Not obligated to wear beards
Although today,even the Orthodox Christian priests arenot obligated to wear beards,it is still the cultural norm for them,for the most part. Either as a way for Orthodox Christian clergy to resemble Christ more closely,or a way to distinguish themselves from the laity,the tradition continues.
Do Orthodox priests have to have beards?
Anyone looking at photographs and portraits of clergy in Greece, Russia, Rumania, and other Orthodox countries taken in the early twentieth century will notice that almost without exception both the monastic and married clergy, priests and deacons, wore untrimmed beards and hair.
Did Jesus oppose the Old Testament ordinance on hair and beards?
He did not oppose the Old Testament ordinance in regard to hair and beards since, as we have noted above, he himself observed it, as did Our Lord Himself, Who is depicted on all occasions with long hair and beard as the Great High Priest of the new Christian priest hood.
Should Orthodox clergymen shave?
Moreover, not only should clergymen not shave, according to various Church authorities, but many holy men, such as St. Kosmas Aitolos, hold that laymen should let their beards, or least a moustache, grow naturally. All of this does not, of course, mean that an Orthodox clergyman should not be clean and well groomed.
What is the Jewish tradition of beard growth?
It is a longstanding Jewish tradition for men to grow beards. The practice derives from Leviticus 19:27 in the Torah, which states: “You shall not round off the corners on your head, or destroy the corners of your beard.”
What is the Old Testament law for beards?
The Old Testament Law for Beards: A law of the Creator given to Israel that had to do with holiness was the requirement for men to be bearded. Leviticus 19:27 and 21:1-5 exhibit clear instructions concerning beards for Israelite men and the Levitical priesthood.
What is Nick Damascus’s purpose?
Nick Damascus is one who seeks to discover and apply the proverbial question of what is truth and wisdom, to fill that gaping hole, to become complete and to become realistically and synergistically functional. In an attempt to live the Christian life, which he says is a definite work in progress, he has discovered that he’s created the Christ that fits his lifestyle and agrees with his ego (and boy what an ego, he says), carefully avoiding what God intended him to be.
Is it bad to wear a beard in Orthodoxy?
However, wearing a beard in Orthodoxy can and should be interpreted as an outward sign of an inward belief.
Can Israelite men bearded?
Israelite males are prohibited from marring the corners of an existing beard.
Is it a good idea to grow a beard in the Bible?
The Bible makes a strong case that growing a beard is an honor for a man and glory to God. In the holy orders of the Eastern Orthodox Church for priests or deacons, it is customary to have beards. There is a certain mysticism that embodies those who are in the holy orders with a beard. The Old Testament Law for Beards:
Who had beards in the Old Testament?
The simplest answer in Christianity is that Christ, the Apostles, nearly all the Saints of the Church, including Saint Patrick and Saint Nicholas, the clergy, all had beards. All throughout the Old Testament, it was the custom for men to have beards. Abraham, Isaac, Esau, Jacob, King David, Solomon. Moses, Aaron, Job, Elijah, Jeremiah, Apostle Paul and many more were all bearded.
What is the Hebrew word for "corners"?
For Hasidic and some other Orthodox men, the practice of not shaving at all extends to the sidelocks, known in Hebrew as payot (often spelled and pronounced payos, or payes) — literally “corners.”. As with beards, practices on payot vary within Orthodoxy.
What does "kah-buh-list" mean?
Pronounced: KAH-buh-list, kah-buh-LIST-ic, Origin: Hebrew, a Jewish mystic, or something that is related to Kabbalah.
What is the origin of the word "tall mud"?
Pronounced: TALL-mud, Origin: Hebrew, the set of teachings and commentaries on the Torah that form the basis for Jewish law. Comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, it contains the opinions of thousands of rabbis from different periods in Jewish history.
What does the Torah say about beards?
The practice derives from Leviticus 19:27 in the Torah, which states: “You shall not round off the corners on your head, or destroy the corners of your beard.”. According to the 12th-century scholar Maimonides, this prohibition was a way to differentiate Jews from idolatrous …
When did beards change?
According to the historian, Rabbi Berel Wein, beard norms began to change among some Orthodox men in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, when chemical depilatories became available, enabling hair removal without a razor.
Do Jews put payot behind their ears?
Among Hasidic Jews, payot are often very prominent and sometimes curled, but they are also often tucked discreetly behind the ear. Many observant Jewish men consider it sufficient merely to avoid complete removal of the sideburns. The rabbis of the. close. Talmud.
Does Rabbi Yochanan have a beard?
The reason, the Talmud offers, is that Rabbi Yochanan did not have a beard. Some Jewish men who usually do shave nonetheless allow their facial hair to grow during periods of mourning. This is traditionally done for 30 days following the death of a close relative.
What is the hair style in the Bible?
