ROBING AND DISROBING IN PUBLIC

Most of our choirs use choir robes as their uniform for every divine or full service. These robes are either sewn in the American robe style (the academic gown/single gown style) or the British robe style (the cassock & surplice style).

Some choristers are always found robing and disrobing outside the vestry; this practice is not good.

The right place for choristers to wear their robes for service and remove them after service is the

‘choir vestry’ and not in the temple or the choir loft (where the choir is seated). Mostly, the vestry serves as a place for the keeping of robes, as well as a prayer room for the choir (and sometimes the clergy).

Choristers are sometimes found wearing their robes as they walk into the temple or the choir loft; some of them carry their choir robes to be worn in the choir loft. Again, after the choir has recessed, some choristers are also found walking back to the choir loft to disrobe. Some choristers who have sewn their own robes are also seen robing and disrobing beside their vehicles at the car park.

Sometimes, where there is no vestry, or where the vestry is small for all choristers to gather and pray before and after service, or where the vestry is far from the main church hall, designated areas of the church are used for prayers. When such situations occur, some choristers are found wanted wearing and removing their choir robes while walking ‘to’ or ‘fro’ the original vestry; this practice is not good. 

Choristers should note that robes are worn and removed only in the vestry. However, if the vestry prayer is not said in the vestry, male choristers should wear their cassocks in the vestry and hold their surplices nicely to the prayer area. Female choristers should also wear their gowns in the vestry, while they walk to the prayer area. 

Choristers in this ‘situation’ can also carry their robes to the ‘prayer area’ and robe there. After the ‘closing vestry prayers’, such choristers should either disrobe fully in the prayer area or walk to the vestry and disrobe. 

However, male choristers can also remove their surplices and hold them back to disrobe fully in the vestry; female choristers can also do same with their jabots.

 

Choristers should not, under any circumstances, wear or remove their robes while they walk in the 'crowd', either to the vestry or exchanging pleasantries. Chorister should also report early so that they will not have to dress while they walk to the ‘line’ for the procession. 

Choristers minister through music while our pastors minister through the word. Reverend Ministers have a vestry for wearing and removing their full pastoral gown, they also say their prayers there. No ‘minister of the word’ will wear or remove his/her apparel in 'public', so why must the chorister – ‘Ministers of Music’ – do so?