Chinese Buddhism

In
Chinese Buddhism Chinese Buddhism or Han Buddhism ( zh, s=汉传佛教, t=漢傳佛教, p=Hànchuán Fójiào) is a Chinese form of Mahayana Buddhism which has shaped Chinese culture in a wide variety of areas including art, politics, literature, philosophy, ...
, the kāṣāya is called ''gāsā'' (Ch. 袈裟). During the early period of
Chinese Buddhism Chinese Buddhism or Han Buddhism ( zh, s=汉传佛教, t=漢傳佛教, p=Hànchuán Fójiào) is a Chinese form of Mahayana Buddhism which has shaped Chinese culture in a wide variety of areas including art, politics, literature, philosophy, ...
, the most common color was red. Later, the color of the robes came to serve as a way to distinguish monastics, just as they did in India. However, the colors of a Chinese Buddhist monastic's robes often corresponded to their geographical region rather than to any specific schools. By the maturation of Chinese Buddhism, only the Dharmaguptaka ordination lineage was still in use, and therefore the color of robes served no useful purpose as a designation for sects, the way that it had in India.


in Japanese Buddhism

In Japanese Buddhism, the is known as the . In Japan, during the
Edo Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a ''jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...
and
Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
s, were sometimes pieced together from the theatrical
kimono The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
used in Noh theatre.


Christianity


Roman Catholicism

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
in his post-apostolic Exhortation ''Vita consecrata'' (1996) says concerning the religious habit of
consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different gro ...
persons:
§25 … The Church must always seek to make her presence visible in everyday life, especially in contemporary culture, which is often very secularized and yet sensitive to the language of signs. In this regard the Church has a right to expect a significant contribution from consecrated persons, called as they are in every situation to bear clear witness that they belong to Christ.
Since the habit is a sign of consecration, poverty and membership in a particular Religious family, I join the Fathers of the Synod in strongly recommending to men and women religious that they wear their proper habit, suitably adapted to the conditions of time and place.
Where valid reasons of their apostolate call for it, Religious, in conformity with the norms of their Institute, may also dress in a simple and modest manner, with an appropriate symbol, in such a way that their consecration is recognizable.
Institutes which from their origin or by provision of their Constitutions do not have a specific habit should ensure that the dress of their members corresponds in dignity and simplicity to the nature of their vocation.


Nuns

The religious habits of Roman Catholic nuns typically consist of the following elements: * Tunic: This is the central piece of the habit. It is a loose dress made of
serge Serge may refer to: *Serge (fabric), a type of twill fabric *Serge (llama) (born 2005), a llama in the Cirque Franco-Italien and internet meme *Serge (name), a masculine given name (includes a list of people with this name) *Serge (post), a hitchi ...
fabric pleated at the neck and draping to the ground. It can be worn pinned up in the front or in the back to allow the nun to work. * Scapular: This symbolic apron hangs from both front and back; it is worn over the tunic, and
Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
nuns also wear it over the belt, whereas some other orders wear it tied under the belt. * Cincture: The habit is often secured around the waist with a belt of leather, wool or a lanyard. The cincture of the Franciscan orders has three (or four) knots standing for the vows. * Coif: This is the garment's headpiece and includes the white cotton cap secured by a bandeau and a white wimple (to cover the neck and cheeks) and guimpe (to cover the chest, similar to a short cape) of starched linen, cotton, or (today) polyester. It is sometimes covered by a thin layer of black crêpe. * Veil: This element is worn pinned over the coif head coverings. Some veils can be worn down to cover the face or up to expose it. The veil sometimes includes a white underveil as well. The colour of the veil depends as well from the habit of the order and the status of the sister or nun (novices or postulants wear differently coloured veils than the professed sisters and nuns). The coif and veil were common items of clothing for married women in medieval Europe. Different orders adhere to different styles of dress; these styles have changed over time.


Sisters

The religious habit of Roman Catholic sisters sometimes consists of a plain dress and a veil. Different orders adhere to different styles of dress; these styles have changed over time. For example, in former times, the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul wore a cornette instead of a veil. Some congregations decided in the course of changes due the ecclesiastical document '' Perfectae caritatis'' to simplify their habits, to conform to the attire of the culture they are working in, or to even drop their use at all. The Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart wear a habit including cincture, rosary, scapular, and veil. The Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province wear a habit consisting of tunic, belt, rosary, scapular, veil, and cappa or mantle.