In another source, The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary, we read the follow ing concerning the Old Testament practice: "To an extent, hair style was a matter of fashion, at least among the upper classes, who were particularly open to foreign [pagan] influence. Nevertheless, long hair appears to have been the rule among the Hebrews (cf. Ezek. 8:3), both men and women" [3] (cf. Cant 4:1; 7:5). Thus we observe that cropped or stylized hair was the fashion among the pagans and not acceptable, especially among the Christian clergy from most ancient times up to our contemporary break with Holy Tradition. It is interesting to note that the fashion of cropped or stylized hair and shaved beards found its way into the Roman Catholic and Protestant worlds. So important had this pagan custom be come for Roman clergy by the 11th Century that it was listed among the reasons for the Anathema pronounced by Cardinal Humbert on July 15, 1054 against Patriarch Michael in Constantinople which precipitated the Western Church’s final falling away from the Orthodox Church: "While wearing beards and long hair you [Eastern Orthodox] reject the bond of brotherhood with the Roman clergy, since they shave and cut their hair." [!] [4]
What countries had untrimmed beards?
Anyone looking at photographs and portraits of clergy in Greece, Russia, Rumania, and other Orthodox countries taken in the early twentieth century will notice that almost without exception both the monastic and married clergy, priests and deacons, wore untrimmed beards and hair.
Why do monastics cut their hair?
Since an ascetic monastic foregoes the cutting of his hair and beard in order to avoid vanity , this custom has a practical purpose. Thus, it is obvious that a monastic would also avoid looking effeminate or styling his hair. It is for this reason that, if his hair gets too long, such that it resembles that of a woman, a monastic may ask his superior to cut it. When he goes out into the world, too, he should, in such circumstances, trim his hair and keep it tied up in back, as is the custom in the Greek and some Slavic Churches. This is in keeping with the spirit of St. Paul’s admonition against men having long hair like that of women, when this admonition is read in context.
What does the head band mean in Acts 19?
The "head bands" indicate the length of his hair (in accor dance with pious custom) which had to be tied back in order to keep it in place (cf. Acts 19:12). The historian Egezit writes that the Apostle James, the head of the church in Jerusalem, never cut his hair (Christian Reading, Feb. 1898, p.142, [in Russian]). …
What does Saint Paul say about long hair?
The other reason is based on a passage of Holy Scripture where Saint Paul states, Both not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? (I Cor. 11:14) In answer to the first justification, Orthodox tradition directly condemns Modernism and Ecumenism.
Do clergy cut their hair?
You often state that clergy must not cut their hair and beards. There are church canons to support this and certainly it is part of church tradition. But you also know that St. Paul says that men should not have long hair and that certain church canons even allow for a monk with hair that is too long to cut it, as well as to cut his hair when he is away from the monastery. I would like your guidance on this apparent contradiction in tradition. (Fr. J.K., MA)
Which saints have beards?
But, more to the point, even the saints in Italy, like St. Ambrose, the father of monks Benedict, Gregory Dialogus, and the rest, all had beards, as they appear in their pictures painted in the church of St. Mark in Venice. Why, even the judgment of right reason decides the shaving of the beard to be improper.
Eusebios Create in me a clean heart O God!
It is a tradition that I personally find stongly appealing and I fully understand the reasoning behind it. I couldn’t grow much of a beard until I was in my 30s, no problem now though. See the following link for a great photo of our priests cool beard!
Michael G Abe Frohmann
Your priest does have a most excellent beard. I would say it is good enough to even make champion beard grower Fr. Vasily Vasilievich proud!
Michael G Abe Frohmann
Beards on saints make icons much easier to write, if you ask me, because the beard is always easier to paint than skin. Plus, they just plain look good on icons of bishops and priests. Not that this would matter to most people (OK, I admit I am an ICON GEEK).
Orthodox Andrew Orthodox Church- Telling The Truth Since 33 A.D
I think his beard is awesome. It will get like that after 11 years of no bathing though. I just can’t imagine how he went for 11 years without bathing. If I go for a day without one I feel dirty.
Orthodox Andrew Orthodox Church- Telling The Truth Since 33 A.D
Ultra-asceticism. I have read that is one of the issues surrounding various hesitations to glorify him further.
Matthias Guest
Over here in New Zealand none of the priests have beards unless they are too old to work. Most priests in New Zealand have jobs; medical doctors, university lecturers, taxi drivers, etc.
DjHurricane New Member
I really like the whole beard thing with priests. it indeed does make them priestly and authoritative. it is also a way of knowing that a priest is orthodox, that is one of our traditions. I think we should all make our priests regrow full beards if they dont have them already, it is a very important orthodox tradition which we cannot lose.
What law forbade priests from shaving their heads?
The Old Testament law forbade priests from shaving their heads or beards ( Leviticus 21:5 ). Also, men who followed the Nazarite vow were not to cut their hair until the vow was accomplished.
What does shaving your head mean?
In addition to being a sign for honor, shaving the head and beard was a common sign of mourning among the ancient people ( Isa. 15:2, 3; Jer. 16:6; 41:5; 48:37; Ezra 9:3 ).
Why did the heathens trim their beards?
For the heathens trimmed their beards and offered that hair as a sacrifice to appease their pagan gods. For this reason, God prohibited His children to follow this pagan custom. In its context this prohibition (Leviticus 19: 26–28) could have meaning only as a protection against practicing heathen religious traditions.
What did the King say to David when he told him to stay at Jericho?
When they told it to David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return” (2 Samuel 10:4-5 also 1 Chronicles 19:4-5).
What does God’s Word teach about men?
God’s Word only teaches that men should have masculine hairstyles and clothing and that their appearance be clearly distinct from that of woman (1 Corinthians 11:3-16). In His service, BibleAsk Team. This answer is also available in: ??????.