"I have to admit, I had to look up the words. I have never heard of an Orthodox priest wearing a biretta, and fiddleback just doesn't yield anything religious in my search. Maybe you can enlighten me."
Perhaps I was unclear, I should have written "I knew I would never see an EO priest wear a biretta or fiddleback."
The fiddleback is a nickname for the Roman Chasuble, one of the three types of Chasubles worn by Latin priests. Here is a nice spread of pictures, courtesy of Fr Tucker of Dappled Things: http://dappledphotos.blogspot.com/2005/03/fiddleback-chasuble-sightings.html
"Whatever changes are needed, I hope the Catholics do what the Orthodox do when faced with such dilemma: look back! We always revert to patristic teahcings and traditions. Pope Benedict XVI seems to be one such Christian who seeks solutions in patristic traditions."
In his VII declaration on the Eastern Catholic Churches (I know it's a very touchy subject with the Orthodox, but I'll leave it at that) Paul VI gave exactly that advice to them: Go back, rediscover the beauty of your traditions! It's a wonder the West wasn't given that same advice.
"My personal impression is that somehow the Vatican II promoted changes that at least externally approached the Protestants, perhaps to make Catholicism appear more agreeable to them."
Yes, I have to say that I agree with that. You probably missed it, but sometime last week or the week before that, a FReeper posted a meta-analysis, where a liturgically right wing priest criticized the commentary of a liturgically horrible priest who was criticizing a beautifully done Solemn Novus Ordo Mass on EWTN. In this one Mass they broke out the incense and bells and Latin, etc.; the left wing priest criticized it, saying it would alienate our Protestant brethren.
Oh, now I see what you meant. Sorry, I didn't read it correctly the first time. Thanks for the informative link. There are other pictures of things I can look up and learn. Very much obliged.
Orthodox clergy wear something similar to a Cahsuble. But when they are not serving they wear plain black cassoks. Here is an exaple of a Russian priest.
Or this one (showing a Greek Orthodox bishop)
[You can tell it's a bishop because he is wearing Panagia (All Holy) medallion instead of a simple cross]
When they serve, they must be vested. There is a small vestment which comes only around their neck and projects below their waist (when they hear confessions or bless the food, etc.). Otherwise, they are fully vested.
Here you can see Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and All Russia wearing a simple but impressive vetsments duirng a Pontifical Divine Liturgy (the two sets of candles represent the Holy Trinity intertwined into one God, and the other one the two natures of our Lord Jesus Christ seamlessly united but unconfused in one Person)
Here is a picture of a Russian priest hearing a confession. Our confesisonals are not closed. They are located in the left wing of the Church, away from the public.
The next picture shows Patriarch Alexei II again, the first in honor of the Russian Church, during a Divine Liturgy in a more ornate vestment. Behind him, holding a candle, is a deacon wearing an ornate vestment as well. The Patriarch is also holding the pastoral staff.
Here is an example of a westernized Orthodox Priest (Ukrainian) who is clean shaven and in a church with pews! Most Greek Orthodox churches in America also have pews, which is an aberration in Orthodoxy, and many of their clery are clean shaven. But the picture illustrates what I call "small vestments" (I am not sure what's the official name), worn over his neck.
For a full text of the Liturgy of St. James
Do you recognize the any Latin Mass in it?
Sorry for the long post. I hope it gave you some idea of what our priests wear. I wanted to ask you though about colors of priestly vestments. They seem to change at specific times of the year. In the Orthodox Church the purple is during the Great and Holy Lent and the white is for the 40 days after Resurrection (until Pentecost).
[Pope] Paul VI gave exactly that advice to them: Go back, rediscover the beauty of your traditions! It's a wonder the West wasn't given that same advice Yes, indeed. I believe, however, with God's mercy, that +BXVI is doing just that.
... the left wing priest criticized it, saying it would alienate our Protestant brethren
The Protestant brethren reject Sacraments and Apostolic Succession and no amount of external simplification of the Divine/Holy Liturgy will bring them closer.
