ФІЗИЧНИЙ ОБЛИВ ПРАВОСЛАВНОГО ПАРАФІЯЛЬНОГО ДУХОВЕНСТВА ХІХ – НА ПОЧАТКУ ХХ СТ. (НА ПРИКЛАДІ КИЇВСЬКОЇ ЄПАРХІЇ)

Abstract

The attempt to consider the main elements of the physical appearance of the Orthodox parish clergy, such as clothes and hairstyle – in the 19th – early 20th centuries was done in the article on the example of the Kyiv diocese. It is emphasized that the management of the Orthodox church strictly regulated the appearance of parish clergymen. The duty of clerks was to follow the corresponding dress code, which was provided by special extra-liturgical items of clothing and long hair. That clothing had to be worn not only during worship but also outside the church. The main everyday items of clothing of the clergy were inner and outer cassocks. In the first half of the 19th century, notwithstanding a clear regulation, the violation of stipulated rules was frequent and clergymen wore secular items of clothing in daily lives. The measures taken by church management produced some results. From the mid-19th century, clergymen didn’t wear secular articles of clothing in public. Since the late sixties of the 19th century, the requirements for the physical appearance of clergymen had become quite liberal – wearing extra-liturgical items of clothing and long hair was not mandatory. In the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries, the issues of the abolition of obligatory wearing of the outer cassock and of permission for clergymen to wear secular items of clothing cut their hair, and shave beards were discussed in periodicals. Nevertheless, the church administration totally rejected them. Besides, following the corresponding dress code the church management required the avoidance of excessive smartness and elegance. The desire to wear luxurious fashionable clothes contradicted modesty, which had to be characteristic of clergymen in everything. Meanwhile, the priest had to avoid sloppiness concerning clothes and haircuts. It is pointed out that at the end of the 19th century a part of the liberal-minded clergy completely ignored prohibitions. There were priests, who not only wore secular items of clothing in public but also cut their hair. However, those cases were isolated.