Clergy Tartan

[Mr. MacDougall]

Looking through various sites, I have noticed that there are a couple of variations on the "clergy" tartan, and I've been informed that this is a relatively rare example of a profession tartan. This leads me to wonder how specific it is -- do Catholic and Protestant clergy both wear the same tartans? What about heathen clergy?

[Howard Clark]

It's even worse than that. It is the same sett as Clark(e), and Clerk too, though for clergy the colors are usually different than for clan, I think.

So far the only ones I have seen wearing it are Presbyterian, and in the cornpatch, usually just a tartan tie.

[MacWage]

History of Clergy tartan:
Matt's Blog-
http://blog.albanach.org/2005/07/cle...tan.html#links
Matt's article-
http://albanach.org/clergy_tartan.htm

For a good pic of the Lachcarron modern coloring:
http://kilts.albanach.org/clergy1.jpg Front
http://kilts.albanach.org/clergy2.jpg Back
http://kilts.albanach.org/clergy3.jpg Side
From: http://kilts.albanach.org/pics.html

[Dirk Skene]

..... -- do Catholic and Protestant clergy both wear the same tartans? What about heathen clergy?

I would think that where a tartan in concerned the exact faith would not matter. We have several clergyman here. Catholic, Orthodox, several Protestant "flavors" and 1 or 2 other. Hopefully they will chime in & tell us.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Thanks to MacWage for posting links to my articles. I think they explain well why there are so many variations of the clergy tartan. Short answer is no, denomination does not matter. I've sold/made clergy tartan kilts for Catholic, Anglican, and Presbyterian clergy, and know others from various denominations that wear the tartan in a stole, or just a neck tie.

The reason the Clark family wears the same tartan is because of the origin of the name. The surname Clark derives from the occupation of "clerk." Both "clerk" and "clergy" come from the same Latin root.

Most mills today produce the "Clark" tartan with white lines and the "Clergy" tartan with grey lines in an attempt to distinguish the two, but this is a modern convention.

Ironically enough, there is actually a very old Clark family tartan which is completely unrelated to the Clergy tartan, that is not generally in production these days. It's tartan No. 4094 in the International Tartan Index, if anyone wants to look it up.

[Prester John]

Clergy wear the clergy tartan, clergy green, clergy muted, clergy ancient as they wish. Family members also.

Only Christian clergy traditionally wore it. I can't imagine non-Christian clergy even interested in it, but that's me.

Orthodox, Roman, and Protestant clergy all do so.

Clark is an olde word for clerk or clergyman, so their tartan is nearly identical, and often used, in place of the clergy tartan.

I think that's right....

[Cavebear58]

Only Christian clergy traditionally wore it. I can't imagine non-Christian clergy even interested in it, but that's me.

Hmmm!? Not sure I go along with this.

Firstly, as tartan post-dates the Romans, there were only pre-Christian celts and Christians whose clergy could have worn the tartan 'traditionally'.

Secondly, I am an ordained interfaith minister and I have conducted wedding blessings in Scotland, England and France wearing a kilt - in my case it has been my own clan tartan (Gunn) simply because I haven't as yet saved enough pennies to buy a clergy one.

There was a picture in the news a few years ago of a Hindu religious woman from Scotland wearing a tartan sari.

Best wishes
Graham.

[macwilkin]

Hmmm!? Not sure I go along with this.

Firstly, as tartan post-dates the Romans, there were only pre-Christian celts and Christians whose clergy could have worn the tartan 'traditionally'.

Well...not exactly. Remember, the concept of tartans symbolising something, such as a clan or in this case, a member of a particular position, is a relatively new concept. I've seen this arguement before, mostly when folks bring up the "Falkirk tartan" (aka the Northumberland/Shepherd tartan) being found in ancient Roman jug, or the Chinese mummies found with a tartan like material, yet it really doesn't prove that this material was somehow "symbolic" in ancient times.

Regards,

Todd

[scoutniagara]

My brother is a United Church minister, and he'd wear the clergy tartan, if he had one. He wears the Clan MacIntosh and I wear the hunting MacIntosh.

[Riverkilt]

Thanks for the Clark Red link Matt. A great way for a man of Clark blood to honor his clan and not be mistaken for a man of the cloth.

Ron