Why did the Russian cut a hole in his shirt for his necklace?

May 21, 2013 7:10 AM

A couple months back I was loading a truck and the Russian/Slavic-looking/sounding driver (and the name of the truck line/owner printed on the truck was definitely Slavic) had a hole cut in his shirt and his necklace/pendant was pulled thru the hole so that it was visible. My somewhat foggy memory thinks it was something religious icon-y. My question: Is this something other than an individual quirk and if so can you tell me about it?
posted by J0 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (7 answers total)

I would guess that it was most likely a St. Christopher pendant. St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers, as well as of transportation and transportation workers and porters.

As to why he had it poking out of a hole in this shirt - not sure. I'm not aware of any particular tradition about whether the St. Christopher medal should be visible or hidden. Most people seem to keep them tucked under their clothes.
posted by pipeski at 7:31 AM on May 21, 2013

Are you sure it was a deliberate hole, and not just a hole that happened to form where his necklace would fall through it?
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:16 AM on May 21, 2013

I am "quite sure" that the hole was made deliberately so that the necklace could be pulled thru; I think it was a single straight cut. I think there was maybe 2" of the chain pulled thru. (Why didn't I just ask the guy? Who knows...)
posted by J0 at 9:30 AM on May 21, 2013

Maybe it is important to him that he wear it but it causes skin irritation or snags on his chest hair.
posted by Chaussette and the Pussy Cats at 9:40 AM on May 21, 2013

Was it an extra slit between two buttonholes? (examples here and here)
posted by amyms at 10:37 AM on May 21, 2013

It was a t-shirt, sorry, should have said that originally...
posted by J0 at 2:15 PM on May 21, 2013

Maybe the pendant gets in the way of his work (lifting/loading?) if it hangs freely?
posted by Schielisque at 5:30 PM on May 21, 2013