Q: Why do seminarians wear the
cassock?
A: Seminaries are a relatively recent thing in
Church history. The first seminaries were established in the wake of the Roman
Catholic Counter-Reformation in the 16th century, and were only later adopted
as a model by both Orthodox and Protestants.
The first
Orthodox Seminary was the Kiev Theological Academy, which was founded in 1615,
on the grounds of the Theophany Monastery. Perhaps because of this historical
connection of Orthodox seminaries with monasteries the practice is for Orthodox
Seminarians to wear a cassock and a monastic belt, just as would a novice
monastic.
The Holy
Trinity Seminary Student Handbook says the following about the wearing of a
cassock by seminarians:
"Being
a theological school, Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary is guided in its
activities by canon law. In accordance with the canons and decisions of the
Orthodox Church, all inhabitants of the monastery are obligated to be in
obedience to the Abbot.
Students
enter the theological seminary wearing cassocks and belts like novices in the
monastery but with a specially modified regime. Therefore they are obliged to
submit to the seminary and monastery authorities according to the dictates of
their consciences and Christian obedience which call for humility and respect
for spiritual superiors. Students must be clearly aware of these things and
must consider beforehand whether they are really inspired by an Orthodox
Christian attitude, and whether it makes sense for them to study in the
Seminary under such conditions."
Most
seminaries are still connected with monasteries, and participation in the
liturgical life of the monastery is one of the more important aspects of an
Orthodox seminary education.
Bishop
Irenei (Steenberg) had the following observations regarding the traditions of wearing
a cassock (podryasnik) and an outer cassock (ryasa), in a discussion on his
Monachos.net website:
"The
normal custom vis-a-vis cassocks varies between the Byzantine and Russian
traditions.
In
general terms, and largely common to both traditions, the inner cassock (in
Russian the подрясник) is to be worn by all persons in tonsure - that is, by
all those of the higher orders of the clergy (bishops, priests, deacons), all
those of the lesser orders (subdeacons and readers), as well as by monastics, and
often (though not always) by seminarians. It is fundamentally a sign both of
the obedience of the tonsure (in the cases of all but seminarians), and of
self-effacement. In proper terms, no person in any of these categories should
be in the church without being attired properly in the подрясник.
Practices
regarding the outer cassock, the ряса, vary by tradition:
In the
Russian tradition, it is the more formal outer garment of bishops, priests,
deacons and monastics (of the rank of ryassophor, named specifically for the
wearing of this garment, which is in origin monastic), worn over (not instead
of) the cassock. The ряса is not normally worn by subdeacons or readers, and
never by seminarians. In normal Russian practice, one receives a blessing to
wear the ряса either on ordination to the diaconate, or when advancing in the
monastic life.
In the
Byzantine tradition, the same general practice often applies; however, it is
common for readers to wear this outer garment when reading in church (usually
without the cassock beneath, unique to Byzantine practice) - and in some cases
others also will wear the ryassa in the same manner (choir directors,
etc)."
By Fr. John Whiteford
Source: http://fatherjohn.blogspot.com.by/2017/10/stump-priest-seminarians-and-cassocks.html
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