Do Amish widowers shave off their beards?
November 18, 2007 7:05 PM Subscribe
What is the facial hair protocol for a widowed Amish man?
Digging through Google hits hasn't produced the answer here. My understanding is that Amish males grow out their facial hair when they are married, so that a full beard (sans mustache) is the signal of a married man. But, what happens if his wife dies? Does he shave off the beard or let it remain?
Digging through Google hits hasn't produced the answer here. My understanding is that Amish males grow out their facial hair when they are married, so that a full beard (sans mustache) is the signal of a married man. But, what happens if his wife dies? Does he shave off the beard or let it remain?
Amish live down the road from me. As far as I've noticed and asked, they keep the beard, because marriage is a pact under God. I don't know the protocol on remarrying, however.
posted by Loto at 9:26 PM on November 18, 2007
posted by Loto at 9:26 PM on November 18, 2007
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This is also confirmed by the movie Witness, in which the boys grandfather, who has been widowed, still has his beard. I realize that that isn't exactly an authoritative source, but I remember reading somewhere that the makers of the movie were careful to be realistic about such things.
posted by cerebus19 at 7:52 PM on November 18, 2007