Most Orthodox priests wear beards because it’s an ancient tradition rooted in Scripture, early Church canons, and the desire to reflect Christ’s own appearance. It’s not exactly a dogma, but it’s not just a fashion choice either.
The practice goes back to the Old Testament. Leviticus 19:27 tells men not to “mar the edges of your beard,” and Leviticus 21:5 specifically addresses priests, forbidding them to shave their beards. These weren’t arbitrary rules. Shaving was associated with pagan mourning rituals and practices the Israelites were supposed to avoid. The beard marked a man as set apart for God.
Early Christians inherited this understanding. The desert fathers let their hair and beards grow as part of their ascetic practice, rejecting vanity and worldly grooming habits. By the fifth century, beards became standard for Eastern clergy. The Quinisext Council in 692 made it official with Canon 55, which actually criticizes Latin priests for shaving their beards and mustaches, saying they looked like “very young men and handsome bridegrooms.” The canon wasn’t being poetic. It was making a point about maintaining a distinct identity as clergy and avoiding effeminate or worldly appearances.
There’s also a Christological dimension. Christ himself had a beard. We know this from iconography that goes back to the earliest Christian art, and it makes sense given he was a first-century Jewish man. When a priest stands at the altar celebrating the Eucharist, he’s acting as an icon of Christ. The beard is part of that visual witness. It’s one small way the priest’s appearance points beyond himself to the one he represents.
Now, you might’ve noticed I said “most” Orthodox priests wear beards. That’s because this is what the Church calls a disciplinary tradition rather than a dogmatic requirement. A priest can’t shave his beard completely without good reason, but some trimming is allowed, especially of the mustache for practical reasons during Communion. In North America, you’ll occasionally see a priest with a closely trimmed beard or even clean-shaven if there’s a medical issue or he works a secular job that requires it. These are exceptions granted by economia, the Church’s pastoral flexibility. But the norm remains the full beard.
If you walk into St. Michael’s on a Sunday morning and see Fr. Michael with his beard, you’re seeing something that connects him to St. Basil the Great, St. John Chrysostom, and centuries of priests who stood at the same altar doing the same liturgy. It’s a visible link to the early Church. In Southeast Texas, where most folks are used to clean-shaven Baptist pastors or Catholic priests, an Orthodox priest’s beard can look unusual at first. But it’s not about being different for difference’s sake. It’s about continuity with how the Church has always understood the priesthood.
The tradition extends to laymen, too, though it’s not required. Many Orthodox men grow beards as an expression of piety and connection to the faith. You’ll see variation. Some guys have full biblical beards, others keep things trimmed. It’s encouraged but not mandated for the laity.
What matters is understanding why the tradition exists. It’s not legalism or an attempt to look holy. It’s about embodying something ancient, about letting even your appearance witness to a faith that doesn’t change with the times. When you see your priest’s beard, you’re seeing a small but real way he’s taken on the image of Christ and the saints who came before him.
