Priests and Beards... What's the Big Deal?

[@Justin-Wood]

this video was needed for me today. thank you and Glory to God. Christ is Risen.

[@rachelrichards8312]

Real men have beards. For as long as I can remember my father had a short well kept beard. For some reason when I was in my late childhood years he shaved it off. I cried and would not speak to him. It did grow back...fortunately with a real man a short beard does not take long to regrow. Even now as a much, much older woman, a man with a beard brings me much comfort. I cannot imagine Christ without a beard.

[@madmartigan1634]

I once shaved my beard and my entire family looked at me like a stranger, so I never shaved it clean again...

[@MartyRodriguezOrthodoxMarine]

Because The Founding Father and Our Eternal Commander in Chief of Our Tier One and Only, Holy, Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church, Established AD 33 By Our Beloved King and Lord Jesus Christ Wore A Beard, All of Our Clergy Should Immitate The Lord. KRISTOS ANESTI ☦️🕊🕯🙏☦️⛪️‼️

[@MartyRodriguezOrthodoxMarine]

@matthiasbrandt1252 : Do Me A Favor and Mind Your Own Business If You're Not Going To Comment Exactly On The Video Itself As I'm Neither In The Mood Nor Do I Have The Time To Debate With You Your Woke, Gen Z Politics. This Isn't The Platform You Want To Debate Your Woke, Gen Z Politics. Go Get A Job, Go Get A Life, Go Get A Wife And Most Importantly, Ask The Lord Jesus Christ Himself To Lead You To His Tier One and Only, Holy, Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church. KRISTOS ANESTI ☦️ 🕊 🕯 🙏 ☦️⛪️‼️

[@GEX-_-]

As instructed Growing mine for God.

[@Saint_nobody]

Same. Though, I might get a bit vain and buy some oils and such to help it grow out fuller & still will trim it at least when I turn 40.

[@fernandoespinosa7170]

Fr. Peter I truly believe that you are a blessing for Orthodoxy in your coming back to América, for me your talks, interviews, books, etc have been a major part in becoming closer to Orthodoxy, I think it's a sign of times that Orthodoxy in América is growing with such great Fathers like yourself and many others, many of whom I know you know them.. Glory to God for brothers like you that are doing so much for people like me to enter in the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ 🙏🙏🙏

[@MarcusBarnabassisSystersSonne]

"Acquiring the Spirit of God is the true aim of our Christian life, while prayer, fasting, almsgiving and other good works done for Christ's sake are merely *means* for acquiring the Spirit of God."--St Seraphim of Sarov

[@stanley1554]

I love this man.

[@Orthodoxzee]

Watching this after putting oil and brushing my beard. But also I bought beard oil and wax from a monastary so idk. I think grooming is fine as long as it's not something you must do before going out or you'll be insecure

[@czuw2967]

Grooming beard is important for its health. I stopped using oil bc it got in my young toddlers hair so much when I held her. My beard is still OK, but it’s not as healthy at all.

[@bobjenkins3rd]

@@czuw2967maybe try something that doesn’t stay in liquid form like shea butter. I buy bricks of the raw ingredient for African hair, not branded hair product.

[@ApostolPedro30]

I totally understand what you are saying about vainglory and vanity. At the same time the Bible itself makes emphasis many times to beauty both in people both male and female and in creation and heaven etc to glorify God. It’s even adornment like a blessing of God upon his people. David was called handsome and also the women of Israel etc. I see it’s all a thing of motive.

[@elainapoochie2734]

In the military they allow this today with special religious request. I know that for fact

[@CenturionTheodore]

Be honest mate. Only recently have all “religious” men been able to have a religious exception. Whereas before the only real concessions were made to Mr. Ms false religion and other East Asian “religions.” Because the modern west always makes concessions for the followers of Mr M.

[@henrybarrett1292]

I’ve had a beard of one sort or another for ~30 years. Quit shaving altogether in 2012.

[@martinbeilschmidt240]

Stopped shaving in 1983, when I turned 21...