Monks

Monks in the Roman Catholic church wear a tunic, a cincture, a hooded scapular, and, for the
Liturgy of the Hours The Liturgy of the Hours (Latin: ''Liturgia Horarum'') or Divine Office (Latin: ''Officium Divinum'') or ''Opus Dei'' ("Work of God") are a set of Catholic prayers comprising the canonical hours, often also referred to as the breviary, of the ...
, a mantle (novices) or a cowl (professed monks).


Friars


Canons regular

Owing to the different traditions and origins that exist, there is no singular common habit worn by the
Canons Regular Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by ...
. Historically the common habit was the distinctive white cassock, with white fascia, over time some communities of Canons have changed to wearing the black cassock with black fascia. The only item of the habit that is common to all Canons is the linen rochet a mark of the canonical status. Some communities of canons, notably in Austria and Switzerland wear a sarotium, coming from the Latin ''sacrum rochettum'', "the sacred rochet". It is a thin band of linen worn over the cassock when not in choir. As part of their choir dress, some communities of Canons wear a ''mozzetta'', either black or purple over the rochet. Outdoors Canons wear a black cloak and hood, but again adaptations have been made to this in some of the communities. Canons also traditionally wore a
biretta The biretta ( la, biretum, birretum) is a square cap with three or four peaks or horns, sometimes surmounted by a tuft. Traditionally the three-peaked biretta is worn by Catholic clergy and some Anglican and Lutheran clergy. A four-peaked bir ...
.


Clergy

Usually, secular priests wear either a black
cassock The cassock or soutane is a Christian clerical clothing coat used by the clergy and male religious of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, in addition to some clergy in certain Protestant denom ...
or an ordinary men's garb in black or another dark color along with a white
clerical collar A clerical collar, clergy collar, or, informally, dog collar, is an item of Christian clerical clothing. The clerical collar is almost always white and was originally made of cotton or linen but is now frequently made of plastic. There are vario ...
. White cassocks or clothes may be worn in hot climates. Also, a ferraiolo (a kind of cope) could be worn along with the cassock. Priests also traditionally wore a
biretta The biretta ( la, biretum, birretum) is a square cap with three or four peaks or horns, sometimes surmounted by a tuft. Traditionally the three-peaked biretta is worn by Catholic clergy and some Anglican and Lutheran clergy. A four-peaked bir ...
along with the cassock. Deacons, priests, and bishops belonging to religious institutes wear the habit of that institute.


Abbot or Cardinal

Latin Rite clergy other than bishops, in particular any who are
abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. Th ...
s or
apostolic prefect An apostolic prefect or prefect apostolic is a priest who heads what is known as an apostolic prefecture, a 'pre-diocesan' missionary jurisdiction where the Catholic Church is not yet sufficiently developed to have it made a diocese. Although it ...
s or ordinary of a personal ordinariate, may wear pontifical items. Mitre, crosier and ring are bestowed on an abbot at his blessing and the pectoral cross is a customary part of an abbatial habit.


