The tonsure - bad clergy hairstyles of yesteryear

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Pergamum

Ordinary Guy (TM)
Medieval monks had tonsured heads.


I would like to know know when and why this started.

When did it end?

Does it persist anywhere today?

Was this ever discussed during the Reformation? Luther had a tonsure, right? Did he let it grow out gradually?


(...just realized today that if I had gone out as a medeival missionary, I'd have to have gotten a really goofy haircut.)
 
Presumably (like clergy wearing distinctive clothing) this was to mark out those in clerical professions from laypeople.

The tonsure was starting to fall out of favor in Luther's day anyway, and the Reformation just sped up the process.

And as a medieval missionary, a bad haircut would have been the least of your worries: you would also have had to wear sandals in winter and woollen robes in summer.
 
martin_luther.jpg


I would say he grew his hair out.
 
As for Luther, he apparently kept his tonsure until he went into hiding at Wartburg (1521), and even then he only got rid of it in order to radically change his appearance.

As for Luther's "theology" of the tonsure, here are some interesting remarks he made (starts at the bottom of the page)
 
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