[@martinbeilschmidt240]

Er well, I might add, I have trimmed it from time to time, otherwise it would have be so long by now...

[@orthoclipsICXC]

Search Saint Peter the Athonite

[@martinbeilschmidt240]

Am just trimming it with a scissor, or Wahl electric trimmer, from time to time, so it's not very long, like the pic of the Monk/elder in the middle of the title pic of the video, but longer than the average length of most city folk one sees. Am grooming for my longest style ever...

[@matumaosecundario106]

Thank you. Christ is risen!

[@bladerunner6087]

I'm glad I found this channel ☦️☦️☦️

[@ciddoctor6993]

If your roots are healthy and the skin is healthy you shouldn't do much more than oil it. That's all that's usually needed.

[@constantinekarampelas9954]

There is just something about a priest with no beard that just lacks an important aspect which leadership should have

[@johnsambo9379]

Why does it matter? It's his soul that matters.

[@bevybanks]

@johnsambo9379 Exactly!

[@stevelenores5637]

I agree that the priests are required to have beards. It's one reason why I wouldn't want to be a priest. I like to shave it off and have short hair in the hot summers in the southwest US. I let it grow out in the fall and keep it long until it gets too hot in the spring.

[@corex72]

So you’re saying you want to be comfortable more than you would want to be a priest? Bro, news flash, you are a priest. Look it up.

[@stevelenores5637]

@@corex72 Priest in this sense is an elder, the one that leads a church. The one you are talking about is a priest in the lowest sense as we pray to God. As to comfort I'm willing to do what ever God asks of me, but as part of the laity we aren't required to have beards.

[@LadyMaria]

​@@corex72All Orthodox Christians are priests in the sense of the Royal Priesthood by baptism/Chrismation in the Church, yes, but not the ministerial Priesthood for the Holy Mysteries.

[@SilouanWright]

@@stevelenores5637 What does The Rudder say on this topic? What do the saints say on this topic?

[@stevelenores5637]

@@SilouanWright Not sure but we do have beardless men who are saints. St George and St Stephan are depicted beardless in their icons. St Stephan was even a deacon so obviously not all Orthodox clergy had beards. The western church before it became schismatic were often beardless in the Roman fashion. So IMHO beards weren't always required but custom eventually required the Orthodox clergy to have beards or be laicized. However I have found pictures of some early American Orthodox priests who were beardless. I leave it up to the Bishops. Bishops, not lay people like me and you, are qualified to interpret Canon Law. Right now I know there is no requirement for men to have beards to be baptized or to grow them after baptism.

[@Saint_nobody]

BEEN WAITING FOR THIS! 😅 🙏🏻

[@AAA-tc6li]

Τι ωραία που τα λες Πάτερ

[@fratercontenduntocculta8161]

"All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow." Numbers 6:5

[@bevybanks]

Beards are fine if they are kept trimmed and clean. Nothing wrong with a haircut either. Measuring a man's spirituality over having a beard or not sounds a bit legalistic to me. Basic self care shows respect for oneself and others.

[@Lucas-jy7cv]

Bummer. I'm 41 and i hardly have facial hair

[@sakellarioudimitris7439]

What about Saints who were shaved?

[@Apaep12]

Examples? Not every saint is a priest, theres martyrs, kids, soldiers, etc.

[@sakellarioudimitris7439]

@Apaep12 St George the Trophy-Carrier and my patron Saint:St Demetrius the Myrh-Springer.

[@sondre9804]

I am 14 years old and Are turning 15 this year.I Wonder If i need to buy Oil Lamps.

[@sondre9804]

When people Are liking my comment, does That mean yes?😅

[@sondre9804]

And can someone tell me everything you need for an oil lamp

[@badnewsbruner]

​@@sondre9804You don't have to be or a certain age to have a lampada or a home altar. Legacy icons sells everything you'll need. Get a lampada some floating wicks and a bottle of olive oil 👍

[@BaikalTii]

His Grace Metropolitan Phillip, Archbishop of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America from 1966 to 2014 was mostly clean shaven. some phots show him with small growth around his chin and lips.

