On Principles of Christian Appearance

There is an almost universal truth across religious traditions – those that are the greater in zeal are the more particular and conformist in their appearance. Attire, like conduct, should be a reflection of the inner spiritual state.

It does not take a genius to recognize that the woman in the grocery store wearing her Lululemon workout tights and a belly shirt has no thoughts of chaste living as a spiritual virtue.

But the same applies to the men who obsess over their appearance, wearing designer clothing, shoes, and even designer mustaches!

While men do not have the natural physical allure that women do, they nevertheless have shown that they will not be left behind by the weaker sex in the pursuit of vanity.

In this article, we will look at some of the traditional clothing pieces of the Old Believers to see what, if any, principles of dress can be derived from them.

Is there any canonical basis for insisting upon traditional clothing?

The canonical demands regarding clothing are predominantly focused on two areas – priests, and sexual separation.

Briefly, those ordained to the priesthood may not, ever, show themselves without those clothes that are appointed:

Canon 27 of the 6th Ecumenical Council. None of those who are in the clergy shall wear clothes unsuited to them, either while still living in town or when on a journey: but they shall wear such clothes as are assigned to those who belong to the clergy. And if any one shall violate this canon, he shall be cut off for one week.

And regarding sexual separation:

Canon 62. …no man shall be dressed as a woman, nor any woman in the garb suitable to men. Nor shall he assume comic, satyric, or tragic masks…

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God. (Deut. 2)

The violation of both of these canons is sadly rampant today. I wonder if those among the new-ritual Orthodox clergy, who make statements against transgenderism are as careful with their own commandment…

Now, for the rest of us.

In the Sixth Ecumenical Council, a custom was addressed that saw students of law partaking in pagan-style entertainments and fashions:

Canon 71. Those who are studying civil law must not adopt Hellenic customs, nor be led to spectacles, nor perform the so-called kilistra, nor dress in clothes that are not in common use — neither at the beginning of their studies, nor at their conclusion, nor at any time during their course. If anyone from now on dares to do any of these things, let him be excommunicated. 1

There is a disconnect in this example, it seems, in that the fathers of the Sixth Council are giving a general principle, but a very particular application.

In such cases, the principle’s application should be expanded, as their use is broad, rather than leaning upon the specificity of the example as an excuse to ignore the underlying principles.

The Byzantine canonist Zonara expands the example to comply with the principle:

Zonara. The divine Fathers forbid the faithful in general to adopt Hellenic customs. Since even those studying civil laws were using such customs, and at the beginning or end of their studies they would put on strange/unusual clothing, the Fathers forbid all of this, whatever form it may take. Those who do any such thing are sentenced to excommunication.

Valsamon, in his commentary, likewise expands the application according to the principle, and introduces the reason behind the principle:

Thus the holy Fathers, forbidding all this and calling it Hellenic practices, decree that absolutely nothing of the sort should occur, because many scandalous disturbances arise among the faithful on account of it, and this is the same as pagan notions of fortune or misfortune.2 The Fathers ordered that violators of this rule be subjected to excommunication.

The very reason for the rule is to protect the faithful from scandal. Not a social scandal, but a spiritual one – a distraction, a temptation.

Nikon of the Black Mountain, in the 11th century, said:

Everywhere Holy Scripture commands us to dress in ordinary Christian garments, as St. Ephraim teaches us (Word 52): By ordinary garments, he says, one who covers himself cares to clothe himself in spiritual attire. But he who adorns himself with multicolored garments strives to be naked of divine clothing. For covering is required of us, but not variegation. The meaning of clothing is one—to be a veil for the flesh (St. Nikon of the Black Mountain, Book 1, Word 37).

Here, Nikon focuses the principle as it pertains to clothing, giving us the main operating principles for apparel:

1. The purpose of clothing itself is to be a “veil” for our flesh. Not an adornment, but a covering.

2. The style of clothing should be “ordinary Christian garments”.

What are “Ordinary Christian Garments”?

There are, among the Old Believers, certain basic articles of clothing, themselves localized relics of the forms which came before.

The Kaftan

As seen in the photo, the kaftan is an outer garment – a robe, very similar to a cassock, but shorter.

