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I just recalled, reading the exchange on Mary of Egypt, references to a supposed group of nudist heretics called Adamites. (According to the article in volume 1 of Catholicisme, the name is an old one later applied at various times from the twelfth century through to the Hussite wars.) Thus literal adoption of nudity, except for some dramatic gesture, might be suspect. Furthermore, the equation of clothing with social status was a strong one, forming one thread of the debate over vanity of dress in the 15th century. This clothes consciousness transferred to the New World, where the nakedness or near-nakedness of many indigenous peoples enterred into arguments about their status & rights. tom izbicki %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%