Latin Catholic 1795–1881 The cassock (or soutane) comes in a number of styles or
cuts, though no particular symbolism attaches to these. A
Roman cassock often has a series of 33 buttons down the front, symbolizing
Jesus' life of 33 years. In some English-speaking countries these buttons may be merely ornamental, with a concealed fly-front buttoning, known as a Chesterfield front, used to fasten the garment. A French cassock also has buttons sewn to the sleeves after the manner of a
suit, and a slightly broader skirt. An
Ambrosian cassock has a series of only five buttons under the neck, with a sash on the waist. A
Jesuit cassock, in lieu of buttons, has a fly fastened with hooks at the collar and is bound at the waist with a cincture knotted on the right side. wearing a tropical white cassock trimmed in cardinalatial scarlet in
Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic The ordinary Roman cassock worn by Roman Catholic clerics (as distinct from that worn as choir dress) is black except in tropical countries, where because of the heat it is white and usually without shoulder cape (
pellegrina). Coloured
piping and buttons are added in accordance with rank: black for priests, purple for
chaplains of His Holiness; amaranth red for
bishops,
protonotaries apostolic and
Honorary Prelates; and scarlet red for
cardinals. The 1969 Instruction on the dress of prelates stated that for all of them, even cardinals, the dress for ordinary use may be a simple black cassock without coloured trim. A band cincture or sash, known also as a
fascia, may be worn with the cassock. The Instruction on the dress of prelates specifies that the two ends that hang down by the side have silk fringes, abolishing the sash with tassels. A black faille fascia is worn by priests, deacons, and major seminarians, while a purple faille fascia is used by bishops, protonotaries apostolic, honorary prelates, and chaplains of His Holiness, when wearing a cassock with coloured trim. A black watered-silk fascia is permitted for priests attached to the
papal household, a purple watered-silk fascia for bishops attached to the papal household (for example,
Apostolic Nuncios), and a scarlet watered-silk fascia for cardinals. The Pope wears a white watered-silk fascia, sometimes with his coat of arms on the ends. In
choir dress, chaplains of His Holiness wear their purple-trimmed black cassocks with a
cotta, but bishops, protonotaries apostolic, and honorary prelates use (with a cotta or, in the case of bishops, a
rochet and
mozzetta) cassocks that are fully purple (this purple corresponds more closely with a Roman purple and is approximated as fuchsia) with scarlet trim, while those of cardinals are fully scarlet with scarlet trim. Cardinals have the additional distinction of having both choir cassock sleeves and the fascia made of scarlet watered-silk. The
cut of the choir cassock is still a Roman-cut or French-cut Roman cassock. In the past, a cardinal's cassock was made entirely of watered silk, with a train that could be fastened at the back of the cassock. This train was abolished by the
motu proprio Valde solliciti of
Pope Pius XII with effect from 1 January 1953. With the same
motu proprio, the Pope ordered that the violet cassock (then used in penitential periods and in mourning) be made of wool, not silk, and in February 1965, under Pope Paul VI, a circular of the Sacred Ceremonial Congregation abolished the use of watered silk also for the red cassock. An elbow-length shoulder cape, open in front, is sometimes worn with the cassock, either fixed to it or detachable. It is known as a
pellegrina. It is distinct from the mozzetta, which is buttoned in front and is worn over a
rochet. The general rule of the Roman Catholic Church is that the pellegrina may be worn with the cassock by cardinals and bishops. In 1850, the year in which he
restored the Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales,
Pope Pius IX was understood to grant to all priests there the privilege of wearing a replica in black of his own white caped cassock. Since then, the wearing of the pellegrina with the cassock has been a sign of a Roman Catholic priest in England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, although sometimes imitated by Anglican priests. In his 1909 book,
Costume of Prelates of the Catholic Church, John Abel Felix Prosper Nainfa proposed the use of the English word "
simar", instead of the word "cassock", for the garment with shoulder cape, which he treated as distinct from the cassock proper. Others too have made the same distinction between the "simar" (with pellegrina) and the "cassock" (without), but many scholars disagree with Nainfa's distinction. More particularly, documents of the
Holy See make no such distinction, using the term
cassock or
vestis talaris whether a pellegrina is attached or is not. Thus the 1969 instruction states that, for cardinals and bishops, "the elbow-length cape, trimmed in the same manner as this
cassock, may be worn over it". and similar to the fur-lined that was used in northern Europe. Images of the historical zimarra as worn by women can be seen at "Dressing the Italian Way" and "The Italian Showcase". In cold weather, the manto, an ankle-length cape with or without shoulder cape, or the
greca, also known as the douillette, an ankle-length double-breasted overcoat, is traditionally worn over the cassock. For bishops and priests both the manto and greca are solid black in colour, while for the pope the manto is red and the greca is white. File:Cassock (Pope).svg|Pope(Always with
pellegrina. However, Benedict XVI discontinued the pellegrina upon becoming pope emeritus.) File:Cassock (Cardinal).svg|Cardinal(Often with pellegrina.) File:Cassock (Catholic Bishop).svg|Bishop(Often with pellegrina.) File:Cassock (Chaplain of His Holiness).svg|Chaplain of His Holiness, Protonary Apostolic, or Honorary Prelate File:Cassock (Catholic Priest).svg|Priest, Deacon, or Seminarian
Evangelical Lutheran stands before the priest during the reading of the
Gospel in the offering of the Holy Mass at Saint Mary's Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Helsingborg, Sweden In the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of
Denmark, the
Faroe Islands,
Iceland, and the North German
Hanseatic cities of
Hamburg and
Lübeck, clergy wear the cassock with the
ruff as
vestments. The Cassock is also worn occasionally in American Lutheran churches. In previous years, the cassock was worn in combination with a white surplice which almost entirely covered it. It is customary for a minority of clergy to wear it on special high holidays such as Good Friday and Ash Wednesday. Most commonly, Lutheran pastors wear an
alb over a clerical shirt (with clergy collar).
