Priestly vestments. Clergy vestments

everything about the orders of priests, the orders of the Russian Orthodox Church and their vestments

Following the example of the Old Testament church, where there were a high priest, priests and Levites, the holy Apostles established three degrees of priesthood in the New Testament Christian Church: bishops, presbyters (i.e. priests) and deacons. All of them are called clergy, because through the sacrament of the priesthood they receive the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ; perform divine services, teach people the Christian faith and good life (piety) and manage church affairs.

Bishops constitute the highest rank in the Church. They receive the highest degree of grace. Bishops are also called bishops, i.e., the heads of the priests (priests). Bishops can perform all Sacraments and all church services. This means that bishops have the right not only to perform ordinary Divine services, but also to ordain (ordain) clergy, as well as to consecrate chrism and antimensions, which is not given to priests.

According to the degree of priesthood, all bishops are equal to each other, but the oldest and most honored of the bishops are called archbishops, while the capital's bishops are called metropolitans, since the capital is called metropolis in Greek. Bishops of ancient capitals, such as: Jerusalem, Constantinople (Constantinople), Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and from the 16th century the Russian capital of Moscow, are called patriarchs. From 1721 to 1917, the Russian Orthodox Church was governed by the Holy Synod. In 1917, the Holy Council meeting in Moscow elected again the “Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia” to govern the Russian Orthodox Church.

Metropolitans

To help a bishop, another bishop is sometimes given, who, in this case, is called vicar, i.e., viceroy. Exarch- the title of the head of a separate church district. Currently, there is only one exarch - the Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl, who governs the Belarusian Exarchate.

Priests, and in Greek priests or elders, constitute the second sacred rank after the bishop. Priests can perform, with the blessing of the bishop, all the sacraments and church services, except for those that are supposed to be performed only by the bishop, that is, except for the sacrament of the priesthood and the consecration of the world and antimensions.

A Christian community under the jurisdiction of a priest is called his parish.
More worthy and honored priests are given the title archpriest, i.e. the main priest, or the leading priest, and the main one between them is the title protopresbyter.
If the priest is at the same time a monk (black priesthood), then he is called hieromonk, i.e., a priestly monk.

In monasteries there are up to six degrees of preparation for the angelic image:
Worker / worker— lives and works in a monastery, but has not yet chosen the monastic path.
Novice / Novice- a laborer who has completed obedience in a monastery and has received the blessing of wearing a cassock and a skufa (for women an apostle). At the same time, the novice retains his worldly name. A seminarian or parish sexton is accepted into the monastery as a novice.
Rassophore novice / Rassophore novice- a novice who is blessed to wear some monastic clothes (for example, a cassock, kamilavka (sometimes hood) and rosary). Rassophore or monastic tonsure (monk/nun) - a symbolic (as at baptism) cutting the hair and giving a new name in honor of the new heavenly patron; one is blessed to wear a cassock, kamilavka (sometimes hood) and rosary.
Robe or monastic tonsure or small angelic image or small schema ( monk/nun) - vows of obedience and renunciation from the world are given, hair is symbolically cut, the name of the heavenly patron is changed and monastic clothes are blessed: hair shirt, cassock, slippers, paraman cross, rosary, belt (sometimes leather belt), cassock, hood, mantle, apostle.
Schima or great schema or great angelic image ( schema-monk, schema-monk / schema-nun, schema-nun) - the same vows are given again, the hair is symbolically cut, the name of the heavenly patron is changed and clothes are added: analav and a kokol instead of a hood.

Monk

Schimonakh

Hieromonks, upon appointment by their abbots of monasteries, and sometimes independently of this, as an honorary distinction, are given the title abbot or higher rank archimandrite. Especially worthy of the archimandrites are elected to bishops.

Hegumen Roman (Zagrebnev)

Archimandrite John (Krastyankin)

The participation of a deacon in the Divine service is not necessary, and therefore in many churches the service takes place without a deacon.
Some deacons are awarded the title protodeacon, i.e., chief deacon.
A monk who has received the rank of deacon is called hierodeacon, and the senior hierodeacon - archdeacon.
In addition to the three sacred ranks, there are also lower official positions in the Church: subdeacons, psalm-readers (sacristans) and sextons. They, being among the clergy, are appointed to their positions not through the sacrament of the Priesthood, but only with the blessing of the bishop.
Psalmists have the duty to read and sing, both during divine services in the church on the choir, and when the priest performs spiritual needs in the homes of parishioners.

