Agreed! The multiple traditions of the apostolic churches shed light on the Christian way of life from different angles. The hair is an interesting pattern since baldness has traditionally meant humiliation, mourning, etc. in the Greco-Roman world (and other cultures too). So tonsuring and shaving the beard in the West is a sign of embracing that humiliation to become an 'outsider' for the sake of Christ. On the flip side, the long hair and beard of the East recalls the Nazarite vow, which also is a sign of embracing unkept wildness to become an 'outsider' for the sake of Christ. Either way, the hair communicates the 'set-apart-ness' of the monks and clergy to follow Christ in a particular way of self-sacrificial service.
This was great! I’ve dipped my toes into the symbolism of the right and the left but I’ve never explored it with Peter and Andrew. I saw a lot of the feminine in Andrew too and there’s some food for thought for the marital relationship. I have a new appreciation for St. Andrew, which I’m glad for as he’s the namesake of our parish.
Right, the feminine is related to the curved, interior, long-haired aspects of this symbolism to be sure. Even today, there is something feminine about the Christian East and something masculine about the Latin West. I'd like to dig into that intuition in later posts. St. Andrew is a very interesting saint and his hagiography is actually very extensive (see the Acts of st. Andrew by St. Gregory of Tours). He is credited with evangelizing the area around the Black Sea, Sycthia, and performing many miracles.
I never would have noticed the symbolism in the hair! This is why Christians need conversation!!!
Agreed! The multiple traditions of the apostolic churches shed light on the Christian way of life from different angles. The hair is an interesting pattern since baldness has traditionally meant humiliation, mourning, etc. in the Greco-Roman world (and other cultures too). So tonsuring and shaving the beard in the West is a sign of embracing that humiliation to become an 'outsider' for the sake of Christ. On the flip side, the long hair and beard of the East recalls the Nazarite vow, which also is a sign of embracing unkept wildness to become an 'outsider' for the sake of Christ. Either way, the hair communicates the 'set-apart-ness' of the monks and clergy to follow Christ in a particular way of self-sacrificial service.
This was great! I’ve dipped my toes into the symbolism of the right and the left but I’ve never explored it with Peter and Andrew. I saw a lot of the feminine in Andrew too and there’s some food for thought for the marital relationship. I have a new appreciation for St. Andrew, which I’m glad for as he’s the namesake of our parish.
Right, the feminine is related to the curved, interior, long-haired aspects of this symbolism to be sure. Even today, there is something feminine about the Christian East and something masculine about the Latin West. I'd like to dig into that intuition in later posts. St. Andrew is a very interesting saint and his hagiography is actually very extensive (see the Acts of st. Andrew by St. Gregory of Tours). He is credited with evangelizing the area around the Black Sea, Sycthia, and performing many miracles.