BISHOPS
All of them wear the phelonion (with different patterns)
Headgear
Orthodox: Phelonion and no headgear
Apostolic: Phelonion with black Koukoulion
Coptic: Phelonion with black Koukoulion with crosses
Nestorian: Phelonion with white Koukoulion with crosses
MONKS
All of them wear a black robe
Headgear:
Orthodox and Apostolic: black Koukoulion
Nestorian: white Koukoulion with crosses
Coptic: black Koukoulion with crosses
notes:
This can add a lot of variety (and finally differentiate these 4 religions ) and historical accuracy with only one asset with different textures
Nestorian and Apostolic both use white and black hoods (see below) so to save on groups they could be both in one group
All bishops should wear the phelonion with the omophorion, while monks have a simple black/dark robe. The clothing of all these eastern denominations of Christianity was generally very similar, since it was influenced by Constantinople. (Steele, Valerie 2015)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND SOURCES
Orthodox Byzantine/Greek Bishops
Orthodox Byzantine and Greek bishops did not wear any headgear. Orthodox mitres and hats were adopted after 1453 and were not fully used by all Orthodox until the 18th century. The vanilla Orthodox Mitres are post 1600s models, and historically inaccurate. The Patriarch of Alexandria was an exception, see below.
Orthodox Byzantine/Greek Monks
Orthodox Byzantine and Greek monks wore a cap called koukoulion. It was black and occasionally had crosses. It later (1700s) evolved into the Kalimavkion.
Coptic
Coptic clergy, both monks and bishops, wore headgear, specifically a hood. This was also called koukoulion. It was decorated, probably with crosses.The modern version has a specific patterns of 12 crosses on its head. See below. Of particular interest are the wall painting of the Monastery of Saint Anthony in Sinai (Bolman, E. S., & Godeau, P. 2002).
The top right images of are of Cyril of Alexandria, who was the Orthodox (not Coptic) bishop of Alexandria in Egypt. His headgear was also a hood, and in this case it is shown having the same pattern of the polystavrion (with crosses). Indeed, Theodore Balsamon, Patriarch of Antioch (ca. 1130–1140) stated that the patriarch of Alexandria was the only Orthodox prelate to wear a hat during the liturgy; this claim was repeated by Symeon of Thessalonica in the fifteenth century (Woodfin Warren, 2012).
Armenian
Armenian clergy (monks and bishops) wore a cap, basically the koukoulion, a bit more pointy. It is still in use today. Some of the miniatures I found show a white version, but the research on it is much less extensive than on Orthodox, so it is hard to tell.
Nestorian
There's very little information on the Syriacs/Nestorians I could find, but there's definite evidence of the bishops wearing a white koukoulion with a cross in the front. The monastery of Saint Moses in Syria clearly shows both monks and nuns with black caps, but it is difficult to see clearlyy what time of decoration they have on it. It seems like white lines, maybe crosses?
Sources
Woodfin, Warren T. (2012). The embodied icon : liturgical vestments and sacramental power in Byzantium. Oxford [Great Britain]: Oxford University Press. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-19-959209-8. OCLC 714724958.
Gawdat Gabra, The A to Z of the Coptic ChurchVolume 107 of The A to Z Guide Series
Bolman, E. S., & Godeau, P. (2002). Monastic visions: Wall paintings in the Monastery of St. Antony at the Red Sea. Cairo: American Research Center in Egypt.
Steele, Valerie (2015-08-01). The Berg Companion to Fashion. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4742-6470-9.
Ervine, Roberta R. (2006). Worship Traditions in Armenia and the Neighboring Christian East: An International Symposium in Honor of the 40th Anniversary of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary. St Vladimir's Seminary Press. ISBN 978-0-88141-304-5.
Graphical summary of the proposal:
BISHOPS All of them wear the phelonion (with different patterns) Headgear Orthodox: Phelonion and no headgear Apostolic: Phelonion with black Koukoulion Coptic: Phelonion with black Koukoulion with crosses Nestorian: Phelonion with white Koukoulion with crosses
MONKS All of them wear a black robe Headgear: Orthodox and Apostolic: black Koukoulion Nestorian: white Koukoulion with crosses Coptic: black Koukoulion with crosses
notes: This can add a lot of variety (and finally differentiate these 4 religions ) and historical accuracy with only one asset with different textures Nestorian and Apostolic both use white and black hoods (see below) so to save on groups they could be both in one group
All bishops should wear the phelonion with the omophorion, while monks have a simple black/dark robe. The clothing of all these eastern denominations of Christianity was generally very similar, since it was influenced by Constantinople. (Steele, Valerie 2015)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND SOURCES
Orthodox Byzantine/Greek Bishops
Orthodox Byzantine and Greek bishops did not wear any headgear. Orthodox mitres and hats were adopted after 1453 and were not fully used by all Orthodox until the 18th century. The vanilla Orthodox Mitres are post 1600s models, and historically inaccurate. The Patriarch of Alexandria was an exception, see below.
Orthodox Byzantine/Greek Monks
Orthodox Byzantine and Greek monks wore a cap called koukoulion. It was black and occasionally had crosses. It later (1700s) evolved into the Kalimavkion.
Coptic
Coptic clergy, both monks and bishops, wore headgear, specifically a hood. This was also called koukoulion. It was decorated, probably with crosses.The modern version has a specific patterns of 12 crosses on its head. See below. Of particular interest are the wall painting of the Monastery of Saint Anthony in Sinai (Bolman, E. S., & Godeau, P. 2002).
The top right images of are of Cyril of Alexandria, who was the Orthodox (not Coptic) bishop of Alexandria in Egypt. His headgear was also a hood, and in this case it is shown having the same pattern of the polystavrion (with crosses). Indeed, Theodore Balsamon, Patriarch of Antioch (ca. 1130–1140) stated that the patriarch of Alexandria was the only Orthodox prelate to wear a hat during the liturgy; this claim was repeated by Symeon of Thessalonica in the fifteenth century (Woodfin Warren, 2012).
Armenian
Armenian clergy (monks and bishops) wore a cap, basically the koukoulion, a bit more pointy. It is still in use today. Some of the miniatures I found show a white version, but the research on it is much less extensive than on Orthodox, so it is hard to tell.
Nestorian
There's very little information on the Syriacs/Nestorians I could find, but there's definite evidence of the bishops wearing a white koukoulion with a cross in the front. The monastery of Saint Moses in Syria clearly shows both monks and nuns with black caps, but it is difficult to see clearlyy what time of decoration they have on it. It seems like white lines, maybe crosses?
Sources
Woodfin, Warren T. (2012). The embodied icon : liturgical vestments and sacramental power in Byzantium. Oxford [Great Britain]: Oxford University Press. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-19-959209-8. OCLC 714724958.
Gawdat Gabra, The A to Z of the Coptic ChurchVolume 107 of The A to Z Guide Series
Bolman, E. S., & Godeau, P. (2002). Monastic visions: Wall paintings in the Monastery of St. Antony at the Red Sea. Cairo: American Research Center in Egypt.
Steele, Valerie (2015-08-01). The Berg Companion to Fashion. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4742-6470-9.
Ervine, Roberta R. (2006). Worship Traditions in Armenia and the Neighboring Christian East: An International Symposium in Honor of the 40th Anniversary of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary. St Vladimir's Seminary Press. ISBN 978-0-88141-304-5.