Acolyte

Sexton have their duty to call believers to Divine services by ringing bells, light candles in the temple, serve censers, help psalm-readers in reading and singing, and so on.

Sexton

Subdeacons participate only in the episcopal service. They dress the bishop in sacred clothes, hold lamps (trikiri and dikiri) and present them to the bishop to bless those praying with them.

Subdeacons

Priests, in order to perform Divine services, must put on special sacred clothes. Sacred robes are made of brocade or any other suitable material and decorated with crosses. The deacon's vestments consist of: surplice, orarion and bridles.

Surplice There are long clothes without a slit in the front and back, with an opening for the head and wide sleeves. The surplice is also required for subdeacons. The right to wear the surplice can be given to psalm-readers and laymen serving in the church. The surplice signifies the purity of the soul that persons of holy orders must have.

Orar there is a long wide ribbon made of the same material as the surplice. It is worn by the deacon on his left shoulder, above the surplice. The Orarion signifies the grace of God that the deacon received in the sacrament of the Priesthood.
Narrow sleeves that are fastened with laces are called handguards. The instructions remind the clergy that when they perform the sacraments or participate in the celebration of the sacraments of the faith of Christ, they do this not with their own strength, but with the power and grace of God. The guards also resemble the bonds (ropes) on the hands of the Savior during His suffering.

The vestments of a priest consist of: a vestment, an epitrachelion, a belt, armbands and a phelonion (or chasuble).

The surplice is a surplice in a slightly modified form. It differs from the surplice in that it is made of thin white material, and its sleeves are narrow with laces at the ends, with which they are tightened on the arms. The white color of the sacristan reminds the priest that he must always have a pure soul and lead an immaculate life. In addition, the cassock also resembles the tunic (underwear) in which our Lord Jesus Christ Himself walked on earth and in which He accomplished the work of our salvation.

The epitrachelion is the same orarion, but only folded in half so that, going around the neck, it descends from the front downwards with two ends, which for convenience are sewn or somehow connected to each other. The epitrachelion signifies the special, double grace compared to the deacon, given to the priest for performing the sacraments. Without an epitrachelion, a priest cannot perform a single service, just as a deacon cannot perform a single service without an orarion.

The belt is worn over the epitrachelion and cassock and signifies readiness to serve the Lord. The belt also signifies Divine power, which strengthens the clergy in carrying out their ministry. The belt also resembles the towel with which the Savior girded when washing the feet of His disciples at the Secret

The chasuble, or phelonion, is worn by the priest on top of other clothes. This clothing is long, wide, sleeveless, with an opening for the head at the top and a large cutout in the front for free action of the arms. In its appearance, the robe resembles the scarlet robe in which the suffering Savior was clothed. The ribbons sewn on the robe resemble the streams of blood that flowed through His clothes. At the same time, the robe also reminds the priests of the garment of righteousness in which they must be clothed as servants of Christ.

On top of the chasuble, on the priest’s chest, is a pectoral cross.

For diligent, long-term service, priests are given a legguard, that is, a quadrangular cloth hung on a ribbon over the shoulder and two corners on the right hip, meaning a spiritual sword, as well as head ornaments - skufya and kamilavka.

Kamilavka.

The bishop (bishop) puts on all the clothes of a priest: a vestment, epitrachelion, belt, armlets, only his chasuble is replaced by a sakkos, and his loincloth by a club. In addition, the bishop puts on an omophorion and a miter.

Sakkos is the bishop's outer garment, similar to a deacon's surplice shortened at the bottom and in the sleeves, so that from under the bishop's sakkos both the saccos and the epitrachelion are visible. Sakkos, like the priest’s robe, symbolizes the Savior’s purple robe.

The club is a quadrangular board hung at one corner, above the sakkos on the right thigh. As a reward for excellent and diligent service, the right to wear a club is sometimes received from the ruling bishop by honored archpriests, who also wear it on the right side, and in this case the legguard is placed on the left. For archimandrites, as well as for bishops, the club serves as a necessary accessory to their vestments. The club, like the legguard, means the spiritual sword, that is, the word of God, with which clergy must be armed to fight unbelief and wickedness.