Gallery

File:Nun and novice discalced carmelites in Porto Alegre Brazil 20101129.jpeg, The religious habit of the Carmelite Order is brown and includes the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (also known as Brown Scapular). File:Francisco de Zurbarán 041.jpg, The religious habit of the Hieronymite enclosed monks and nuns is white and includes a brown scapular. File:Maria Droste zu Vischering.jpg, The religious habit of the
Sisters of the Good Shepherd The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, also known as the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, is a Catholic religious order that was founded in 1835 by Mary Euphrasia Pelletier in Angers, France. The religious sisters belong to ...
(and also of the Sisters from the Order of Our Lady of Charity) is white, with a white scapular, a black veil and a large silver heart on the breast. File:Mary of Jesus d'Oultremont.jpg, The religious habit of the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix is white, with a blue scapular, a white and blue veil and a large golden heart on the breast. File:Pater Pax.jpg, The religious habit of the
Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...
Order of Friars Minor and Friars Minor Capuchin is usually brown or gray; the habit of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual and Third Order Regular is black, although the Order of Friars Minor Conventual is returning to the grey habit worldwide. File:Kovelklein.JPG, The religious habit of the
Benedictines , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
is black (the style varies depending upon the monastery). File:Nicolas Mignard 001.jpg, The religious habit of the
Carthusians The Carthusians, also known as the Order of Carthusians ( la, Ordo Cartusiensis), are a Latin enclosed religious order of the Catholic Church. The order was founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns. The order ha ...
is white. A similar habit is used by the Monastic Family of Bethlehem, of the Assumption of the Virgin and of Saint Bruno. File:FrColl2.jpg, The religious habit of the Dominicans is black and white. File:Cistersian priests in Szczyrzyc monastery.JPG, Cistercians in their religious habit (with the black scapular). File:Poor Clares sister.jpg, The religious habit of the
Clarisses The Poor Clares, officially the Order of Saint Clare ( la, Ordo sanctae Clarae) – originally referred to as the Order of Poor Ladies, and later the Clarisses, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Order, and the Second Order of Saint Francis ...
(also known as Poor Clares) is brown, with a black veil File:St. Jeanne de Valois.jpg, The religious habit of the Sisters of the Annunciation is white, with a red scapular and a black veil. File:House of Virgin Mary4.jpg, The religious habit of the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Immaculate is gray-blue. (The image shown is, however, from an un-related Community) File:Sisters of Charity.jpg, The religious habit (based on the Indian
sari A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various regional languages include: * as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO * bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO * gu, સાડી, sāḍī, translit-std ...
) of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. File:Jean de Matha Ordre de la Sainte Trinité.jpg, The religious habit of the Trinitarian Order is white with a distinctive cross with a blue horizontal bar and a red vertical bar. File:Sister of the Incarnate Word.png, The religious habit of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament is white, with a red scapular and a black veil. File:Perreyve, Henri.jpg, Oratorians wear roughly the same vestments as parish priests. The distinctive Oratorian clerical collar consists of white cloth that folds over the collar all around the neck. File:Armand Gautier Nuns.gif, Sisters belonging to the Daughters of Charity with the cornette which used to be common. File:Trappist praying 2007-08-20 dti.jpg, Religious habit of a Trappist monk. File:Rüti - Ortsmuseum - Kloster - Prämostratenser-Habit IMG 5172.JPG, Religious habit of a
Premonstratensian The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church ...
canon. File:Pius Przeździecki 1-R-613.jpg, Pauline Pius Przeździecki File:Francisco de Zurbarán - Fray Pedro Machado - Google Art Project.jpg, The
Mercedarians The Royal, Celestial and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of the Captives ( la, Ordo Beatae Mariae de Mercede Redemptionis Captivorum, abbreviated O. de M.), also known as the Mercedarians, is a Catholic mendicant order es ...
wear white. File:Giambattista Tiepolo - Estasi di San Francesco di Paola - Museo Paradiso - Piove di Sacco.jpg, The religious habit of a Minims friar. It consists of a black tunic, a scapular with a capuche and a black cincture with four knots (four vows).


Lutheranism

In
Lutheranism Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
, various
religious order A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious pract ...
s have a habit of a different colour. The Daughters of Mary wear a blue habit.


