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It is illegal to wear any sort of religious garb in Turkey. IIRC only the Ecumenical Patriarch, Grand Mufti? (whatever title the top muslim cleric holds), and one or two other 'heads' of traditional religious groups are permitted clerical dress in public.

Dear Father Elias,
Don is correct. I was in Mexico this past summer and I saw priests and nuns wear clerical garb and habits in public. I believe the law was changed not after the pope's first visit but after a later one (I think it was 1990) during the Salinas administration. But yes, there are still places in the world where appearently is illegal.
Manuel

Sharon made a point about Muslim Women wearing their veil, but not sisters. Interesting. Posters mentioned that nuns/sisters are more effective not wearing habits while doing social work, work in hospitals. Well, what did these religous do before Vatican II? They wore their habits all the time. The changes did not say to do away with habits but to modify them. (I can see the situation of the Daughters of Charity once called "God's Geese" because of their white wimples they couldn't drive a car with it on. Maybe they could take it off?

I remember a story told by the late Archbishop Sheen of a nun in lay clothes walkiing late at night down a street. She thought she was being followed by a strange man and walked up to a cop for protection. He walked her home and asked "Sister, how would you have known if I was a cop if I hadn't been wearing my uniform?" Good point.

Dear Archmandrite Gregory,

I noticed on your webpage that you do not in fact wear your clericals everywhere. There is a picture of you on vacation in slacks and a button up plad shirt. This is not meant to be an offense or rebuff. I'm just wondering if there is a protocol for when one does and doesn't wear clericals.

Curious,
Marshall

All,

I am greatful to everyone who has contributed their knowledge and opinions to this post.

The first question that was posed regarded non-monastic nuns in the Orthodox churches. The answer was that all Orthodox nuns are monastics, unlike in the Roman Catholic Church, as I had suspected.

The next question pertained to Eastern Catholic nuns and their habits. Some of the Eastern Catholic nuns wear Latin habits because their functions are not purely monastic as in the Orthodox churches.

This post went off on the issue of the use of clerical habits for religious clergy. It was a very insightful topic and thank you again to everyone who contributed.

God Bless,

ProCatholico

MOST HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, ABBESS OF THE HOLY MOUNTAIN OF ATHOS, SAVE US!

Actually if that was your original question, the answer is, YES there are a few small communities in Greece and one in Russia that are simular to Roman Catholic 'active sisterhoods.' St. Elizabeth the Grand Duchess and Abbess, New-Martyr of the Communist yolk founded one (which is now reactivated)...and Prince Philip of Great Briton's mother, Princess Alice of Battenburg, became the superior of an 'active' sisterhood after bcoming estranged from her husband, Prince Andrew of Greece. So they DO exist, but they are still VERY much built upon a monastic foundation and resemble the active-contemplative life of Roman Catholic sisterhoods as they existed before Vatican II.

In His Holy Name,
+Father Archimandrite Gregory

Archimandrite Gregory,

Thank you for the clarification. I was under the mistaken impression that these Orthodox "active sisterhoods" were simply monastics that took on the work akin to nuns in the Roman Catholic Church, rather than only performing their traditional monastic duties.

God Bless,

ProCatholico

Dear Marshall, When I am on vacation, I wear my habit in the morning for my 'holy hour' in church and when traveling, but during the day and when eating out the three of us (who go on vacation together every year) don't always wear our habits. Our metropolitan gave his blessing for this and I am comfortable with it. However EVERYONE in the hotel knows we are clergymen and see us frequently (daily) IN our habits...it's just that the habit isn't always the best attire IN the pool because it tends to get VERY heavy when soaked with water and prevent one from swimming. ) Pope John Paul II didn't wear his cassock when he used to take his daily swim either!

P.S. The plaid shirt was borrowed from Fr. Michael...I only have white shirts and black ones personally.

In Him Who calls us,
+Father Archimandrite Gregory

Dear Archmandrite Gregory,

Thanks, that's very interesting. I revere you for who you are and certainly respect that you diligantly wear your habit, and it's also good to know that you are human and need of vacation and rest. May God bless you as you serve His Church.

Your son in Christ,
Marshall

Most people don't know this about Prince Phillip's mother, but this was the reason she was never present at many royal events such as weddings and baptisms. More trivia: the habits of the order started by the Grand Duchess St. Elizabeth were designed by none other then Fabrege' of czarist Easter egg fame!

All,

For some more trivia, Pope John Paul II has worn vestments created by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac.

In the Roman Catholic Church we have many religious orders that wear distinctive habits. We have the traditional Carmelite (brown), Benedictine (black), Franciscan (gray or brown) habits among others. But we have many innovative, yet traditional habits created for newer orders. The Intercessors of the Lamb wear teal habits, and they are quite beautiful.
On EWTN I once saw a religious order from Africa wearing a habit reminiscent of the Papal flag.

God Bless,

ProCatholico

Talk about wrapping yourself in the flag!

Dave

All,

With all this talk about interesting habits I am curious if anyone else knows of unique habits currently in usage.

God Bless,

ProCatholico

I've heard that Franciscans in Italy had patches sown on to their habits for their cell phones!!!

in Christ,
Marshall

the Musings of an Orthodox Anglican [taylormarshall.blogspot.com]

Dear Marshall:

Ohh, so that's how the Italian Franciscans acquire their cell phones: by "cultivating" and letting them "grow" on their habits?

AmdG