The poor secular people...dress according to their inner state
"A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment." (Deut. 22:5)
—Geronda, how should we deal with women who come to the monastery in trousers? They often claim that they are more practical and more modest than short dresses.
—These days it's either short dresses or trousers! Doesn't the Old Testament say very clearly and with these details:
A man shall not wear a woman's garment and a woman shall not wear a man's garment? It's the law of God; and besides that, it's inappropriate. Men rarely, very rarely wear dresses.
—Women who work in the fields, however, say that it's easier for them to do their job if they wear trousers.
—These are excuses.
—Geronda, mothers say that they dress their little girls in trousers to keep them warm.
—Is this the only way they can solve this problem? How about stockings? Can't they wear stockings or something else that will cover their legs and keep them warm? Where there's a will, there's a way.
—Geronda, what should we do when dignitaries come and are accompanied by a woman wearing trousers?
—You must explain by asking them, "Do you want us to make an exception, break the rule, and disrupt the order of our monastery?"
—Once, Geronda, thirty high school teachers came wearing trousers and we let them go in.
—That was wrong. You should have told them, "Sorry, but it is the policy of the monastery not to allow entrance to women who are wearing trousers." These women, after leaving you, will then go to other monasteries and say, "At Saint John the Evangelist Monastery, they let us in with trousers." You accommodated them because you did not want to insult them, whereas later, they will not hesitate to insult you. Place a sign at the gate with the relevant passage from the Old Testament. Make fifty skirts and offer them politely to female visitors who are wearing trousers or short dresses, especially those who are coming for the first time and do not know the rules.
—Geronda, what happens if a High School comes and all the girls are wearing trousers?
—You should offer them a treat outside the gate. This way you will give them reason to think about the issue. Or, if they call in advance to notify you of the visit, let them know that women, either teachers or students, are not allowed in if they wear trousers. This way they will realize that they must show respect for the monastery. The monastery is not a parish church. It is the responsibility of the parish priest to educate women and explain why they should not be wearing trousers and why it's important to conform to this rule. If at some point, women from another parish visit his church wearing trousers, he should try and take care of the problem, keeping in mind that the Church is our Mother. She is not our stepmother.
—But, Geronda, many people say, "With all these restrictions, you are actually driving people away from the Church."
—Doesn't the Old Testament contain a commandment from God that forbids women to wear man's clothing? What more do they want? But you see, there is more to this than meets the eye. First they start with, "But why shouldn't women also wear trousers?" and then in the end you'll hear, "Why shouldn't atheists be allowed to serve on the Parish Council, since it is the people who make up the Church?" If they get their way, the fate of the Church will be in the hands of atheists. They will start removing one thing after another, and, in the end, they will turn churches into libraries and warehouses. "Why not remove this;, why not take away that?" What can you say?
When half-naked tourists come to the monastery, they should not be allowed in under the pretext of collecting money to assist in providing clothing for the poor. This is a scheme designed by the devil who wants to alienate the monk from God's blessings and secularize him, making him indistinguishable from those who live in the world. However, a monk who has abandoned the world and is truly in exile for the sake of Christ will become rich in virtues.
—Geronda, when you were at Stomion Monastery, did you have to post signs for tourists?
—Sure, I had all kinds of signs. At the monastery gates, I put up a sign which read, Welcome to the Monastery. Further along, about twenty minutes from the monastery, I put up another sign which said, To the River Aoos, if dressed indecently, with an arrow pointing in that direction. A third sign read, To the monastery, if dressed decently, with an arrow pointing toward the monastery. Wasn't that a good idea?
—What must we do, Geronda, during the summer when many women come here with bare shoulders?
—Well, make some shawls or something that they can put over their shoulders. This way they will realize that when they are on monastery grounds, they should show respect and reverence.
With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man
(pages 325-328)
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