scapular

monastic dress

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July 13, 2026

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A scapular is a garment worn as part of a monastic habit or as a sacramental. It typically consists of a long, wide band of cloth with an opening for the head, worn over the shoulders. Some scapulars are smaller, made of two cloth squares joined by shoulder tapes, and worn under clothing on the chest and back. These can also serve as a badge for religious orders or confraternities. The scapular is a component of monastic dress, which has historically been characterized by sobriety and conservatism, often reflecting a renunciation of luxury. In some cases, a scapular medal may be worn instead of the cloth scapular.123

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religious dress
Roman Catholic religious dress
…belt, hood or cowl, and scapular (a long narrow cloth worn over the tunic). The salient characteristics of monastic dress have always been sobriety and conservatism. The orders proved even more retentive of archaic fashions than the hierarchy, and, in contrast to the deliberate splendour of ecclesiastical vestments, monastic dress…
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…belt, hood or cowl, and scapular (a long narrow cloth worn over the tunic). The salient characteristics of monastic dress have always been sobriety and conservatism. The orders proved even more retentive of archaic fashions than the hierarchy, and, in contrast to the deliberate splendour of ecclesiastical vestments, monastic dress…
Read More