Clerical collar
Encyclopedia
A clerical collar is an item of Christian
clerical clothing
. It is a detachable collar that buttons onto a clergy shirt or rabbat (vest), being fastened by two metal studs, one attached at the front and one at the back to hold the collar
to the shirt
. The collar closes at the back of the neck
, presenting a seamless front. It is almost always white; and was originally made with cotton or linen but is now frequently made with plastic. Sometimes (especially in Roman Catholic practice) it is attached with a "collaret" or "collarino" that covers the white collar almost completely, except for the top edge and a small white square at the base of the throat, to mimic the collar of a cassock
. Sometimes the collar is black (or whatever color is appropriate to the rank of the clergy person), with only a detachable tab of white in the front.
's Enquiry Centre (citing the Glasgow Herald of December 6, 1894), the detachable clerical collar was invented by the Rev Dr Donald Mcleod, a Church of Scotland
(Presbyterian) minister in Glasgow
.
By 1840, the Anglican clergyman developed a sense of separation between himself and the secular world. One outward symbol of this was the adoption of distinctive clerical dress. This had started with the black coat and white necktie which had been worn for some decades. By the 1880s it had been transmuted into the clerical collar, which was worn almost constantly by the majority of clergy for the rest of the period.
Reverend Henry McCloud stated that the collar "was nothing else than the shirt collar turned down over the cleric's everyday common dress in compliance with a fashion that began toward the end of the sixteenth century. For when the laity
began to turn down their collars, the clergy
also took up the mode."
In the Reformed tradition, which stresses preaching as a central concern, pastors often donned preaching tabs, which projected from their clerical collar.
Invented in the Presbyterian Church, the clerical collar was adopted by other Christian denominations, including the Anglican Church, Methodist Church, Eastern Orthodox Church
, Baptist Church, Lutheran Church, and the Roman Catholic Church
. In 1967, the Roman Catholic Church adopted the clerical collar after the abandonment of the cassock
, which was discouraged in the public. Anglican clergy generally wear the collar so that it is visible all the way round, but the Roman collar differs in that it is a black band of the cloth revealing the white collar centre front.
but occasionally permanent — often by seminarians who have been admitted to candidacy for the priesthood, as is the case in the Diocese of Rome
; and by college and graduate level seminarians with their cassock during liturgical celebrations.
Amongst the Orthodox and Eastern Catholics a band collarette with no "notch" in front may be worn by seminarians, although the norm is still a standard clerical collar. However, as the cassock is more commonly, if not mandatorily, worn to classes, often a plain white shirt will suffice, or a band collar with no collarette. Slavic cassocks button to the side, and thus a collar is often pointless, whereas a Greek cassock buttons to the front and has a higher collar, so the collar prevents chafing - as was its original function under a cassock. Eastern deacons and sometimes subdeacons, but rarely readers or clerics, also wear a clerical collar, with subdeacons and readers often having a style with no notch, or a tab shirt with no tab. It is important to note that most Orthodox clerics do not wear a clerical collar anyway. Some do, but this is usually restricted to Western Europe and the Americas.
Collars are typically worn by clergy members of other groups such as those of the Anglican, Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions. Also many Methodist, Pentecostal, non-denominational Christian
, and others wear collars. In previous times, Seminarians (now more commonly called "Ordinands", that is, Deacons or Priests in training, often following a course at a Seminary (a college for the specific theological training of Ordinands)) also wore clerical collars, but this practice is no longer done (at least in England and Wales), as the collar is seen as a sign of the ontological change that has happened at ordination.
In the United Kingdom (and other British-influenced countries, such as Canada), clerical collars have been informally referred to as dog collar
s since the mid-nineteenth century. The term Roman collar is equivalent to "clerical collar" and does not necessarily mean that the wearer is Roman Catholic.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
clerical clothing
Clerical clothing
Clerical clothing is non-liturgical clothing worn exclusively by clergy. It is distinct from vestments in that it is not reserved specifically for services. Practices vary: clerical clothing is sometimes worn under vestments, and sometimes as the everyday clothing or street wear of a priest,...
. It is a detachable collar that buttons onto a clergy shirt or rabbat (vest), being fastened by two metal studs, one attached at the front and one at the back to hold the collar
Collar (clothing)
In clothing, a collar is the part of a shirt, dress, coat or blouse that fastens around or frames the neck. Among clothing construction professionals, a collar is differentiated from other necklines such as revers and lapels, by being made from a separate piece of fabric, rather than a folded or...
to the shirt
Shirt
A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body. Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for almost any garment other than outerwear such as sweaters, coats, jackets, or undergarments such as bras, vests or base layers...
