The priestly vestments are the ecclesiastical habit consisting of a jacket, shirt, and trousers. With a black breastplate and white collar, usually of black or dark gray cloth, worn by the priest. This term often indicates the typical white collar in a priest’s clothing. Thanks to these distinctive clothing features, the canto identifies a priest at first sight, even outside the walls of a sacred place. They are, therefore, simple and delicate symbols indispensable to distinguish a man of God.
The clergyman’s garments are called “sacred vestments,” those special garments that churchmen wear during sacred celebrations. This custom of distinguishing oneself in the shape of the dress during the celebration of holy rites from any other moment of life had spread and established itself during the early years of Christianity.
But what does the cassock represent today, and what is the origin of these priestly vestments that are so important today? We want to tell you about it in this new article on our blog. Enjoy the reading!
The distinction of the priestly vestments
The distinction, starting from the dress, has developed both for the understanding. And for the experience of what is being celebrated, which is something different from the routine of our daily life. That is, to make us understand and experience that the liturgical celebration world is very important and sacred. Therefore, the distinction of the habit also has a pure character towards God and his majesty, being the Lord, the King of Glory.
In the early years of Christianity, there was no color distinction in liturgical clothing. Mainly the priestly vestments themselves, like the color of the angel who announced the Resurrection of Christ to the women, were in most cases white and very simple in shape. The advent of the ferocious anti-Christian persecutions did not allow a distinction of priestly vestments for safety reasons. The fact is, however, that priestly vestments could not be intended for use outside of celebrations. A difference was therefore created in the dress of the ecclesiastics between the so-called ” choral ” habit of daily use and the sacred vestment used exclusively during the celebrations of holy rites.
Representation of the Priestly Vestments
Source: thetorah.com
Key Verse
“ You will make sacred vestments for your brother Aaron as a sign of dignity and glory. You will speak to all wise men, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, and they will make Aaron’s vestments so that he may be consecrated and serve me as a priest. “
Exodus 28.2-3
The priestly vestments yesterday and today