On the shoulders, above the sakkos, bishops wear an omophorion. Omophorion there is a long wide ribbon-shaped board decorated with crosses. It is placed on the bishop's shoulders so that, encircling the neck, one end descends in front and the other behind. Omophorion is a Greek word and means shoulder pad. The omophorion belongs exclusively to bishops. Without an omophorion, a bishop, like a priest without an epitrachelion, cannot perform any service. The omophorion reminds the bishop that he must take care of the salvation of the lost, like the good shepherd of the Gospel, who, having found the lost sheep, carries it home on his shoulders.

On his chest, on top of the sakkos, in addition to the cross, the bishop also has a panagia, which means “All Holy One.” This is a small round image of the Savior or the Mother of God, decorated with colored stones.

A miter decorated with small images and colored stones is placed on the bishop's head. Mithra symbolizes the crown of thorns, which was placed on the head of the suffering Savior. Archimandrites also have a miter. In exceptional cases, the ruling bishop gives the right to the most honored archpriests to wear a miter instead of a kamilavka during Divine services.

During Divine services, bishops use a rod or staff as a sign of supreme pastoral authority. The staff is also given to archimandrites and abbots, as heads of monasteries. During the Divine Service, eagles are placed under the bishop’s feet. These are small round rugs with the image of an eagle flying over the city. Orlets mean that the bishop must, like an eagle, ascend from the earthly to the heavenly.

The home clothing of a bishop, priest and deacon consists of a cassock (half-caftan) and a cassock. Over the cassock, on the chest, the bishop wears a cross and panagia, and the priest wears a cross

Everyday clothing of clergy of the Orthodox Church, cassocks and cassocks, as a rule, are made of fabric black color, which expresses the humility and unpretentiousness of a Christian, disregard for external beauty, attention to the inner world.

During services, church vestments, which come in various colors, are worn over everyday clothing.

Vestments white are used during services on holidays dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ (with the exception of Palm Sunday and Trinity), angels, apostles and prophets. The white color of these vestments symbolizes holiness, permeation with uncreated Divine Energies, and belonging to the heavenly world. At the same time, the white color is a memory of the Tabor light, the dazzling light of Divine glory. The Liturgy of Great Saturday and Easter Matins are celebrated in white vestments. In this case, the white color symbolizes the glory of the Risen Savior. It is customary to wear white vestments for funerals and all funeral services. In this case, this color expresses the hope for the repose of the deceased in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Vestments Red are used during the liturgy of the Holy Resurrection of Christ and at all services of the forty-day Easter period. The red color in this case is a symbol of all-conquering Divine Love. In addition, red vestments are used on holidays dedicated to the memory of martyrs and on the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist. In this case, the red color of the vestments is a memory of the blood shed by the martyrs for the Christian faith.

Vestments blue color, symbolizing virginity, are used exclusively for divine services on the feasts of the Mother of God. Blue is the color of Heaven, from which the Holy Spirit descends on us. Therefore, blue color is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. This is a symbol of purity.
That is why the blue color is used in church services on holidays associated with the name of the Mother of God.
The Holy Church calls the Most Holy Theotokos the vessel of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended on her and She became the Mother of the Savior. Since childhood, the Most Holy Theotokos was distinguished by a special purity of soul. Therefore, the color of the Mother of God became blue (blue). We see clergy in blue (blue) vestments on holidays:
Nativity of the Mother of God
On the day of Her Entry into the Temple
On the day of the Presentation of the Lord
On the day of Her Assumption
On the days of glorification of the icons of the Mother of God

Vestments golden (yellow) color used at services dedicated to the memory of saints. The golden color is a symbol of the Church, the Triumph of Orthodoxy, which was affirmed through the works of the holy bishops. Sunday services are performed in the same vestments. Sometimes divine services are performed in golden vestments on the days of remembrance of the apostles, who created the first church communities by preaching the Gospel. It is no coincidence that yellow is the most commonly used color for liturgical vestments. It is in yellow robes that priests dress on Sundays (when Christ and his victory over the forces of hell are glorified).
In addition, yellow vestments are also worn on the days of remembrance of the apostles, prophets, and saints - that is, those saints who, through their service in the Church, resembled Christ the Savior: they enlightened people, called to repentance, revealed Divine truths, and performed the sacraments as priests.

