If you happen to attend a Christian religious service before, you probably would’ve noticed the long narrow cloth draped around the nape of the officiating pastor or priest. That piece of fabric is called a clerical stole.
As religious apparel, stoles are traditionally handmade from high-quality materials such as silk, velvet, and the like. They come in various colours and designs too. Some are embellished with small crucifixes, while others have elaborate designs with beadings, weavings, stamping, or embroidery in gold threads. All of these make each one a unique piece.
While there are a variety of religious stoles used in different Christian denominations, they all share similar purposes. Here are five essential things to know about clerical stoles.
- The Origins Of The Stole
The origin of the liturgical stole isn’t very clear. Some say the Jewish prayer mantle called ‘tallit’ is the origin of the stole. At the same time, some believe it started as a wide shawl used to cover the shoulders of the religious and it eventually became narrower as the years went by.
Some historians even claim that religious stoles came from the scarves worn by Roman Empire officials because clergypersons were granted imperial ranks as administrators since the time Catholicism was embraced by the empire during the days. Since many Christian churches use various religious stoles, it’s not easy to determine the origin of this important garment. Nevertheless, stoles play a crucial role in the dynamics of a faithful’s waking life.
- The Seasons And The Stole
The colors white, green, violet, and red are said to be some of the most commonly used liturgical stole colours for clergy’s stole and other vestments in most Christian denominations.
In general, white stoles are worn during Christmas and Easter because it represents the purity of life. Meanwhile, violet is worn during Lent to signify mourning during that season. For Catholics, priests wear violet or black stoles during masses for the dead. In Pentecost, Good Friday, Palm Sunday, and feast days of martyred saints, the clergy use red stoles. Meanwhile, priests and pastors use green-coloured stoles during Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar.
If you’re getting married soon and you want to have a say on every detail of the event, you should include starting early as part of your general wedding organizing plans. If you plan to have a colour-coordinated occasion that includes what your pastor or priest would be wearing on your big day, you should carefully pick your wedding date. As mentioned earlier, the clergy’s stole and other vestments depend on the liturgical calendar and the date the event will fall into.
- A Sign Of The Ordained In Western Christianity
Most stoles are believed to measure three to four inches wide and seven to nine inches long on each side. It’s a universal symbol that a person is ordained and is serving the Church. The members of the clergy often use it in the performance of their liturgical functions.
For Roman Catholics, priests and bishops use stoles during the celebration of the Mass and performance of the Holy Sacraments, such as baptism, confession, and others. Liturgical functions including funeral and matrimonial service also call for a priest to wear a stole.
Most Protestant Church denominations, such as Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists, wear the stole the same way Catholic priests wear them. However, some Protestant denominations wear pulpit robes or even just a simple suit in favour of stoles during church service.
- Symbolism And The Stole Connection
In the Roman Catholic religion, priests consider the stole as a very symbolic part of their vestment. Priests carry stoles with them all the time if they need to perform their duties in places like a parishioner’s home or a hospital.
For Catholics, this liturgical vestment symbolizes two things. First, it embodies the cross or the passion and suffering of Jesus Christ. Second, the stole also represents priests as soldiers of God. In many movies, priests are shown to wear stoles before they perform essential work such as a house blessing or anointing the sick. For other Christian religions, however, the stole is viewed as a yoke or responsibility of the clergy to preach God’s Word to the world.
- The Significance Of Stole In Eastern Orthodox Christianity
The use and symbolic significance of stoles in Eastern Orthodox churches are almost the same as Western Christian religions. However, the Eastern Orthodox faithful call the stole worn by deacons as ‘orarions’, while the ones used by bishops are known as ‘epitrachelions.’ In the Eastern Orthodox churches, stoles typically have ornate designs and are made of high-quality fabric like silk, brocade, or velvet.
In the Russian Orthodox church, the stoles or epitrachelions are believed to have very significant roles. A priest ought to wear this holy garment when celebrating religious services. For example, during confession, the priest would place the stole on the penitent’s head. During weddings, the bridal couple often holds the edge of the priest’s epitrachelion. The priest then directs the couple to a procession around the Holy Gospel Book thrice as a symbol of life’s pilgrimage.
Conclusion
The clerical stole is a vital garment for the ordained clergy in most Christian religions, both in Western Christian and Eastern Orthodox Churches. By knowing the interesting titbits about this clerical fashion piece, you’ll be better positioned to appreciate this religious garment and its symbolism among members of the faith.
Leave a Reply