[@Cp....icnttyuif]

If that’s true that’s kinda problematic. Maybe he had a skin-hair condition that explains it, who knows.

[@WolvesBaseballNine]

Many Antiochian clergy shave for whatever reason. There's a lot of traditions a lot of them don't follow to their detriment in my opinion. Lord have mercy.

[@daphnepearce9411]

​@WolvesBaseballNine My antiochian priest has a full bread practically to his chest. In fact, I think the majority of the men at my parish have some kind of facial hair. They all look very manly....and pious.

[@WolvesBaseballNine]

@@daphnepearce9411 That's great to hear. Father Josiah Trenham is as trad as it gets and he's also in the Antiochian tradition. Always depends on the Parish and Priest.

[@daphnepearce9411]

@WolvesBaseballNine Yup, my priest is Fr. James Coles of St. Ignatius of Antioch in Arizona. Fr. Josiah will be coming to our parish in October to celebrate 25 years! Yea! Also plans are in the works to build a new, much larger church, since we're growing like crazy here and bursting at the seams.

[@cjbrewer3843]

I can't have a beard due to my job

[@Saint_nobody]

I have not gotten jobs because of my beard.

[@cjbrewer3843]

@@Saint_nobody Been a firefighter for about 7 years 🤷

[@fernandoespinosa7170]

Many years ago I quit a job because they asked me to shave, at that time I wasn't even Orthodox but just didn't feel right they put so much focus on that, nowdays it's actually different out there with many men having well grown, clean put together beards, which in a way I see it similar just on the oposite side, when what Fr. Peter is stating is exactly the "middle way" you might say, that is not putting that much attention to it since it just natural.

[@dylanarmour6727]

Don’t worry about it I’m happy to have Christian men serving in the authority branches. St Lawrence was shaven and some orthodox clerics have been shaven don’t worry about it

[@ZealousEZRA]

“Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?” ‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ What about long hair?

[@ninjason57]

80% of this video was about vanity regarding the look of a beard which wasn't the question. The question was if a beard is required to be in the clergy to which his answer was "Yes because of tradition (with exceptions being in America)."

[@johnsambo9379]

Many priests don't have beards. It's not necessary. What if you are a burn victim or can't grow a beard?

[@YeshuaIsKing-7]

I want to become an orthodox Christian from Kenya...I tried to look for orthodox churches in my city but have not found one...only Catholic churches are available..does joining an online church make me one...someone help me kindly❤

[@OrthodoxEthos]

See the following website and contact info ocok.org/.

[@YeshuaIsKing-7]

@@OrthodoxEthos I tried clicking it but doesn't show location...am in Mombasa in kenya...if yo know any orthodox church in Mombasa just tell me the location it will really help me thanks again

[@samr.i.9485]

​@@YeshuaIsKing-7There is a St. Marks Orthodox Church in Mombasa

[@solitaryone1536]

Beware of those who Cultivate the "Look" of Wisdom, for the Outside of the Cup, is no Guarantee of its Contents.

[@brocksanger6108]

Haha I love it❤️

[@zachcarpenter-tf8ln]

Thoughts on people that can’t grow beards? like full blood native Americans can’t grow facial hair.

[@tylerward2846]

Dont worry about it man. You don't have to have a beard to be a man, nor does our Faith require men to have beards

[@bobjenkins3rd]

I feel like I’m being slothful even when I have a well-kept beard. Clean shaven with a safety razor just feels right even though i don’t typically do that for long. Same with hair. Buzz it down and never think about it during the day. Am I wrong to do those?

[@BodilessVoice]

You are going against the historical norms for Orthodox Christian men, generally speaking. Note that Father Peter quotes St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, on the matter. It was the papists, the heretics, who normalized shaving, both for clergy and for laymen.

[@bobjenkins3rd]

@ruralsquirrel5158 wasn’t that something like shaving only parts of your face? That’s arguably more similar to shaping and trimming a beard than being full shaven.