Anglicanism


Eastern Orthodoxy

The
Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops via ...
does not have distinct religious orders such as those in the Catholic Church. The habit ( Greek: Σχήμα, ''Schēma'') is essentially the same throughout the world. The normal monastic color is black, symbolic of repentance and simplicity. The habits of monks and nuns are identical; additionally, nuns wear a scarf, called an apostolnik. The habit is bestowed in degrees, as the monk or nun advances in the spiritual life. There are three degrees: (1) the beginner, known as the Rassaphore ("robe bearer") (2) the intermediate, known as the Stavrophore ("cross bearer"), and (3) the Great Schema worn by Great Schema Monks or Nuns. Only the last, the Schemamonk or Schemanun, the monastic of the highest degree, wears the full habit. The habit is formally bestowed upon monks and nuns at the ceremony known as the tonsure (Gr. κουρά). The parts of the Eastern Orthodox habit are: * Inner Rason ( Greek: Έσώρασον, Ζωστικὸν or Ἀντερί, ''Esórason''; Slavonic: ''Podryásnik''): The inner rason (cassock) is the innermost garment. It is a long, collared garment coming to the feet, with narrow, tapered sleeves. Unlike the Roman cassock, it is double-breasted. The inner rason is the basic garment and is worn at all times, even when working. It is often given to
novice A novice is a person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows. A ''novice'' can also refer to a person (or animal e.g. racehorse) who is entering a profession with no prior experience. Religion Buddhism ...
s and seminarians, though this differs from community to community. The inner rason is also worn by
chanter The chanter is the part of the bagpipe upon which the player creates the melody. It consists of a number of finger-holes, and in its simpler forms looks similar to a recorder. On more elaborate bagpipes, such as the Northumbrian bagpipes or th ...
s, readers, and the married clergy. For monks and nuns, it symbolizes the vow of poverty. * Belt (Greek: Ζώνη, ''Zone''; Slavonic: ''Poyas''): The belt worn by Orthodox monks and nuns is normally leather, though sometimes it is of cloth. In the Russian tradition, married clergy, as well as the higher monastic clergy, may wear a cloth belt that is finely embroidered, especially on feast days. The belt is symbolic of the vow of chastity. * Paramand (Greek: Παραμανδύας, ''Paramandýas''; Slavonic: ''Paraman''): The Paramand is a piece of cloth, approximately 5 inches square which is attached by ribbons to a wooden cross. The cloth is embroidered with a cross and the
Instruments of the Passion Arma Christi ("weapons of Christ"), or the Instruments of the Passion, are the objects associated with the Passion of Jesus Christ in Christian symbolism and art. They are seen as arms in the sense of heraldry, and also as the weapons Christ ...
. The wooden cross is worn over the chest, then the ribbons pass over and under the arms, like a yoke, and hold the square cloth centered on the back. The paramand is symbolic of the yoke of Christ (). * Outer Rason (a.k.a. ''riasa'', Greek: εξώρασον, ''exorason'' or simply ράσο, ''raso''; Slavonic: ''ryasa''): Among the Greeks it is worn by readers and all higher clerics; among the Russians it is worn only by monks, deacons, priests, and bishops. * Analavos (Greek: Άνάλαβος; Slavonic: ''Analav''): The distinctive dress of the Great Schema is the analavos, and it is worn only by Schemamonks and Schemanuns. Traditionally made of either leather or wool, the analavos covers the shoulders, and then comes down in the front and back, forming a cross (see illustration, above right). * Polystavrion (Greek: Πολυσταύριον, lit. "many crosses"): The polystavrion is a long cord that has been plaited with numerous crosses forming a yoke that is worn over the analavos to hold it in place. * Mantle (Greek: Μανδύας, ''Mandías''; Slavonic: ''Mantíya''): The
Mantle A mantle is a piece of clothing, a type of cloak. Several other meanings are derived from that. Mantle may refer to: *Mantle (clothing), a cloak-like garment worn mainly by women as fashionable outerwear **Mantle (vesture), an Eastern Orthodox ve ...
is a long, full cape, joined at the neck which the monastic wears over the other parts of the habit. * Kalymafki (a.k.a. '' Kalimavkion'', Greek: καλυμαύκι; Slavonic: klobuk): The distinctive headdress of Eastern Orthodox monks and nuns is the kalymafki, a stiffened hat, something like a fez, only black and with straight sides, covered with a veil. The veil has lappets which hang down on each side of the head and a stylized hood falling down the back. For monastics of the Great Schema, the kalymafki takes a very distinctive shape, known as a koukoulion (cowl), and is embroidered with the Instruments of the Passion. The koukoulion is also worn by the Patriarchs of several local churches, regardless of whether or not he has been tonsured to that degree. In the Slavic tradition, the koukoulion will be in the form of a cloth hood, similar to that worn on the Western cowl. Outside church, monastics wear a soft hat known as a
Skufia A (also , or ; el, σκούφια or ) is an item of clerical clothing, a cap, worn by Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic monastics (in which case it is black) or awarded to clergy as a mark of honor (in which case it is usually red or pur ...
. Again, for Schemamonks and Schemanuns it is embroidered with the Instruments of the Passion. The portions of the habit worn by the various degrees of monastics is as follows:


