Church Furnishing Guide

Wearing your “Sunday Best”

When thinking of one’s Sunday Best, one generally is in the mind of starched collars and dress shoes. Unless you are at the focal point of the congregation, that is. The myriad choices for clerical workers are usually narrowed down by denomination of church, location in the country, and of course, the wealth of the particular congregation. But whether it is a clerical ‘dog collar’ or vestments such as the alb, cassock, stole, or tippet, the history is as rich and colorful as all the robes of all the choirs of the world combined.

Despite the claims of the Rev. Dr. Donald McLeod way back in the year 1827, the ‘dog collar’ or clerical Roman collar’s most likely origins were as a stain saving device for 17th century slaves to fashion. It seems that back in those days everyone, clerical, laity, and the average citizen, were in the habit of fancying up their boring old collars (which were very similar to the collars on cassocks) with all manner of decorations, jewelry, lace, and fabrics. But sweat quickly stained the items and so an additional strip of cloth, generally white, was layered next the skin to keep them clean. Rome eventually found this practice too linked to vanity and put it’s foot down. The austere white strip was deemed acceptably plain, however, and was allowed to stay. By 1976 the Church of England had produced an A4 sheet for the use of the collar amongst its’ clergy. While still worn today, mostly by Anglicans, the neckwear has fallen out of style and has further been edged out as shirts with compatible collars are cost prohibitive (and for female clergy, practically nonexistent).

Robes, however, show no signs of disappearing. The earliest suspected robed choruses were found in ancient Greece but those robes were in actuality the garb of the day, similar to the toga, and the songs were most likely not solely religious. For that we will have to fast forward to Medieval times when secular schools generally had boys’ choirs dress in academic robes. Since then, choir fashions have mimicked the fashion trends of the ordained clergy. When the cassock (a plain black, lightweight, ankle-length tunic with long sleeves) and surplice (a white, lightweight blouse-like garment with sleeves and lace trim, usually worn over the cassock) evolved as the official clerical attire in the Middle Ages, choirs adopted the look. When the Geneva-style robe (think graduation gown) developed as the favored pulpit attire of Reformation clerics, choirs slowly but surely adopted robes that were similarly styled. These three traditions—the tunic/alb, the cassock and surplice, and the academic gown—form the basis for almost all robe styles worn today. Whatever the past, the present is colorful and the future is open to myriad possibilities. Especially as more and more retailers are amenable to custom color combinations.

The many different vestments worn by church leaders are broken down by denominations as well as by which type of service is being led, such as for the Holy Eucharist or Holy Communion. Generally Protestants wear the basic black Geneva gown, while Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Anglicans wear the cassock with stole and alb and pectoral cross. In addition these same groups, as well as some United Methodists in the US, may also wear a surplice over the cassock, cincture, and dalmatic. During the Eucharist bishops and priests will also be seen wearing the chausible, a highly decorated outer garment. During Mass deacons, subdeacons, and celebrants will cover their street collars with an amice, and wear a maniple, or lacy handkerchief, in their sleeve. Subdeacons will also be seen wearing a tunicle as their outermost garments while deacons, bishops and priests will wear a long circular cape called a cope. There are also several types of head gear worn such as the zucchetto (similar to the Judaic yarmulke), mitre, canterbury cap, squarecap, and biretta. The Pope has an entire wardrobe to himself with falda skirt, pallium, fanon, and subsinctorium only being the beginning, with many pieces requiring duplication in different colors for different holy days.There is even a history of papal tiaras, the one ‘gifted’ by Napolean for his coronation being one of the more fascinating.

However dramatic or plain religious vestments may be it is important to see beyond the fashions of the day to the heart of worship. Without pomp and tradition services might seem lackluster but the words themselves should be more prominent in the hearts and minds of the congregation than the colors, fabrics, and styles worn by your secular leaders. And you should still wear your Sunday Best.