. The collar closes at the back of the neck
Neck
The neck is the part of the body, on many terrestrial or secondarily aquatic vertebrates, that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. The adjective signifying "of the neck" is cervical .-Boner anatomy: The cervical spine:The cervical portion of the human spine comprises seven boney...
, presenting a seamless front. It is almost always white; and was originally made with cotton or linen but is now frequently made with plastic. Sometimes (especially in Roman Catholic practice) it is attached with a "collaret" or "collarino" that covers the white collar almost completely, except for the top edge and a small white square at the base of the throat, to mimic the collar of a cassock
Cassock
The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...
. Sometimes the collar is black (or whatever color is appropriate to the rank of the clergy person), with only a detachable tab of white in the front.
History
According to the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
's Enquiry Centre (citing the Glasgow Herald of December 6, 1894), the detachable clerical collar was invented by the Rev Dr Donald Mcleod, a Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
(Presbyterian) minister in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
By 1840, the Anglican clergyman developed a sense of separation between himself and the secular world. One outward symbol of this was the adoption of distinctive clerical dress. This had started with the black coat and white necktie which had been worn for some decades. By the 1880s it had been transmuted into the clerical collar, which was worn almost constantly by the majority of clergy for the rest of the period.
Reverend Henry McCloud stated that the collar "was nothing else than the shirt collar turned down over the cleric's everyday common dress in compliance with a fashion that began toward the end of the sixteenth century. For when the laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
began to turn down their collars, the clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
also took up the mode."
In the Reformed tradition, which stresses preaching as a central concern, pastors often donned preaching tabs, which projected from their clerical collar.
Invented in the Presbyterian Church, the clerical collar was adopted by other Christian denominations, including the Anglican Church, Methodist Church, Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, Baptist Church, Lutheran Church, and the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. In 1967, the Roman Catholic Church adopted the clerical collar after the abandonment of the cassock
Cassock
The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is an ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church and some ministers and ordained officers of Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Ankle-length garment is the meaning of the...
, which was discouraged in the public. Anglican clergy generally wear the collar so that it is visible all the way round, but the Roman collar differs in that it is a black band of the cloth revealing the white collar centre front.
Use by denomination
In the Roman Catholic Church, the clerical collar is worn by all ranks of clergy, thus, bishops, priests, and deacons — normally transitionalTransitional deacon
In the Roman Catholic Church, a transitional deacon is a celibate man who has been ordained a deacon and who intends to become a priest. Transitional deacons are usually ordained to the diaconate after they complete their third year at the theological seminary. For several centuries, all Roman...
but occasionally permanent — often by seminarians who have been admitted to candidacy for the priesthood, as is the case in the Diocese of Rome
Diocese of Rome
The Diocese of Rome is a diocese of the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy. The bishop of Rome is the Pope, who is the Supreme Pontiff and leader of the Catholic Church...
; and by college and graduate level seminarians with their cassock during liturgical celebrations.
Amongst the Orthodox and Eastern Catholics a band collarette with no "notch" in front may be worn by seminarians, although the norm is still a standard clerical collar. However, as the cassock is more commonly, if not mandatorily, worn to classes, often a plain white shirt will suffice, or a band collar with no collarette. Slavic cassocks button to the side, and thus a collar is often pointless, whereas a Greek cassock buttons to the front and has a higher collar, so the collar prevents chafing - as was its original function under a cassock. Eastern deacons and sometimes subdeacons, but rarely readers or clerics, also wear a clerical collar, with subdeacons and readers often having a style with no notch, or a tab shirt with no tab. It is important to note that most Orthodox clerics do not wear a clerical collar anyway. Some do, but this is usually restricted to Western Europe and the Americas.
Collars are typically worn by clergy members of other groups such as those of the Anglican, Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions. Also many Methodist, Pentecostal, non-denominational Christian
Non-denominational Christianity
In Christianity, nondenominational institutions or churches are those not formally aligned with an established denomination, or that remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations...
, and others wear collars. In previous times, Seminarians (now more commonly called "Ordinands", that is, Deacons or Priests in training, often following a course at a Seminary (a college for the specific theological training of Ordinands)) also wore clerical collars, but this practice is no longer done (at least in England and Wales), as the collar is seen as a sign of the ontological change that has happened at ordination.
In the United Kingdom (and other British-influenced countries, such as Canada), clerical collars have been informally referred to as dog collar
Dog collar
A dog collar is a is a piece of material put around the neck of a dog. A collar might be used for control, identification, fashion, or other purposes. Identification tags and medical information is often placed on dog collars. Collars are also useful for controlling a dog manually, as they provide...
s since the mid-nineteenth century. The term Roman collar is equivalent to "clerical collar" and does not necessarily mean that the wearer is Roman Catholic.