Clerical vestments actually date back to the time of the Old Testament. The most basic reasons why our clergy (Bishops, Priest, Deacons, etc.) continue to wear them is threefold:
- The wearing of vestments was ordered by God (Exodus 28).
- They serve to designate or “set apart” those who are called to the priestly office.
- They provide a means of “covering” the sinful nature of the individual.
Because the priest stands at the head of the congregation as an archetypal image of Jesus Christ to His people, vestments help mask the frailty of the priest’s human nature and transfigure him as the one who imparts the grace of Christ through the Holy Priesthood. In simplest terms, vestments shift the focus from the man to the priest.
