VATICAN CORNER
The last Pope to have a beard was Pope Innocent XII who died in 1700. Since then, all subsequent Popes have been clean-shaven. Roman Canon tradition encourages clean-shaven clergy for the reason that facial hair could possibly disrespect the blood of Christ by impeding drinking with reverence. But today no cannon law forbids beards and some religious orders recommend beards while others recommend shaving. The Capuchin religious order and the Franciscan Friars have a tradition of wearing beards, and some Diocesan priest have them too. The Eastern rite clergy are encouraged to wear beards. Jesus is usually depicted with a beard and the Apostles, in most ancient monuments are mostly represented as bearded, but there is no clear evidence either way. Among the Jews, as among most Oriental people, the beard was especially cherished as a symbol of virility, and to cut off another man’s beard was an outrage. To shave was a sign of mourning. In the year 195 St. Clement of Alexandria wrote that it was unholy to desecrate the symbol of manhood. But the beard eventually fell out of favor and rules kept clerics from growing beards or at least long ones. Historically, especially among the clergy, beards came to become serious symbols. During the Great Schism when the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church broke apart, the East kept the beards and beards may have had a little part in the breakup, being an emblem of the battle between the Greek and Latin traditions. During the Middle Ages the priests shaved to distinguish themselves from the laity. During the Reformation the Catholics were shaved and the Protestants grew beards, possibly, for the reason, as one historian suggests, because the Protestant reformers wanted to give the outward appearance of age and wisdom. They considered their reforming ideas not new but a reconnecting with the early Church. At different times some church leaders require beards, others banned them. Some theologians said beards represented holiness and purity while others said sin and a concession to vanity. But the rules for clergy on beards were not always followed and many times the fashion of the day won out. Michelangelo’s fresco of “The Creation of Adam” is one of the greatest accomplishments of Western Civilization. With that fresco Michelangelo summarized two great Christian truths: first that the human body serves as an icon of God’s love, and second, that God is the source of the beauty found in the human body. By the way, God has a beard! Question: who shaves 10 times a day and still has a beard? The barber.
Sources: Christianitytoday.com, toptenz.net, ewtn.com, telegraph.co, newadvent.org, epicpew.com, wp.patheos.com,slate.com, focusoncampus.org.