In the works of the past, in the pages of the Bible, and in modern works quite often the word "hair shirt".What is a "cilice", which means the garment, a literal and figurative meaning of the word - we learn from this article.
first mention of the hair shirt
in the biblical texts of the Old Testament is mentioned several times the word "hair shirt".The meaning of "sackcloth" can be learned from this ancient book.Sparse vegetation and an acute shortage of fresh water of the Sinai desert did not allow many families to keep cattle.Therefore, the most popular pet in the arid areas become goats.Goat herd the Jews fed milk and meat from their bones were cut and the first tools household items, and the skin and coat allowed the ancient inhabitants of Asia, Dress shoes and.Sackcloth the ancient Jews called thick, stiff fabric of goat hair or wool.Initially, a rough and sturdy fabric intended for the manufacture of bags.Later, the men of Judah and Israel began to wear sackcloth as a sign of sorrow and remembrance of the dead - so there was a word "hair shirt".What garment intended for mourning, support pages of the Old Testament.Vervische put on naked body, belting strap made of the same material.Wearing sackcloth were all close relatives of the deceased.In special cases, the clothes of coarse hair is not removed at night.
hair shirt in the Middle Ages
Christianity borrowed many of the customs and traditions of the ancient Hebrews.Along with the Jewish tradition in Christianity arrived and vervische.In the Middle Ages the clothes are still sewed of coarse goat or horsehair.In contrast to the pre-Christian times now this piece of clothing is no longer a sign of mourning.In the Middle Ages cilice - a mandatory attribute of monasticism.Monks and communicants wore these clothes as a sign of humility and the transience of the flesh.Vervische worn by men and women, many heretics led to the fires in these clothes.People in the Middle Ages knew how harms sackcloth of hair, that is the constant wearing itchy and irritating to the skin, the wounds from wearing rough cloth can develop into ulcers.But it wearing vervischa considered an integral part of the service of God, and the wounds on the body seen as evidence of the sufferings of Christ and the Christian faith.
hair shirt in modern times
Since the Renaissance sackcloth gradually disappears from use of believers who have chosen a more tolerant and burdensome form of worship.Instead, it appears in literary allegories, biblical scenes and storylines in everyday speech.
symbol of grief, remorse, of deep anguish - sackcloth.What a rough semblance of clothing has little to do with religious sentiments, evident from the pop figurative meaning of the word.The expression "to put on a hair shirt" has become synonymous with the word "grieve", "sad".As the garment is currently sackcloth of hair - an indispensable accessory of Christian monks, saints and hermits.
