www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall churgoing attire

Absolutely! Just imagine the dress of some of Jesus' disciples

Paul

I wonder if there is a way to balance the practicality of dressing for after church activities, attending church, and exhibiting a little self-respect?

I wonder if Europeans still dress more formally than Americans or are they also becoming more casual. When I was there in the 80's a certain formality was still the norm.

Alice, I like watching 50's movies and shows precisely for the reason you mentioned.

Do y'all encourage your children and grandkids to dress appropiately or do you just want them to attend?

Peace

I think it is, as Paul and Bill have correctly observed, just a general informalization in society. It has nothing to do with any one church, but is a general Western phenomena but is spreading. Even in Eastern Europe now the kids are coming to church in Western-style "street gear".

Like Alice, I agree better in church in jeans than not at all. I am just glad to see them there. A sheet with general norms of modesty in the back of the church can often be instructive.

My wife, who still voluntarily covers her head whenever in a church [which would have been the norm some years ago] sometimes gets very interesting looks from visitors these days.

Excellent topic ! and when it comes down to it, I think all of us young,old and in between, really do know what constitutes appropriate attire. That being said, I'll add that some of the most devout people I've observed in church have been old ladies in faded sweaters, and old men in worn out windbreakers. At the same time I've seen my share of men in three piece suits and ladies with furs who don't know how to act reverently in church. It's what's in your heart that counts, and not the clothes on your back.

A very practical suggestion.

Paul

Alice wrote: "...Jewish woman complaining how on the Jewish New Year, there were young beautiful teenage girls wearing midriffs and skirts that weren't much bigger than a bandaid in the temple for Holy Day services. She went on to qualify that it wasn't that she was 'old fashioned' but that these girls, beautiful though they were, just weren't dressed appropriately for temple. She was shocked, and rightfully so!..."

Well, if the girls had been sitting up-stairs in the women's section, WHERE THEY BELONG, they would not have been such a distraction!

JUST KIDDING!

I have an old book from the 1940's that describes immigrant life in Southwestern Pennsylvania. One of the descriptions is from an Orthodox church where the parish priest is telling the young women NOT to wear the wide-brimmed hats of the 1930's & 40's because it was too difficult to give them Holy Communion. I'll have to find the book again...

I've been in the OCA Cathedral in Washington,DC for Divine Services and have watched the young Russian women who look very elegant in their headscarves. I've also watched the young American girls trying to imitate them. Each and every time they blessed themselves, their scarves came untied and slipped off their heads. It got to the point where I had to step outside 'cause I was on the verge of going over and re-tying the scarf myself!

Speaking of clothing, does anyone a copy of the National Geographic from 1938 with the article about CZECHO-SLOVAKIA? It has a series of photos of a Hutzul village, remember 1938, this area was part of Czecho-Slovakia, and it shows a group of women in traditional Hutzul dress complete with keptary and double aprons. One lady in the group has on those "old-fashioned" chunky-heeled shoes that my Baba and all the other Baba's here in the US used to wear... It's good for a nice chuckle and brings back sweet memories of my dear Baba and her babushka on Sunday mornings...

It also makes me wonder if those ladies looked at her as the "odd" person in the village because she dressed differently??

JMHO...

marko

ps

Alice, I'm gonna be in NYC on Wednesday to see MAMA MIA on Broadway. We usually duck into St.Pats for a quick visit, I'll look for you!!!

m

Ya know, most churches these days have restrooms in the church or in the hall. I try to keep things modest and not-too-casual of a Sunday. Then after church, the bag comes out of the trunk with the Tevas and the shorts, for our subsequent foray to the park. Quick change in the aforementioned facilities from one set of "appropriate" to quite another.

Cheers,

Sharon

I have a copy back home, but I am NOT parting with it.

The photos you mentioned in it are great. I think they were taken in Jasynja, but I am not certain.

Dave

Dear Marko,

You will LOVE Mama Mia-- I did!

I especially loved the music, having been a teenager during the ABBA years.

I don't think that I will be at St. Pat's this Sunday, but it is the certainly an oasis of calm, of beauty and of spirituality, amid the hustle and the bustle of NYC.

As for those slipping head scarves...it sounds like me when I visit the Orthodox monasteries. :rolleyes: Fortunately for me, in Greek churches, it is not the norm.

I had a nice tour of the new iconography at the OCA Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Wash., D.C. a few years back. It was very beautiful. I liked that they had depicted the Royal Holy Martyrs too!

So many cathedrals within walking distance! The National Cathedral, St. Sophia GO Cathedral, and St. Nicholas OCA Cathedral! I love going there!

In Christ,
Alice

If the problem of inapproriate dress is to be corrected, then have all of the congregation wear albs/sticharions!

The parish provides the albs and you don an alb in the parish hall before the Sacred Liturgy.

That would go over like rock.

Dear Friends,

I think the best thing would be if the laity went back to wearing their white baptismal robes for church services.

That should cover a multitude of sins . . . fashion-wise, that is!

Alex

well i think when you go to liturgy you should be praying and not watching "every time they blessed themselves, their scarves came untied and slipped off their heads. It got to the point where I had to step outside 'cause I was on the verge of going over and re-tying the scarf myself!" if your are doing that then why go to liturgy you are there for the wrong reasons you should be praying and not worring about such stupid things.
i think it is better that the people come to liturgy who cares what they are wearing as long as they are there
your are there to pray and not worry what others are doing or wearing

Yes we are there to pray, but most of us don't have the degree of concentration it takes to totally ignore distractions. Some folks are dressed simply, which is perfectly fine and is not distracting. Some people are dressed indecently and it can be both distracting and offensive. I mean if no one really cares what we wear, let's all go to liturgy naked then the whole clothing issue becomes irrelevant.

Well if we would just put on the armor of God, then none of us would see or worry about what the other was wearing. We would all have enough sence to dress correctly and not cause others to sin because of our actions.
Ephesians 6:10-19, 10) Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power 11) Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. 12) For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. 13) Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. 14) So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, 15) and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. 16) In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one.17) And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18) With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones 19) and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.

Amen to that Pani Rose!

Peace, Cynthia