"Ego autem, cum mihi molesti essent, induebar cilicio."
During the early middle ages hair shirts were becoming more and more common, not only with those chasing the ascetic life, but among the average lay people as well. There are many saints who give testimony to the use of the shirts at the time. St. Jerome even mentioned that the hair shirts were commonly worn under the extravagant clothing of men with higher positions.
Hair shirts were even used during spiritual ceremonies such as baptisms, where the candidate would stand on the hair cloth with their bare-feet during a portion of the ceremony. The hair cloth is also used during Ash Wednesday and sometimes covered the altar during penitential seasons during the year.
Sources:
"Hairshirt." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 24 Nov. 2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07113b.htm>.
"Medieval Manuscripts Blog." Medieval Manuscripts Blog. N.p., Web. 24 Nov. 2015
This is really interesting! I makes sense that members in ascetic life would wear it in a form of humility, but I did not know about the lay people using it. I wonder though how they got the camel hair, if it was imported in the form of the shirt or just the hair itself. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting concept. I imagine that would be terrible to wear for any extended amount of time. I don't feel like standing on it would be that bad, though, but I also don't have a lot of experience with camel hair, so who knows maybe it is extremely prickly and itchy!
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is very interesting! I can't imagine wearing a hair shirt even if it is animals.
ReplyDelete