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The cowl (from the Latin, cuculla meaning "hood") is a hood worn by members of religious orders.






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Kovelklein
Tikhon of Moscow
The cowl (from the Latin, cuculla meaning "hood") is a hood worn by members of religious orders. It also refers to a long, hooded cloak, with wide sleeves, worn by some Catholic
Catholic

Catholic is an adjective derived from the Greek language adjective , meaning "whole" or "complete". In the context of Christianity ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages....
 and Orthodox
Orthodox Christianity

KAHThe term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* The Eastern Orthodox Church: the Eastern Christianity churches of Byzantine Rite tradition that adhere to the first seven Ecumenical Councils, and are in full communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and with each other....
 monk
Monk

A Monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the unconditioning of mind and body in favor of the realization of one's true nature, and does so living either alone or with any number of like-minded people, whilst always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose....
s when participating in the liturgy
Liturgy

A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to their particular traditions. The word may refer to an elaborate formal ritual such as the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy and Mass , or a daily activity such as the Muslim salat and Jewish Jewish services....
. Developed in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages

File:Karl 1 mit papst gelasius gregor1 sacramentar v karl d kahlen.jpgThe Middle Ages of European history are a period in history which lasted for roughly a millennium, commonly dated from the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century to the beginning of the Early Modern Period in the 16th century, marked by the division of Western Christi...
, they became the formal garment for those in monastic life. They were worn to give warmth to people who often spent long hours in unheated and drafty churches.

They are most commonly bestowed upon the monk at the time of his making solemn, or lifetime, vows. They are generally worn in conformity with the color of the monk's tunic
Tunic

A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, with or without sleeves, and of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles....
, with the Benedictine
Benedictine

Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy....
s wearing black, and other groups which follow the Rule of St. Benedict, e.g., the Camaldolese
Camaldolese

The Camaldolese are part of the Benedictine family of monastic communities which follow the way of life outlined in the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century....
 and Cistercians
Cistercians

Image:Cistersian priests in Szczyrzyc monastery.JPGThe keynote of Cistercian life was a return to literal observance of the Rule of St Benedict. Rejecting the developments the Benedictines had undergone, the monks tried to reproduce life exactly as it had been in Benedict of Nursia time; indeed in various points they went beyond it in austerity....
, wearing some form of white. Dominicans
Dominican Order

The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century in France....
 also wear black cowls. The cloak, with a hood, is also worn by nun
Nun

A Nun is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. She may be an monasticism who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent....
s, in the same manner.

Some orders which are not part of the Benedictine
Benedictine

Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy....
 tradition do not make use of this cloak. However, the Franciscans, Carthusians and Dominicans all wear cowls.

Among the Eastern Christians (Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world with an estimated 225 million members worldwide. It is considered by its adherents to be the Four Marks of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles nearly 2000 years ago....
 and Byzantine Catholics) the cowl developed into the koukoulion worn by monks of the Great Schema, the highest degree of monasticism in the Eastern Church. Currently the koukoulion is of two types: one is similar to the hood still worn by some Western monastic orders, the other takes the form of a stiff rounded hat (like a bowler hat
Bowler hat

File:Olga Petrova with Knox Riding Hat,1915.jpgThe bowler hat, also known as a coke hat, derby or billycock, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for Edward Coke, the younger brother of the Thomas Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester....
 without a rim) to which is attached an epanokamelavkion
Epanokamelavkion

An epanokamelavkion is an item of clerical clothing worn by Eastern Orthodox Church Monastic#Christian monasticisms who are monk#Eastern Orthodox monks or above, including bishops....
 (veil with lappet
Lappet

A lappet is a decorative flap or fold in a ceremonial headdress or garment. They were a feature of women's headgear until the early 20th century....
s). The koukoulion is usually embroidered with crosses and the Instruments of the Passion. The koukoulion is also worn by the Patriarch
Patriarch

Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised Autocracy authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy....
s of some of the autocephalous Orthodox churches.

Popular culture

The weekly student-run newspaper of Providence College
Providence College

Providence College is a Roman Catholic Church college in Providence, Rhode Island, Rhode Island, the U.S. state's capital city. With a 2007–2008 enrollment of 3,966 undergraduate students and about 900 graduate students, the college is known for its programs in the liberal arts and sciences....
 is called The Cowl.

Batman
Batman

Batman is a Character , a comic book superhero co-created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger , appearing in publications by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939....
's mask is usually referred to as a cowl, as in the 1960s TV show.

Lego minifigures wear cowls.

Sheik
Princess Zelda

is a Character in The Legend of Zelda of video games. She is a member of Universe of The Legend of Zelda#Hyrule's royal family and plays an integral role in Hyrule's history....
 from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

is an Action-adventure game video game developed by Nintendo's Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console....
 wears a cowl to cover his face.

See also

  • Burqa
    Burqa

    A burqa is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the purpose of cloaking the entire body. It is worn over the usual daily clothing and removed when the woman returns to the sanctuary of the household ....
  • Chador
    Chador

    A chador or chadar is an outer garment or open cloak worn by many Women in Iran in public spaces; it is one possible way in which a Women and Islam may follow the Islamic dress code known as hijab....


External links

  • "Cowl" (Including photo of Franciscan monks wearing cowls)
  • "Cowl". , Volume IV, 1908
  • "Carthusians" , Volume III, 1908