The shortened cut is a practical one. It allowed for work to be done while wearing it.

The kaftan, like all other articles of clothing – was not set apart for certain classes of believers. For example, it was not restricted to certain people who sang in the choirs, or were readers, or candle-bearers. This is a modern innovation.

All men were permitted to wear this, and its use was not restricted to the temple, but was used even in daily life.

The use of robes for standard outerwear is testified to in the art and iconography of the Church from the earliest examples. Whether saints or otherwise, bishops or simple, all men in Church iconography are robed.

The length and general design is flexible, and longer varieties are also seen:

The Kosovorotka

The “kosovorotka” is the shirt of the Old Believer male. Over time, its ornamentation became elaborate – reflecting the skill of the wives who made them.

But there are a few features that must be emphasized:

The shirt is long, even almost to the knees. This is not for style.

The length of the shirt reflects one of the primary activities of the Christian – prayer. In prayer, both at home, and in the temple – the Christian is moving. Either through bows, or with prostrations, the Christian man is constantly engaged in worship, in its more literal meaning.

The loose cut, and exaggerated length of the kosovorotka, allows the man to prostrate without needing to fix the shirt after every action. If anyone has ever tried to make an abundance of prostrations while wearing a modern, button-up dress shirt, he will certainly have experienced the impracticality of it, as it fights with the wearer by constantly coming untucked, exposing bare skin, and in all other ways, making itself to be very uncomfortable.

The placement of the buttons varied, but one theory is that the off-centered placket was intentional as it prevented one’s cross from falling out while working or praying. And, of course, it is not permitted for a cross to touch the ground!

The Belt

Mandatory for all Old Believers is a belt.

For men, the belt is worn at waist level, clearly separating the lower half from the upper half of the body. For women, the belt is worn beneath the chest.

The importance of the belt is in its spiritual symbolism. It is that by which we “gird” ourselves for spiritual labor. The belt represents our conscious preparation for prayer and service to God.

By contrast, to be unbelted is considered disgraceful – a sign of carelessness and “looseness”.

The appearance of the belt can be utterly simple – a crude band of simple fabric, to ornate, woven belts of intricate design and even prayers.

While the belt is always worn over the shirt – it is not worn on the outside of a kaftan.

The Sarafan

The main article of women’s clothing is the sundress – the “sarafan”.

The varieties of cut, design, and color are endless for this garment – but the general characteristics remain – an ankle length dress of loose fit, girded by a belt, with a long-sleeve shirt underneath which covers the full length of the arms.

Here, as in the men’s shirt – we see that the fit allows for comfort in the postures of prayer.

Head Coverings

But when she marries, during the wedding ceremony, by the blessing of the priest, [the bride’s] head is covered with a headscarf and a headdress, and she is crowned according to the Church rite. From that moment on, for the rest of her life until the day of her death, she has no right ever to uncover a single strand of hair but must always and forever remain covered. Thus commands the divine Apostle Peter, who says: ‘Let not the adornment of women be outward—braiding of hair, wearing of gold, or putting on fine apparel—but the hidden person of the heart’ (1 Peter 3:4). Similarly, the chief Apostle Paul legislates, saying: ‘If a woman does not cover her head, let her be shorn. But if it is a disgrace for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her cover her head’ (1 Corinthians 11:6). And St. John Chrysostom, explaining these words, says that not only during prayer but always must a woman remain covered. -from History and Customs of the Vetka Church (Kabanov)

The style of head coverings varies by region. But the ideas are clear. Upon a marriage, the woman is given a special head covering, to be worn at all times.

Rather, in the priestly wedding rite – the woman is blessed to wear this. For it is like a crown unto her. A sign of the dignity of her marital unity, and the Christian role of the image of the Church – glorious in its subservience to Christ.

Some of these head coverings, like the one above, even resemble a sort of crown in the way that they neatly frame the forehead. But, in any style, the married women historically wore two coverings – one that showed her status as a wife, and another, the more general, but larger, displaying her humility in prayer. See 1 Cor. 11:5-15.

Principles

Old Belief, like all other Christian groups, find themselves in the modern world with a situation it has never faced in the past – it is visible to the eyes of all, everywhere, through the internet.

