To the Kilted Clergy of the group

[Coemgen]

Regarding the original question - performing any liturgical act requires the standard liturgical garments:

for an Orthodox priest (which I am) cassock, Rhiasa (with the big sleeves) in black, with pectoral cross,

and the appropriate vestment for the service, and, its not optional.

Father, I know that it's traditional to wear vestments in certain colors during particular seasons (purple in Lent, gold on Sundays and feast days, etc.), but I had been under the impression that the assignment of particular colors was a modern (i.e. less than a thousand years ago) invention - my copies of the Triodion and Menaion say to wear "dark" and "light" or "bright" vestments.

[Prester John]

Father, I know that it's traditional to wear vestments in certain colors during particular seasons (purple in Lent, gold on Sundays and feast days, etc.), but I had been under the impression that the assignment of particular colors was a modern (i.e. less than a thousand years ago) invention - my copies of the Triodion and Menaion say to wear "dark" and "light" or "bright" vestments.

Generally, it was originally best, second best, ordinary and black (for Good Friday). Eventually that became "bright" "light" and "dark" based on whether you celebrated a feast or a fast.

Various specific colors are actually what is called "Cathedral practice." Each Cathedral eventually had a tradition of using specific colors during specific season, particularly in the West.

The two dominant color themes became the Church of Rome - generally accepted by all western liturgical churches now (primarily green throughout the year) and the Church in Salisbury (primarily red throughout the year). In Constantinople, gold was the ordinary color.

One of the oddities of this (I mean the shame of it) is that another name for Pentecost is Whitsunday - obviously meaning "White Sunday." Sadly, almost everyone wears Red (for the tongues of flame), and the Orthodox wear Green (the color of Life)!

When St. John of Krondstadt was once asked why he wore red most of the year, he responded:

"We like red!"

[Coemgen]

When St. John of Krondstadt was once asked why he wore red most of the year, he responded:

"We like red!"

I need to tell my priest that! He loves wearing his blue vestments, but rarely gets a chance.