Though they aren’t supposed to talk about it, and they certainly aren’t supposed to let you see it, if you know a Mormon, you may be curious about the mysterious underwear that they refer to as the “temple garment”. To learn more about this mystical-sounding underwear, keep on reading.
Mormon Underwear Explained
Holy symbols, rites, artifacts, and garments are associated with religions of all denominations. They represent and inspire faith in the religion, and while these elements may seem mystical and downright strange to those who aren’t believers of that particular faith, there’s one specific type of garment that is associated with one specific type of religion that seems a bit mystifying, downright strange, and even comical to outsiders: The Temple Garment, aka, Mormon underwear.
Formally known as the Garment of the Holy Priesthood, the Temple Garment is adorned underneath the clothing of adults who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Considered a sacred symbol of a personal commitment and dedication to God, Mormon adults wear the Temple Garment virtually all of the time. It’s more than just consecrated; it’s also highly personal for those who follow this faith.
For those who aren’t Mormons, yet have heard of the Garment of the Holy Priesthood has always had an heir of mysticism. There’s a good reason for that – because Mormon underwear isn’t meant to be spoken about, and it is meant to be kept hidden from those who do not have an understanding of the significance of this religious garment.
Not only is it not supposed to be seen when worn; it’s supposed to remain concealed even when it isn’t. Mormons are supposed to store the Temple Garment in a secure location where it will not be found by or visible to anybody else.
It’s because of the secrecy that surrounds Mormon underwear that it had always been so mysterious, but that started to change in 2014. It was then that the Church of Latter-Day Saints published and shared a video that presented the Garment of the Holy Priesthood to the public, and that video provided a short description of Mormon underwear to those who aren’t members of the LDS Church. When the video was released, Dale Jones, a spokesman for the church, said:
”Because there is little or no accurate information on this subject on the Internet, the church feels it is important to provide this resource”.
In this brief video, the basics of the Temple Garment were discussed. Specifically, the fact that it is white in color, that it is two pieces, and that it is worn by both men and women, but cut differently for each sex. The LDS Church also stated that the garment is “similar in design to ordinary modest underclothing”. While the details that the video provided were certainly informative, it put yet a mere dent in the can of worms, so to speak, regarding the facts vs the fiction regarding Mormon underwear.
How The Temple Garment is Worn
As mentioned above, Mormon underwear is worn by adult LDS Church members. They are given their first Garment of the Holy Priesthood after they completed their sacred endowment ceremony. During this ceremony, members of this religion make a serious of covenants with God; they promise to abide by the 10 commandments and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Once they have received their Temple Garment, devout Mormons are supposed to don this sacred garment all day and all night; however, some exceptions are permitted, such as while participating in sports and when engaging in other scenarios when it would not be practical. It should be noted that it isn’t known if sex is one of the activities that not wearing Mormon underwear is considered acceptable; however, it is likely, but may not be the cases in all situations and for all LDS Church members.
When it is worn, a Mormon is never supposed to expose the Temple Garment to the public. As such, every member of the LDS Church who wears the garment also needs to make sure that all of the exterior garments that they don are covering their bodies from the shoulders to the upper legs (the parts of the body where the garment starts and ends). Both men and women members of the church are supposed to abide by the same rules when wearing their Mormon underwear.
As the video of that the LDS Church shared in 2014, the Temple Garment that is worn by both men and women are very simple and unadorned; however, it wasn’t always that way.
The History of Mormon Underwear
While it probably comes as no surprise, the history of Mormon underwear isn’t well understood; however, according to most resources, it was first introduced in the 1840s, around the same time that Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, died in 1844.
From the time it was first introduced until 1923, the garment was modernized by the LDS Church. The arms and legs were shortened, and a few other minor alterations were made; but other than these few changes, the Temple Garment was relatively unchanged. It was long, it wasn’t always white (it wasn’t until 1893 that it was decided that it needed to be white), and it was a single piece of fabric that concealed the legs, torso, and arms.
On the left breast of the garment, a “V” was cut into the fabric, which is referred to as the “compass”, and on the right, a backward “L”, known as the “square”, was placed. A horizontal line was placed along the navel and then another on the right knee.
The precise reasoning behind these symbols does vary; however, according to a reliable resource, it is said that the square is meant to inspired “exactness and honor in keeping one’s covenants”, and that the mark of the compass serves as a consistent reminder for the wearer to maintain their passions within the “bounds” that have been set by the Lord.
Summing It Up
While it may be very simplistic and call to mind days of old, Mormon underwear isn’t as “weird” as it seems. The wearer’s commitment to their faith and God that it is meant to symbolize is actually quite inspiring.
