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A cowl is an item of clothing consisting of a long, hooded garment with wide sleeves, often worn by monks. It was developed during the
Early Middle Ages. The term may have originally referred to the hooded portion of a
cloak, though contemporary usage refers to an entire closed garment. A cowl is traditionally bestowed upon the monk at the time of making solemn, or lifetime,
profession. Today, it is worn primarily by most
Catholic and
Anglicanmonks when participating in
liturgical services. Similar garments are
Description
Developed during the
Early Middle Ages, the cowl became the formal garment for those in monastic life. Both St.
Jerome and
John Cassian refer to it as part of a monk's dress.[1] In modern times, it is worn over the habit during liturgical services. Originally, cowl may have referred simply to the hooded portion of a
cloak. In contemporary usage, however, it is distinguished from a cloak or
cape (cappa) by the fact that it refers to an entire closed garment consisting of a long, hooded garment with wide sleeves.
Religious usage
The cowl is traditionally bestowed upon the monk at the time of making solemn, or lifetime,
profession. Prior to their solemn
vows, the monks still in training wear a hooded cloak. The cowl is generally worn in conformity with the color of the monk's
tunic; other groups which follow the
Rule of St. Benedict, e.g., the
Camaldolese wearing white. (The Camaldolese of Monte Corona, however, always wear a cloak instead of a cowl.)
Among the
Benedictines, in choir, at chapter, and at certain other ceremonial times, a long full gown with large flowing sleeves, called a cowl, is worn over the ordinary habit. Black has been the prevailing color, hence the term black monk has come to signify a Benedictine.[2] Previous generations had lengthened the garment until it reached to the heels, and
Saint Benedict issued a rule restricting its length to two
cubits.[3]
Similarly, the
Cistercians are known as the White Monks, in reference to the color of the cuculla, the term for the white choir robe worn over their habits.
"The
Carthusian wears the ordinary monastic habit in white serge, but the scapular which is joined by bands at the side and has the hood attached to it, is known as the "cowl". The long flowing garment with wide sleeves, which usually bears this name, is used only by the deacon at high Mass."[4]
While not cowls in the monastic sense, the
mendicant Orders have retained the use of a cappa (cape) as part of their habit. In their case, however, it is a regular part of their
religious habit and worn by all members of the Order, both as street dress and in church.
The
Carmelites wear a white cape, although their tunic and scapular are brown, from which they were known in medieval
England as the Whitefriars.
Dominicans wear a black cape over a white habit—hence, their ancient
nickname of Blackfriars.
Both the cowl and the cape, though without a hood, are also worn by the
nuns associated to each Order, in the same manner.[5]
Among the Eastern Christians (
Eastern Orthodox and
Byzantine Catholic), the monastic hood developed into the koukoulion worn by monks of the
Great Schema, the highest degree of
monasticism in the Eastern Church. Currently, the koukoulion is of two types: one is similar to the hood still worn by some Western monastic orders, the other takes the form of a stiff rounded hat (like a
bowler hat without a rim) to which is attached an
epanokalimavkion (veil with
lappets). The koukoulion is usually embroidered with crosses and the
Instruments of the Passion. The koukoulion is also worn by the
Patriarchs of some of the
autocephalous Orthodox churches.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Cowl". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.