Vestments Green colour used at the services of Palm Sunday and Trinity. In the first case, the green color is associated with the memory of palm branches, a symbol of royal dignity, with which the inhabitants of Jerusalem greeted Jesus Christ. In the second case, the green color is a symbol of the renewal of the earth, purified by the grace of the Holy Spirit who has appeared hypostatically and always abides in the Church. For the same reason, green vestments are worn at services dedicated to the memory of saints, holy ascetics-monks, who were more transformed than other people by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Green vestments are used on the days of remembrance of the saints - that is, saints leading an ascetic, monastic lifestyle, who paid special attention to spiritual deeds. Among them are St. Sergius of Radonezh, the founder of the Holy Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and St. Mary of Egypt, who spent many years in the desert, and St. Seraphim of Sarov and many, many others.
This is due to the fact that the ascetic life that these saints led changed their human nature - it became different, it was renewed - it was sanctified by Divine grace. In their lives, they united with Christ (who is symbolized by the color yellow) and with the Holy Spirit (who is symbolized by the second color - blue).

Vestments purple or crimson (dark burgundy) colors are worn on holidays dedicated to the Honest and Life-Giving Cross. They are also used at Sunday services during Lent. This color is a symbol of the Savior’s suffering on the cross and is associated with the memories of the scarlet robe in which Christ was clothed by the Roman soldiers who laughed at him (Matthew 27, 28). On the days of remembrance of the Savior’s suffering on the cross and His death on the cross (Sundays of Lent, Holy Week - the last week before Easter, on the days of worship of the Cross of Christ (Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, etc.)
Shades of red in purple remind us of the suffering of Christ on the cross. The shade of blue (the color of the Holy Spirit) means that Christ is God, He is inextricably linked with the Holy Spirit, with the Spirit of God, He is one of the hypostases of the Holy Trinity. Purple is the seventh color in the rainbow. This corresponds to the seventh day of the creation of the world. The Lord created the world for six days, but the seventh day became a day of rest. After the suffering on the cross, the Savior’s earthly journey ended, Christ defeated death, defeated the forces of hell and rested from earthly affairs.

If for worldly affairs on important ceremonial occasions they dress in the best clothes, then when serving God they put on special clothes. Sacred garments mean garments used during Divine services. Each rank of clergy and clergy is assigned its own special clothing during Divine services. At the same time, the highest rank of clergy always has the vestments of the lower ranks.

The deacon puts on surplice- long clothes with wide sleeves, altar servers and readers also wear surplices, orari- a long wide ribbon that he wears over the surplice on his left shoulder. The deacon puts on his hands instruct-short sleeves covering only the wrist.

The priest dresses in sacristan(surplice with narrow sleeves), stole- an orarion folded into two means that the priest is given double grace, greater than that of a deacon; according to the statutes of the Church, a priest without an epitrachelion, like a deacon without an orarion, cannot perform a single service. Belt-clothing worn over the epitrachelion and vestment symbolizes readiness to serve the Lord and Divine power, strengthening the clergy in their service. Gaiter And club- these are clothes worn on the belt at the hip. The first is a quadrangular, somewhat oblong board, and the second is a square board. Felonne, or chasuble- this is a long, round, sleeveless robe with an opening for the head; the phelonion reminds priests of the robe of truth with which they must be clothed as servants of Christ. On their heads during worship, priests wear skufji-small hats made of cloth, or kamilavki-tall velvet hats, which are given as a reward or distinction. Unlike deacons, priests wear a pectoral cross on their vestments and on their home clothes.

The vestments of a bishop are all priestly vestments, only instead of a phelonion, the bishop wears sakkos, on top of it omophorion. Omophorion means that lost sheep that Christ, the Good Shepherd, took on his shoulders to carry to the Father. Miter- forms the head adornment of a bishop; it serves as a symbol of pastoral power; the skufia and kamilavka given to priests have the same meaning. Panagia- a small round image of the Savior or the Mother of God, worn by bishops on their chests. Rod, or staff, used by bishops during sacred services, indicates their pastoral responsibility: to guide their flock on the path of salvation, to prevent them from going astray and to repel the spiritual wolves attacking them. Orlets-round rugs with the image of an eagle flying over the city. They are placed at the feet of the bishop during the service and remind him that he must strive for heaven with his thoughts and deeds. The bishop wears a pectoral cross on his chest.

