Religious habit

Thus, modern habits are rooted in historic forms, but do not necessarily resemble them in cut, color, material, detail or use.

In Christian monastic orders of the Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican Churches, the habit often consists of a tunic covered by a scapular and cowl, with a hood for monks or friars and a veil for nuns; in apostolic orders it may be a distinctive form of cassock for men, or a distinctive habit and veil for women.

Catholic Canon Law requires only that the garb of their members be in some way identifiable so that the person may serve as a witness of the Evangelical counsels.

[2] Between 148 and 170 CE, the Parthian monk An Shigao came to China and translated a work which describes the color of monastic robes utilized in five major Indian Buddhist sects, called Dà Bǐqiū Sānqiān Wēiyí (Ch.

[3] Another text translated at a later date, the Śariputraparipṛcchā, contains a very similar passage corroborating this information, but the colors for the Sarvāstivāda and Dharmaguptaka sects are reversed.

[2] By the maturation of Chinese Buddhism, only the Dharmaguptaka ordination lineage was still in use, and therefore the color of robes served no useful purpose as a designation for sects, the way that it had in India.

Pope John Paul II in his post-apostolic Exhortation Vita consecrata (1996) says concerning the religious habit of consecrated persons: §25 [...] The Church must always seek to make her presence visible in everyday life, especially in contemporary culture, which is often very secularized and yet sensitive to the language of signs.

In this regard the Church has a right to expect a significant contribution from consecrated persons, called as they are in every situation to bear clear witness that they belong to Christ.

Where valid reasons of their apostolate call for it, Religious, in conformity with the norms of their Institute, may also dress in a simple and modest manner, with an appropriate symbol, in such a way that their consecration is recognizable.

Institutes which from their origin or by provision of their Constitutions do not have a specific habit should ensure that the dress of their members corresponds in dignity and simplicity to the nature of their vocation.The religious habits of Catholic nuns typically consist of the following elements: The coif and veil were common items of clothing for married women in medieval Europe.

Due the ecclesiastical document Perfectae caritatis, many congregations decided to simplify their habits, to conform to the attire of the culture they are working in, or to even discard their use entirely.

While styles vary, for those wearing the traditional habit, three pieces are consistently worn: tunic (robe), belt/cincture, veil.

The habit of some Dominican Sisters consists of a tunic, belt (cincture), scapular, veil, rosary, and on formal occasions a cappa (mantle).

[9] Even for orders that have chosen not to wear a habit, these sisters often share a common appearance: calf-length skirt, blouse or sweater, visible cross necklace.

[citation needed] Owing to the different traditions and origins that exist, there is no singular common habit worn by the Canons Regular.

Some communities of canons, notably in Austria and Switzerland wear a sarotium, coming from the Latin sacrum rochettum, 'the sacred rochet'.

Mitre, crosier and ring are bestowed on an abbot at his blessing and the pectoral cross is a customary part of an abbatial habit.

[citation needed] Most Hindus are known to wear a religious pendant in their daily life to show their faith in God.

[citation needed] Sunni in west asia before 19th century, religious clergy colloquially known as Mullah wore common clothes of their era with very small differences.

Shia meanwhile clothing of Shia mullahs was mainly based on common clothing of Qajar era with a typical common robe called Qaba which evolved from robes of Safavid and Mongol eras, and a large overcoat called Aba, which was sewn in a rectangle pattern without separate sleeves which was also common among other classes but with slight differences, and seyyids wore black turbans, the same clothing has been preserved till present day and spread to shia scholars outside Iran whore used to wear local clothing before 20th century; pattern of Qaba has been changed and slightly westernised with buttons added and sleeves sewn into the body rather than traditional straight sleeves, and they no more use a sash, and caps aren't worn under turban.

from 20th century onwards islamic education declined in central asia under Soviet rule and after 1990's there was a rise in wahabism and fundamentalism rather than locally developed schools which also affected the clothing and modern day mullahs in central asia wear uniforms similar to west asian mullahs.

Turkmen mullahs in Iran continued wearing traditional Chakmen till modern day but new uniforms have been introduced in official madrasahs which are cyan or grey robes with westernised designs and are tighter than shorter.

Female ascetics and Śvetāmbara male monks always wear un-stitched or minimally stitched white clothes.

Śvetāmbara ascetics have an Ogho or Rajoharan (a broom of woolen threads) to clean insects around their sitting place or while they are walking.

A Jōe (浄衣) is a garment worn in Japan by people attending religious ceremonies and activities, including Buddhist and Shinto related occasions.