[@fmayer1507]

Having a beard and hair can be very beneficial in extremely cold climates. In the Old Testament, there were strict laws against shaving beards and hair. Nazarenes kept hair and beards as a matter of sincere religious observance. Not being vain is an important Christian practice so as to avoid the sin of pride. Cutting hair and beards is not considered a sin and Orthodox Jews are very strict about this issue.

[@samueljennings4809]

@BodilessVoice from what I remembered, it was actually Alexander the Great who popularised the whole shaving thing as he said that it made it more difficult for opponents to grab at your face. Now, what the Latins did with that is a different thing, but it started as a military trend under Alexander’s campaigns.

[@samueljennings4809]

I mean, I’m not really defending him or disagreeing, I’m just saying that the reasoning that he stated is different from something inherently meant to feminise his soldiers, and that is where the beardless trend in the military really started. For better or for worse, that’s when it started. In modern times, the clean shaven trend came back in the military because of gas masks, as these would fit the masks better without a beard. Also it’s why moustaches started becoming associated with pilots and firemen, as this was the only facial hair allowed to wear due to not conflicting with gas masks fitting around the face. Basically, the history of it is complicated.

[@Arxyn_247]

What about young guys like high school kind of age, I am curious if this would also apply to them too if they have some facial hair coming in.

[@rorisangglodia8346]

True

[@vukgrkovic2436]

Can someone help me? There is this Yahweh argument used by secular historians how we left somethings out of the old testament etc. I'm doubting my faith (i don't think Orthodoxy is false or that God doesn't exist) because of it. Can someone help me clear my doubts?

[@bobjenkins3rd]

Yahweh argument? “Yahweh” which is the English estimation of the Hebrew is in the base texts. Some translations use it.

[@vukgrkovic2436]

@@bobjenkins3rd what I meant with that was Yahweh being worshipped by Canaanites until everyone else started doing the same thing. Yes, I know this sounds stupid but I got confused by that.

[@bobjenkins3rd]

@@vukgrkovic2436 I haven’t personally researched the theory, but secular theorists are just objectively bad in this arena. From what I have seen, they don’t produce serious scholarship even though I don’t doubt some of them are trying to. For starters, read The Origin and Growth of Religion by Wilhelm Schmidt.

[@OrthoLou]

1. We care because we want to look more masculine to attract mates and procreate... 2. We put stuff in it to make it softer, so it doesn't itch! Lol. I'm doing lumber work for 10 hours a day, a lot of the time out in the sun, I would like it to not itch whenever I sweat! Lol

[@WolvesBaseballNine]

If you're growing it to attract mates, I think the Father would be against that. It falls under vanity... That's not the reason Clergy and men thru history grew beards..

[@OrthoLou]

@WolvesBaseballNine I'm not clergy... And they grew beards because men just.. grow beards, and they didn't shave lol. I understand the reason of embracing the masculinity that God designed for us. But with all due respect to Father, we all want to get married and have children, and I'm sorry, but looking physically attractive is apart of that. One can take it too far and be vain, sure, but that doesn't mean we must ALL walk around like monks..

[@WolvesBaseballNine]

@@OrthoLou The Father addresses this, brother. Make yourself presentable but don't cross into vanity. It's a fine line. I'm growing out my hair and beard for the asceticism... Not really to attract a wife.. Put God and his Kingdom first... I workout to be strong and serve others... Not to look good and attract a wife... Anyway, I'm not even in the Church, that's just my two cents. God bless you.

[@LilBallOfScorpioInTheCorner]

I found a field mouse in my house today with a broken leg. I obviously could catch it in a container and set the container in a field. I read they can survive as it will heal if there are no predators but this guilt that I didn't help it heal is breaking my heart. I wasn't thinking because I panicked to place it where it's natural habitat would be. I live in a rural area where the vet is 3 hours to get to and found out they would put it out of it down. I read they can live as stated above. I am in tears and my heart hurts for not thinking quicker. A kind word for God's creature would help please because the guilt will last me till my end days. And if anyone comes at me saying, "it's just a mouse" you better re-evaluate your life with God. A few kind words please?

