cassocks

The cassock is a long, ankle-length robe worn by clergy in many Christian denominations. It is typically tailored with a front opening fastened by buttons and long sleeves, designed as a plain, modest base garment to be worn beneath or in place of other vestments. The name cassock entered English from the French cassock in the medieval period.

Throughout Western Christianity, the cassock serves as everyday clerical dress as well as a ceremonial outer garment. In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, secular clergy commonly wear a black cassock; members of religious orders wear cassocks in various colors that identify their order. In the pope’s case, the papal cassock is white; bishops and other higher-ranking clergy may wear purple or scarlet cassocks in some rites, signaling rank. In Anglicanism, black is common for parish clergy, with variations for particular offices or ceremonial occasions.

In the Eastern Orthodox and some Eastern Catholic churches, clergy wear a long outer garment that serves a similar purpose, typically black for regular clergy, with colors and styles varying by jurisdiction and rank. The cassock is also used in choir dress, academic dress, and some liturgical reform contexts, paired with surplices, rochets, or other vestments as required by tradition.

Today the cassock remains a flexible garment, with fit, color, and usage evolving by region, order, and liturgical calendar, while retaining its function as a sign of clerical office and modest clerical attire.