Temple garment

Post-1979 two-piece temple garments end just above the knee for both sexes. Women's garments have cap sleeves with either a rounded or sweetheart neckline. Male tops are available in T-shirt styles.[1]

A temple garment, also referred to as garments, the garment of the holy priesthood,[2][3][4] or Mormon underwear,[5] is a type of underwear worn by adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement after they have taken part in the endowment ceremony. Garments are required for any individual who previously participated in the endowment ceremony to enter a temple.[6] The undergarments are viewed as a symbolic reminder of the covenants made in temple ceremonies and are seen as a symbolic and/or literal source of protection from the evils of the world.[7]

The garment is given as part of the washing and anointing portion of the endowment. Today, the temple garment is worn primarily by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and by members of some Mormon fundamentalist churches.[8][9] Adherents consider them to be sacred and not suitable for public display. Anti-Mormon activists have occasionally publicly displayed or defaced temple garments to express their opposition to the LDS Church.[10]

  1. ^ Hamilton & Hawley 1999, p. 44.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Asay 1997 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ F. David Stanley (June 2000). "The Most Important Step". New Era. Retrieved 2015-03-04.
  4. ^ "Lesson 6: Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple". Endowed from on High: Temple Preparation Seminar Teacher's Manual. LDS Church. 2003. p. 27. Retrieved 2015-03-04.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference stuever was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Marshall 1992
  7. ^ Koch & Weis 1999, p. 35
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference twentyyears was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference primetime was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Moore 2003