[@Itasca1]

Thank you for sharing this story... I understand... God bless you

[@LilBallOfScorpioInTheCorner]

@@Itasca1 thank you friend. God bless you & your family.

[@cindymoran8203]

Simply beautiful...God Bless❤

[@fernandoespinosa7170]

Don't worry brother, animals are very strong and they heal in such a rapid way, I do have the experience of verifying how quickly they heal completely, it's going to be fine

[@andreaslaugh2487]

I learned recently we have a Saint who helps animals heal. His name is Modestos. He served as Patriarch of Jerusalem in the 600s. Maybe you could pray to this saint & ask him to assist this creature.

[@eveneo5897]

It is very sad for a long time now you see with in the priest hood no beard no long hair and very fashionable cuts and I wonder with respect what do they see when the entare God's house WHAT do they see as example on the ICON all I can see 👀 humbleness and BIC example how 🤔 they should present them selfs and its readen and forbidden you can take not even one single hair from your hair and beard this is how you can tell you represent GODS TEACHINGS its very sad 😢 sorry 😞XRISTOS ANESTI

[@jon859]

I like having a beard, but i find it uncomfortable when it grows too long

[@MrYoursoup]

Make sure you comb it out daily (I do so after showering and use a hairdryer at the same time) and occasionally rub some olive oil on the skin below before you go to bed. I don't find mine uncomfortable at all.

[@Mark-i9k5i]

Simular to Amish, the beard,is shows honor

[@bojanbabovic111]

Saturn...

[@straywolf77]

Two human types in this world created by God - women and men with beards.

[@maryshandmaid3084]

Haahaa, do women have to shave?

[@JoshuaMichael53]

I believe Jesus Christ had a shorter beard. I wonder if He ever clipped it 🤔

[@martinbeilschmidt240]

@@JoshuaMichael53 some men only really start their best beard growth later in their 20's, so it may have been a natural length, without much or any clipping, I think.

[@pablokoz7497]

It only matters to your wife . Maybe this blessed priest isn’t married, because we need to be attractive to our wives or st least make them happy ! This is probably why St Paul said to stay single if your capable of self control

[@acekoala457]

I look like a Priest allegedly when I wear my Reader's Cassock. I don't shave I don't cut my hair. A lady at the Greek Parish called me "Father" and I had to correct her.

[@WayofYahushua]

Babble !

[@danielcalisthenics1339]

What if you are trying to look more masculine for the sake of having a chance to find a wife?

[@OrthodoxEthos]

We have to focus primarily on purifying our heart and growing closer to God so that we might find, and be attracted to, someone who also cares about the salvation of the soul and the Orthodox faith. If you focus too much on your externals you may only attract someone who cares mostly about superficial externals.

[@gooseabuser5963]

Lol no thanks

[@anthonydunn8199]

Combing your beard = vanity Brushing your teeth = what? Use logical consistency before you answer...

[@oldscorp]

Brushing your teeth is healthcare. It's not the same. Your face doesn't get infected or accumulate plaque if you don't shave or groom.

[@BNF5005]

@@oldscorp What about combing hair? He said it's fine to do that to be presentable, but combing the beard is going too far?

[@WolvesBaseballNine]

​@@BNF5005You're being too legalistic. There's a fine line. Comb and wash it, but don't go overboard and spend 5-10 minutes in front of the mirror... That's what the Father is talking about. He says some Saints didn't even have mirrors...

[@LadyMaria]

​@@oldscorpIt is healthcare to check in the beard for growths on the face like skin cancer. That requires combing.

[@samueljennings4809]

@LadyMaria from what I gather, there probably is some cultural element in this. Combing to ensure that it’s clean and that your skin is fine is healthcare. It seems, at least from what I’ve read so far, that what is criticised is the tendency to style facial hair in extravagant and flashy ways to draw attention to itself.

[@clkvlk]

Superstitions