Fearing that the Anglican Communion does not have enough controversy, division and dissent, I must ask you to respond to the following questions:
Gaiters – yes or no?
Gaiters on Provosts (or Cathedral Deans) – yes or no?
Gaiters on this Provost – yes or no?
The picture on Bishop David’s blog will provide you with all the preliminary material you need in the first instance. The PhD on gaiters is here. Of course, this is not the first time we have dealt with Praepostorial Footwear.
One is sure that gaiters can be accomodated at the right time and the right place. Wish that more clerics wore them. I have only ever seen two individuals thus attired and thus far. On both occasion, it was a black-tie event.
As the picture in on Bishop David’s blog shows, the gaitered individual cuts a fine figure in the Irish President’s presence. One would hope that the Bishop on whose blog the pic was would consider donning the said garment on suitable future occasions.
In other words: gaiters, absolutely!
I remember, long before I was ordained, overhearing a conversation amongst certain clerics about what the most appropriate clerical attire was for Glyndebourne. I feel that gaiters should have been, in some small way, a part of that conversation.
Am I right in thinking that it is not just gaiters that divide us? It seems to me that the correspondents of this blog are as likely to be divided upon the frock coat which Marion brings up so timeously. Horror from some, eager anticipation from others.
It is a good job that I have the recent experience of appearing in a double page spread in an international style magazine. I feel as though that should add some clout to my opinions in just this kind of area.
However, on the gaiter question, I’ve still not made up my mind.
The psalmist tells us that the Lord hath no pleasure in the strength of an horse : neither delighteth he in any man’s legs.
However, in the light of this conversation, I feel we must ask whether the psalmist spoke a little hastily.
You are infuriating. I logged on specifically to say ‘did you notice that tonight’s psalm gave the definitive answer to the gaiter controversy?’ But my journey home was rather longer than yours.
Best sung word at evensong: tenor ‘whithereth’. No grass left standing for miles.
Ah yes – had the Psalmist been familiar with gaiters we might have received different words of wisdom….. and I am VERY sure that the Provostorial Gaze would still have been Carefully Averted Elsewhere at that moment……..
I seem to recall wrestling with a certain retired Bishop of St Andrews, D&D who also had a penchant for the gaiters. He was dreadful in processions and seemed to have forgotten that he was not the current Bishop and therefore should not be at the end of the line. However, on the subject of gaiters, I don’t think he particularly cut a dashing figure nor was he an instrument of mission. I fear he just looked like a comedy bishop.
here in the Colonies (USA, Episcopal Church USA) I’m afraid to admit to ignorance? What are gaiters?
And my parish has a rector who happens to be a woman. Are there equivalent garments for women?
There is a helpful discription here.
So far as I am concerned, gaiters are gender-neutral.
thank you, Kelvin, for the link.
But am still baffled.
It says that gaiters link to the breeches. I have never seen breeches except on the stage for Shakespeare plays and the BBC Horatio Hornblower DVDs. Who currently wears such a garment?
It also states that the purpose of gaiters is to protect the legs either from gorse & brambles or while horseback riding. I knew that the C of E was in some ways antiquarian, but surely they do not impose upon their vicars the requirement that they make their pastoral calls on horseback!
The more I read, the more it seems that gaiters should go the way of codpieces, fillets, corsets, and other items of apparel more appropriate for Monty Python routines than actual use.
I mean this in a good natured and friendly way, by the way, the written word does not convey the nuances of facial expression, verbal tone, etc. This is all meant kindly and in a friendly manner.
Kelvin, good news!
An advertisement appeared on the left sidebar, for “Women’s Gaiters” from rockymountaintrail.com guaranteeing that their women’s gaiters, made from a waterproof polyester material, will keep snow out of women’s boots.
I had not realized that C of E — or Scotland — churches were so cold as to require defense against snow.
🙂
I’m back to thinking gaiters may be, at best, an appropriate outdoors defense against the elements but not a liturgical garment. Of course, I could be wrong.