Vestments, most commonly a
stole, are worn over the alb.
Anglican The
Anglican church uses single and double-breasted cassocks. For many this is to indicate tradition (single-breasted in the
Anglo-Catholic tradition and double-breasted in the
evangelical end of the church). The double-breasted cassock fastens at the shoulders on the opposing side of the breast and at the waist with one concealed button. The latter usually has a single small stem-button sewn at centre front about below the centre-front neck line which is used to secure the
academic hood, worn for Choir Dress. The single-breasted cassock worn by Anglicans traditionally has thirty-nine buttons as signifying the
Thirty-Nine Articles, or as some would prefer "
Forty stripes save one" – the punishment
Saint Paul the Apostle says he received from the Jews. Cassocks are often worn without a
cincture and some opt for a buckled belt. Black is the most common colour for priests (
presbyters),
readers, vergers, and server cassocks. Lighter colours, such as white are used in tropical countries and some cathedrals have colours specific for their location. Piping is also used in the Anglican church to indicate position held with red being used for Deans, Archdeacons and Cathedral Canons. Bishops and
Archbishops often wear purple cassocks. This has been practise since the 19th century. More recently the Archbishops have chosen to wear black, this can be seen in the ministries of
Rowan Williams and
Justin Welby. A comparatively recent custom – since the reign of
Edward VII – is that scarlet cassocks are properly worn only by
Chaplains to the King and by members of Royal foundations such as
Westminster Abbey and some Cambridge college chapels. They are also worn by the Head Master and Master of the King's Scholars of
Westminster School. Nonetheless, many cathedral canons wear full crimson cassocks rather than with mere piping, as do many servers guilds and choirs due to longstanding practice. s Cassocks are sometimes also worn by
readers,
altar servers, and
choir members, when they do this is the double-breasted style. Readers and altar servers usually wear black cassocks, but those worn by choirs are usually coloured. File:Cassock (Anglican Bishop).svg|Bishop File:Cassock (Anglican Canon).svg|Canon (cassock colour may vary) File:Cassock (Anglican Priest).svg|Presbyter/Deacon/Laypersoncassock colour may vary if worn by, for instance, a chorister
Methodist Ministers (presbyters) of the
Methodist Church of Great Britain also traditionally wear a double-breasted cassock (as in the evangelical Anglican tradition).
Presbyterian In the
Church of Scotland, and Presbyterian churches which trace their heritage back to the Scottish church, they typically use the Anglican style of cassock. In addition, it is not uncommon to see full-length cassocks worn in the blue of the
Flag of Scotland, which is also tied to the academic dress of the
University of St Andrews. As is the custom within the Church of England, ministers of the Church of Scotland who are chaplains to the royal family also wear a scarlet cassock. Over this is typically worn a
preaching gown or the
academic gown of the minister. During the
Edwardian and
Victorian era, it was common to see a shortened, double-breasted black silk cassock worn under the gown. It generally reached to the knees and was tied with a simple
cincture. However, with the
liturgical movement of the 20th century, the classic cassock came back into fashion. Presbyterians in Canada tend to follow the custom of the Church of Scotland, whereas Presbyterians in the United States typically wear an American Geneva gown over a sleeveless cassock or a non-cuffed gown over an Anglican or Roman style cassock. The American
Geneva gown is often supplied with a cuff sewn into the double-bell sleeve (this innovation is a remnant of the cassock sleeve that was formerly worn underneath). As is the practice in the Anglican churches, cassocks may be worn by others who are not ministers. Ordained elders and deacons, as they serve as worship leaders, readers, and administer communion may also wear cassocks which tend to be black. Those worn by choirs and other worship leaders are usually coloured (for instance, The Shadyside Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) choir is dressed in red cassocks under white surplices). == Eastern Christian practice ==