David

Only great schema monks may wear the full habit, which includes an elaborately embroidered apron or stole with numerous crosses and Greek acronyms picked out in red – beginning with M[ichael] and G[abriel] and ending with the skull and cross-bones of Adam at the foot of the cross over the words ‘T[opos] K[ranious] [the place of the skull, i.e. Golgotha] P[aradeisos] G[egonen] [has become Paradise]‘. This garment symbolizes the cross that the monk takes up when he vows to follow Christ. Great schema monks undertake to accept for themselves the cross and death of Christ and take stricter vows than other monks with regard to prayer and fasting. Initiates go through a ceremony similar to that for the small schema but of longer duration and more solemn tone. (Speake, Graham. Mount Athos: Renewal in Paradise. New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press, 2004. 212-13. Link.)

Thanks for the reference to the Wikipedia article too, which shows an illustration of this vestment. Here is another illustration. Here is a photo of one, and another, and another. This is another clearer photo, and here.

It appears that this vestment is similar to the scapular – “Monastic scapulars originated as aprons worn by medieval monks, and were later extended to habits for members of religious organizations, orders or confraternities… many sources agree that the scapular emerged from an apron-like piece of cloth worn by monks… Some authors interpret the scapular as a symbolic apron based on the fact that monks and nuns, when engaged on some manual labor, tend to cover it with a protective apron or carefully tuck it up or throw the front length back over their shoulder to prevent it from getting in the way.”

Val Brinkerhoff showed me a rare photo of Joseph Smith’s masonic apron just last week, and it looked similar to George Washington’s. It seems that both share elements such as instruments, and both clearly also show the skull and crossbones representing Adam at the bottom.

I’ve thought for a long time that the Eastern Orthodox tradition has some of the most striking resemblances to the LDS. Why that is, I’m not sure, but I love to learn more about them.

Graham Speake, Mount Athos, 212-13; Wikipedia article on “Great Schema” / “Degrees of Eastern Orthodox Monasticism” — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Schema#Great_Schema

Then compare the symbols found on monastic aprons with those that decorate the aprons of the Freemasons.

You have a real talent for finding subtle pieces of information, and your this post should remind us that we LDS need to be more literate in comparative religion, especially in knowing more about the practices and tradtions of our “other” Christian brothers and sisters.