No longer can small communities in isolation remain so. They fled for safety and security. They isolated to preserve their way of life.

But, knocking at the door are the beggars. Inconvenient in their timing. Annoying in their persistence. But these are spiritual beggars from the outside world.

And they are starved nearly to the point of death.

While the clothing pieces above are those that come from the Great-Russian tradition, it should be obvious that those whose blood does not come from this region, who have no cultural heritage to share there, but yet come knocking for spiritual food and drink, should be allowed the benefits of protecting their inner state through their outward appearance.

This will look different – depending upon the area. And this must be permitted.

But let’s try to define some principles.

For Both Sexes

There is one fundamental rule that ought to be observed in clothing that applies to both sexes.

Clothing must be suitable for prayer. And prayer involves the actions of prayer – making the sign of the cross, bowing, and prostrating.

Try doing these in a finely tailored, expensive suit. Or a tight-fitting, attractive dress.

Unfortunately, the American tradition of the “Sunday best” will not work. For Old Belief, dress must be more humble, and more importantly, more practical (and, by extension, more comfortable).

For Women

Whether or not a scarf is pinned or tied, regardless of the style of the undercovering (povoynik), a married woman should keep her hair covered. Her hair is an adornment – a sign of her beauty. In marriage – it should be made clear that this hair is not on display for the hungry eyes of those men around her.

The Old Believer tradition of the large scarf should be preserved – for it ensures that the shoulders and breasts are covered.

The style of the dress should be entirely flexible – for I do not know of any culture that does not supply endless examples of native, modest dress for women. The important thing is that, like men, the limbs be covered, and there is sufficient looseness in the design for the movements of prayer.

As for color – while it is a popular custom among some Old Believer communities to wear brightly colored patterned dresses and scarves – the force of the canons and patristic literature warns against this – preferring more austere, plain, darker colors that do not seek attention. This too should be sought after as an ideal.

But, as is clear from the Christian tradition – women should not ever wear men’s clothing.

It ought never to be normalized in a temple (which it almost universally has).

Apart from the scandal (that does not even exist anymore in most Christian churches) – the sight of a woman in pants eliminates the inherent and distinct dignity of her femininity.

For Men

For men, the principles are very simple!

Pants should be long.
Shirts should be long.
Colors should be plain.

Aside from this, especially at prayer, a shirt ought to be long and loose enough to accommodate prostrations. At a minimum, I think that halfway between the thighs and the knees is a length that is suitable. But closer to the knees will be even more comfortable at prayer.

I found this at the popular American Living History YouTuber The Townsends website – it is an 18th century common work smock – something any common worker would have worn as a daily outer shirt. And outside of minor differences, it is completely indistinguishable from the kosovorotka, with the belt and all. 100% American!:

Does it need embroidery? Does it need an off-centered placket?

No.

These are certainly local, and are not necessary to the principles of attire. They are extra adornments, and should not be thought of as essential for those who will take on this faith in their own lands.

Final Thought

The very idea of accommodating outsiders, of bringing them into the faith, is still largely a foreign one for most Old Believers.

Even more so is the notion of intentionally sharing their faith with outsiders, so that, rather than waiting for the beggars to appear, they might themselves go out in search of the hungry.

This is a fault, but one borne of difficult historical circumstances… which no longer exist.

It is not reasonable to expect, or to demand that those who come knocking at the doors of Old Belief will do so, wanting to become Russians. This, in my opinion, would rather be a warning sign that the individual is not seeking Christ, but a setting in which to protest his own social or political environment.

There are no local Christian communities that preserve, outwardly unchanged, everything that was given to them. Local differences will occur, because people and places are different – so the very nature of their lives are different.

Clothing is, outside of our prayers and liturgical lives, the most foundational outward aspect of our Christian lives.

Its importance should be emphasized and the Christian virtues of modesty and humility ought to be asked of newcomers, and even from all.

But God must be allowed to nurture new communities that are not Russian. Their language will not be, in the end, Church Slavonic, neither will the details of their culture reflect the details of Russian pious expression.

But the principles must be retained and unfailingly observed!

New lands and their peoples have most of the building blocks in place already – they have just been left out to rust. They only need to be found to use again.