Gallery

File:Jan Sezonow.jpg, Inner Rason worn by
Polish Orthodox Church The Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church ( pl, Polski Autokefaliczny Kościół Prawosławny), commonly known as the Polish Orthodox Church, or Orthodox Church of Poland, is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches in full communion. T ...
cleric File:Dosifeya (Tarakanova).jpg File:Unknown Monk (Skhimnik) at the Mount Athos, 1850s.jpg, Monk at the Mount Athos, 1850s


Hinduism


Islam


Jainism

Female ascetics and Svetambara male monks always wear un-stitched or minimally stitched white clothes. Digambara Jain monks do not wear clothes. A loin cloth which reaches up to the shins is called a Cholapattak. Another cloth to cover the upper part of the body is called Pangarani (Uttariya Vastra). A cloth that passes over the left shoulder and covers the body up to a little above the ankle is called a Kïmli. Kïmli is a woolen shawl. They also carry a woolen bed sheet and a woolen mat to sit on. Those who wear clothes have a
muhapati The muhapatti (variously spelled mahapatti, muhpatti or mahpatti) is a square of white cloth worn across the face and tied behind the ears or held, by Sthanakvasi Svetambara or Śvētāmbara Terapanthi Jains. Sometimes a card is used instead o ...
, which is a square or rectangular piece of cloth of a prescribed measurement, either in their hand or tied on their face covering the mouth. Svetambara ascetics have an Ogho or Rajoharan (a broom of woolen threads) to clean insects around their sitting place or while they are walking. Digambara ascetics have a Morpichhi and a Kamandal in their hands. This practice may vary among different sects of Jains but essential principle remains the same to limit needs.


Judaism


Shinto

In Japan, various types of very traditional dress are worn by
Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shint ...
priests, often dating to styles worn by nobles during the
Nara period The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the c ...
or
Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japan ...
. * - a type of traditional
Japanese clothing There are typically two types of clothing worn in Japan: traditional clothing known as , including the national dress of Japan, the kimono, and , which encompasses all else not recognised as either national dress or the dress of another country. ...
, originally worn only by men, but today they are worn by both sexes. There are two types, divided and undivided . The ''umanori'' type have divided legs, similar to trousers, but both types appear similar. ''Hakama'' are tied at the waist and fall approximately to the ankles, and are worn over a
kimono The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
(hakamashita), with the kimono then appearing like a shirt. * is a garment worn in Japan by people attending religious ceremonies and activities, including Buddhist and Shinto related occasions. Not only
Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shint ...
and Buddhist priests can be found wearing Jōe at rituals, but laymen as well, for example when participating in pilgrimage such as the Shikoku Pilgrimage. The garment is usually white or yellow and is made of linen or silk depending on its kind and use. The Shinto priest who wears the ''jōe'' is attired in a peaked cap called ''tate-eboshi'', an outer tunic called the ''jōe'' proper, an outer robe called ''jōe no sodegukuri no o'', an undergarment called ''hitoe'', ballooning trousers called ''sashinuki'' or ''nubakama'', and a girdle called ''jōe no ate-obi''.


See also

* Degrees of Eastern Orthodox monasticism * Tonsure * Religious dress *
Zucchetto The zucchetto (, also ,"zucchetto"
(US) and
,


Footnotes


Further reading

*


External links


New Catholic Dictionary
(Public Domain images and text.)

* ttp://digital.udayton.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/nuns Catholic Sisters International Collection, University of Dayton Special Collections(Photographs of reproductions of over 130 religious habits) {{Authority control Monasticism Sacramentals Christian clothing Robes and cloaks Religious clothing Eastern Christian vestments History of clothing History of clothing (Western fashion) History of fashion Byzantine clothing Religious practices Asceticism Hesychasm