Cassock

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:Cassock.jpg

The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is a long, close-fitting, ankle-length robe worn by clergy members of some Christian denominations. The cassock derives ultimately from the tunic that was formerly worn underneath the toga in classical antiquity.

The word cassock probably comes from the word "casaque" which means cloak; or cassaca, which means white. In older days, it was known in Latin as vestis talaris.

Although the cassock was formerly the universal everyday clothing of the clergy, many have abandoned it as in favour of a clerical suit of more conventional design. In current usage, wearing of the cassock can sometimes be a mark of a traditional cleric; its abandonment, a rejection thereof.

Contents

[edit]

Western practice (Roman and Anglican)

The cassock, also known as a soutane, comes in a number of styles, though no particular symbolism attaches to these. A Roman cassock oftentimes has thirty-three buttons (symbolic of the years of the life of Jesus) down the front; a French cassock has fewer front buttons, but buttons sewn to the sleeves after the manner of a suit, and a broader skirt. A Jesuit cassock has a fly fastened with hooks. An Anglican cassock is often double breasted (then more correctly called a "sarum"), fastening at the shoulders on the opposing side of the breast. The single-breasted cassock worn by Anglicans sometimes has thirty-nine buttons rather than the Roman complement of thirty three. This is often said to signify the Thirty-Nine Articles, but have developed from an older fashion.

Generally the cassock can be attributed to the clerics of the Roman Catholic Church. There are two types of cassock: the ordinary cassock and the choir cassock. A band cincture or fascia is also worn with both types of cassocks. The colors of the fascia and the cassock are discussed further.

The ordinary cassock is the black cassock seen on most Roman Catholic clerics. Additionally, for clerics of higher rank (including minor prelates), colored piping (keeping in mind that the cassock is still black) and the colored fascia are prominent. In the cases of bishops, protonotaries apostolic, and honorary prelates, the piping is amaranth red and the fascia is purple; for cardinals, scarlet piping and fascia are the rule. Despite these distinctions, however, major prelates, even cardinals, oftentimes ordinarily make use of the simple black cassock.

In tropical countries, Papal indult has allowed the ordinary cassock to be white. Of course the piping and fascia correspond to the appropriate rank of the prelate (purple for minor prelates, amaranth red for bishops and scarlet silk piping for cardinals).

Choir dress cassocks for bishops, protonotaries apostolic, and honorary prelates are fully purple (this purple corresponds more closely with a Roman purple and is approximated as fuchsia) with amaranth trim, while those of cardinals are fully scarlet with scarlet trim. The Catholic cardinal has the additional distinction of having both his choir cassock sleeves and his fascia made of scarlet watered-silk (also referred to as moiré). The cut of the choir cassock is still a Roman-cut or French-cut Roman cassock. In the past, the cardinal's entire choir cassock was made of scarlet silk moiré along with a train as well (some twenty-six inches which was later abolished by Pauline Motu Proprio in 1969). It should also be noted that the prelatial choir cassock usually means that for major prelates of the Church (bishops, archbishops, and cardinals) to be in choir they must also don the mozzetta and the rochet and only at occasions of the Church's liturgical life. For honorary prelates and protonotaries apostolic, their choir dress is merely their purple choir cassock and a surplice (unless indult has allowed for a rochet and mozzetta to be worn; in most cases this cannot be assumed).

In Anglican churches, a black cassock is the norm, but other colors and variations are common. A canon may wear a black cassock with red piping, and deans and archdeacons may wear black cassocks with purple piping. Bishops traditionally wear purple cassocks. However, some bishops, particularly Rowan Williams, have recently chosen regularly to wear black cassocks. This is perhaps due to closer ties with Eastern Orthodox churches and a desire to emphasise simplicity and humility over rank.

Cassocks are frequently confused with the simar, but there is a distinction in that the simar has the small shoulder cape without buttons that does not fasten in the front. In previous times, cassocks also had buttons on the upper parts of the sleeves, thus providing another differentiation from the simar, but Paul VI dropped this custom, leaving the Cassock and Simar virtually identical, save for the small shoulder cape with the latter.

Cassocks are sometimes worn by seminarians studying for the priesthood, for members of religious orders who are not priests (e.g., religious brothers), by lay people when they are assisting with the liturgy in church, such as altar servers, and by members of choirs (frequently with cotta or, more usually in Anglican churches, surplice).

[edit]

Eastern practice (Orthodox)

In Orthodoxy, there are two types of cassock: the Inner Cassock and the Outer Cassock or Ryasa. Monastics always wear a black cassock, while non-monastics can also wear blue, grey, or white (especially at Pascha).

  • The Inner Cassock (more commonly, simply Cassock) is a floor length garment, usually black, worn by all clergy members, monastics, and male seminarians. The Russian version, called a Podryasnik (Russian: подрясник), is double-breasted, closely fitted through the torso and flaring out to the skirt, and with a high collar buttoned off-center [1]. The Greek version, called an Anteri or Rason, is somewhat fuller, gathered at the waist with a cord, and with a high collar buttoned in the front [2]. The inner cassock is usually worn by all clergy members under their liturgical vestments.
  • The Outer Cassock also called a Ryasa, Riassa (Russian: ряса), or Exorason is a large, flowing garment worn over the inner cassock by bishops, priests, deacons, and monastics [3]. It is not worn by seminarians, readers or subdeacons.
  • A Cassock Vest is sometimes worn over the Inner Cassock in cooler weather, especially in the Russian tradition. This is a closely fitted collarless vest with patch pockets, usually falling slightly below the waist [4].
[edit]

Non-clerical sixteenth century jacket

A cassock is also a loose-fitting, pullover, hip-length jacket worn by ordinary soldiers in the sixteenth century. A cassock has attached sleeves and is open down the sides, similar to a mandilion.

[edit]

The Cassock in Popular Culture

Neo (Keanu Reeves) from The Matrix series wears all black clothing with a longer cassock on top. This further reinforces his role of a saviour for the human race.da:Soutane de:Soutane fr:Soutane nl:Soutane pl:Sutanna

Retrieved from "http://www.netipedia.com/index.php/Cassock"