Eastern monastics and grooming

[Paul_theApostle]

Are EC or Orthodox monks allowed to keep their hair or beards short,or do they have to let it all grow long?

What if someone has hair like this,could he trim it or does he have to keep growing it

View attachment 16973

 

[Hospitaller_Kni]

Do you think any one in the religious life would have such a ridiculous style?

 

[hotdiggity]

i have also wondered about this lately. i’m hoping someone “in the know” will chime in to the conversation.

 

[theistgal]

The real question is would ANY monastic in ANY religion allow someone to keep that “Irish Afro”? Because seriously, dude, that is just … well … words fail me!!

 

[Bonnie]

Because that style is not natural, but man made, I’d say, no - not allowed. Even the the afros of black men back in the day were not completely natural. I still remember young men wearing shower caps to keep their afros looking good.

 

[MonkMoses]

Here at Holy Resurrection Monastery our Typicon (rule), states that all monks will wear a beard, the length of the hair is left up to the individual monk. The tradition is that after tonsure the hair is not cut again.

 

[john78]

since when does facial hair, or even ones hair style really need to come into question about a religious life in terms of Christianity,

what if someone has a mohawk, or colors their hair blue, or has dredlocks, should that really be a big bloody deal in regards to if one is a faithful Christian or not ?

If any monastic or clergy is asked to abide by certain grooming standards then that is also fine, The U.S military has standards they uphold, when i was in the army we were not allowed to have hair longer than three inches in length for males, and even then we were not allowed to have that basic length, as those who would out rank would get snippy and not want to see anyone with hair longer than theirs even if it was with in regulation.

Women have different rights in the military they can have their hair shoulder length i think, dunno what else…

but my point is, it doesn’t make these people any less qualified to be a solider, infact the original idea behind having hair regulations in the military was out of cleanliness, back in the day no one wanted to spread lice, on top of the fact that it is hard to keep clean during combat. But there is no real reason why anyone in the military can not have a good head of hair an maintain cleanliness in todays world.

Wouldn’t it be nice if this was all we as Christians / Catholics had to worry about, hair and grooming.

 

[TimothyH]

since when does facial hair, or even ones hair style really need to come into question about a religious life in terms of Christianity,

what if someone has a mohawk, or colors their hair blue, or has dredlocks, should that really be a big bloody deal in regards to if one is a faithful Christian or not ?

If any monastic or clergy is asked to abide by certain grooming standards then that is also fine, The U.S military has standards they uphold, when i was in the army we were not allowed to have hair longer than three inches in length for males, and even then we were not allowed to have that basic length, as those who would out rank would get snippy and not want to see anyone with hair longer than theirs even if it was with in regulation.

Women have different rights in the military they can have their hair shoulder length i think, dunno what else…

but my point is, it doesn’t make these people any less qualified to be a solider, infact the original idea behind having hair regulations in the military was out of cleanliness, back in the day no one wanted to spread lice, on top of the fact that it is hard to keep clean during combat. But there is no real reason why anyone in the military can not have a good head of hair an maintain cleanliness in todays world.

Wouldn’t it be nice if this was all we as Christians / Catholics had to worry about, hair and grooming.

Short hair in the military was for uniformity, not just hygiene.

Drawing attention to onself - showing off - is a sign of pride.

-Tim-

 

[Bonnie]

Drawing attention to onself - showing off - is a sign of pride. -Tim-

As well as a waste of money if one has to have it professionally done every month or so - which would be against the vow of poverty that most religious take. Even if the person did his own hair, it would be a waste of time.

I suppose it could be done during recreation. I can just see a bunch of monks or friars “doing” each other’s hair!

 

[theistgal]

since when does facial hair, or even ones hair style really need to come into question about a religious life in terms of Christianity,

what if someone has a mohawk, or colors their hair blue, or has dredlocks, should that really be a big bloody deal in regards to if one is a faithful Christian or not ?

I’ve known Christians who had dreadlocks and mohawks. Nothing wrong with that.

However, when you’re in an organization of any kind, you either abide by their rules, work from within to change the rules, or just stay out. At least that’s the theory.

 

[hotdiggity]

Here at Holy Resurrection Monastery our Typicon (rule), states that all monks will wear a beard, the length of the hair is left up to the individual monk. The tradition is that after tonsure the hair is not cut again.

thanks for the response

 

[malphono]

Comic relief is often welcome, but I just don’t get this thread. Maybe it’s just my imagination (and I admit it could be), but isn’t this thread kind of silly?

 

[theistgal]

Comic relief is often welcome, but I just don’t get this thread. Maybe it’s just my imagination (and I admit it could be), but isn’t this thread kind of silly?

Maybe, but I think we could all use a good chuckle right now.

 

[hotdiggity]

Comic relief is often welcome, but I just don’t get this thread. Maybe it’s just my imagination (and I admit it could be), but isn’t this thread kind of silly?

i guess the photo in the OP is kind of silly but i have been wondering about this topic since becoming friends with the Holy Cross Monastery on FaceBook. their pictures all show long hair and beards.

 

[andrewstx]

I think it would depend on the jurisdiction or church.

Most clergy I have met have short trimmed beards and hair, but I remember getting a book in the mail from a Russian Orthodox outside Russia in Jordanville NY. All the fathers have long, never trimmed beards and hair even the bald ones.

My first impression was what hippies they are.

 

[Paul_theApostle]

Because that style is not natural, but man made, I’d say, no - not allowed. Even the the afros of black men back in the day were not completely natural. I still remember young men wearing shower caps to keep their afros looking good.

I thought if someone has curly hair like that ,that if they just leave it alone and let it grow that it will grow naturally upwards like that?

Wouldnt a black mans hair keep getting puffed up like that unless they dread it perhaps?

View attachment 16980

Why is this not natural?

and the question was if the monks arent allowed to cut their hair after tonsure then a black monk would have hair like this no?

 

[Paul_theApostle]

View attachment 16981

 

[CDB1718]

I thought if someone has curly hair like that ,that if they just leave it alone and let it grow that it will grow naturally upwards like that?

Wouldnt a black mans hair keep getting puffed up like that unless they dread it perhaps?

View attachment 16980

Why is this not natural?

and the question was if the monks arent allowed to cut their hair after tonsure then a black monk would have hair like this no?

uch: :doh2:

Afros are combed out, shaped, and held in place with moisturizers or other products. The hair has to be straightened out at the roots, which requires a long-toothed pick or comb. A person’s hair would not accidentally look like a '60s afro if left untended.

There are many other natural hairstyles that can be used, depending on the strength and size of the curls. The tighter the curls, the more delicate the hair, leading to easy breaking. We’ve had black male monastics since the earliest years of the church. None of them I’m aware of complained about an afro.

 

[Paul_theApostle]

uch: :doh2:

Afros are combed out, shaped, and held in place with moisturizers or other products. The hair has to be straightened out at the roots, which requires a long-toothed pick or comb. A person’s hair would not accidentally look like a '60s afro if left untended.

There are many other natural hairstyles that can be used, depending on the strength and size of the curls. The tighter the curls, the more delicate the hair, leading to easy breaking. We’ve had black male monastics since the earliest years of the church. None of them I’m aware of complained about an afro.

Ok i didnt know this but could u give me an idea or picture on how say a black mans hair would grow besides growing as in post 16?

 

[CDB1718]

Ok i didnt know this but could u give me an idea or picture on how say a black mans hair would grow besides growing as in post 16?

Are you asking what a black man’s hair looks like?

I find this whole line of speculation ridiculous. It obviously doesn’t affect you personally. Black men are not complaining. I think we can move on and you can satisfy any remaining curiosity with a few google image searches.