Monastic style of clothing within True Orthodoxy

[Justice]

It's interesting that I notice many clergymen under Archbishop Stephanos seem to wear the simple black veil, rejecting the newer Klobuk design. As far as I've seen this is only within this group.

[Maria]

It's interesting that I notice many clergymen under Archbishop Stephanos seem to wear the simple black veil, rejecting the newer Klobuk design. As far as I've seen this is only within this group.

Justice,

Please do not concern yourself with small traditions (styles of monastic dress) while ignoring the big traditions (studying the Holy Faith as taught by Jesus Christ, realizing the importance of being baptized, attending Divine Liturgy and Vespers as often as possible, receiving the Holy Mysteries, and being under an Orthodox Priest).

Hieromonks, bishops, and monks within HOCNA and those within the US Synod of Archbishop Kallinikos also wear the simple black veil of monastics,. Even St. John of Shanghai, even though Russian, also wore the humble shorter style Greek veil.

At first, Bishop Auxentios, formerly of SiR, wore the Klobuk typically worn by the Russian Orthodox, but recently in pictures taken of hierarchial meetings with U.S. hierarchs, Bishop Auxentios wears the more humble Greek-style black veil preferred by Met. Moses and Met. Demetrius of HOTCA.

Here you can see Bishop Auxentios at his home page: http://www.dep.church/index.html wearing the Russian Klobuk -- I will not post his picture here.

Below, on the far left, is Bishop Auxentios at the recent U.S. Synod HOTCA meeting sporting the shorter Greek style veil.

There is a book which discusses this trend within Russian Orthodoxy to wear the stylish Klobuk. I will have to search for it, but it addresses the newcomer in Orthodoxy. A question was raised about the trend with monastic nuns who want to be stylish, and who make a lot of handsewn articles to sell for customers and at boutiques. To earn more money from such handicrafts, they avoid the prescribed prayers and spiritual reading, so that they can make more handicrafts in their free time, then they greedily purchase newer styles of monastic garb including the Klobuk, so they can stand out from their more humble peers as well-dressed. These nuns are far from the monastic ideal which is based on humility, custody of the senses, charity and kindness for they have become self-centered and selfish preferring to clothe themselves with rich clothing than to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.

Indeed, why aren't these stylish nuns practicing prayer and spiritual reading within their cells? Certainly, they can say prayers that they have memorized and repeat the Jesus Prayer unceasingly, but It is impossible to do spiritual reading, to read the Scriptures, and to pray Divine Services such as Lauds, Tierce, Sext, and None, while sewing.

[Barbara]

By 'shorter style of veil', Maria, are you referring to the actual veil which drapes over the monastic's shoulders ? Or the height of the klobouk above the forehead ?

Shucks, I have to say I prefer the Russian style completely. I see it as a wise tradition that was adopted somewhere along the line - I wonder how far back that was ? If you find that book, please let us know.

Could you show a picture of St John wearing the shorter veil, just so it's clear ? I didn't remember that offhand. Thanks !

Also, as seen in the photo above, why is it that some, such as Met Demetrios, have the forehead area slanting like a crescent moon, where other hierarchs have the straight across style ? [ I prefer the straight across style, predictably ]

Then, too, about the nuns raising funds to purchase nicer looking klobouks and attire, are klobouks costly ? I never thought of looking at a shopping website for them, but I guess there must be plenty of Church supply outlets all over. Even sofrino.