Part of the church-liturgical symbolism is the variety of colors of priestly vestments. Their color scheme consists of all the colors of the rainbow: red, yellow, orange, green, blue, indigo, violet; and besides, it’s also white.
White color, is a symbol of Divine uncreated light. Priests serve in white vestments on great holidays: the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Ascension, Transfiguration, and Easter Matins begins in them. During baptism and burial, the priest is also dressed in white.
Red color Following the white one, the Easter service continues and in red vestments they serve until the Feast of the Ascension. This color is a symbol of God’s inexpressible, fiery love for the human race. But red is also the color of blood, which is why services in honor of the martyrs are held in red vestments.
Yellow, or gold and orange colors are symbols of glory, greatness and dignity. They serve in such vestments on Sundays and on the days of remembrance of prophets, apostles and saints.
Green color adopted on the days of remembrance of the like and testifies that their monastic feats revive a person by union with Christ and elevate him to heaven. Green flowers are used on Trinity Day, Palm Sunday, and Holy Spirit Monday.
Blue or blue color Mother of God holidays. This is the color of the sky, and it corresponds to the teaching about the Mother of God, who carried Christ the Celestial in her womb.
Purple adopted on the days of remembrance of the Holy Cross.
In black Priests wear vestments during the days of Lent. This is a symbol of renunciation from pomp, from worldly vanity, the color of repentance and crying.

EVERYDAY VESTMENTS

Everyday attire, which distinguishes the ministers of the Church from lay people and testifies to their rank and title, once originated from the attire used in the world, and quickly, already in ancient times, acquired special characteristics, so that the clergy and monasticism began to outwardly stand out from the worldly environment. This was deeply consistent with the concept of the Church as a kingdom not of this world, which, although it goes through its journey and service in the world, is nevertheless deeply different from it in nature. In the minds of the ancients, the holy order or monastic title obliged its bearers to always and everywhere be who they are before God and the Church.

The main everyday attire of the clergy and monasticism of all degrees are cassock and cassock.

It is a long robe, reaching to the toes, with a tightly buttoned collar and narrow sleeves. A cassock is an undergarment. For monastics it should be black. The colors of the cassocks of the white clergy are black, dark blue, brown, gray and white for summer. Material: cloth, wool, satin, linen, comb, less often silk fabrics.

- an outer garment with long, wide sleeves below the palms. Cassocks are predominantly black, but can be dark blue, brown, white, and less often cream and gray. The materials for cassocks are the same as for cassocks. Both cassocks and cassocks can be lined.

For everyday use, there are cassocks, which are demi-season and winter coats. These are cassocks of the first type, with a turn-down collar, trimmed with black velvet or fur. Winter cassocks-coats are made with a warm lining.

All services, except the Liturgy, are performed by the priest in a cassock and cassock, over which special liturgical vestments are worn ( vestments). When serving the Liturgy, as well as in special cases when, according to the Rules, the priest must be in full liturgical vestments, the cassock is removed and the cassock and other vestments are put on over the cassock. The deacon serves in a cassock, over which he wears surplice.

The bishop performs all divine services in a cassock, on which special priestly vestments are put on. The only exceptions are some prayer services, litias, cell services and other sacred services of the bishop, when he can serve in a cassock or cassock and mantle, over which an epitrachelion is worn.

Thus, the everyday attire of the clergy is an obligatory basis for liturgical vestments.

Long-skirted clothing with narrow sleeves was widespread throughout the world among Eastern and Western peoples. Loose long clothes with wide sleeves - oriental origin. It was also common among the Jews during the earthly life of the Savior, who Himself wore such clothing, as evidenced by legend and iconography. Therefore, the cassock and cassock are considered the attire of the Lord Jesus Christ. The antiquity of clothing of this type is indirectly confirmed by the fact that to this day, many eastern peoples use a wide, long, cut and uncut at the front robe with wide long sleeves, very similar to a cassock, as traditional national clothing. The word “cassock” comes from the Greek adjective “to rason”, which means scraped, wiped, lint-free, worn. It was precisely this kind of almost beggarly clothing that monastics were supposed to wear in the Ancient Church. From the monastic environment, the cassock came into use among the entire clergy, which is confirmed by many testimonies.

In the Russian Church, until the 17th century, cassocks were not required. In everyday situations, the clergy wore long single-row suits of a special cut made of cloth and velvet in green, purple and crimson colors. The gates were also trimmed with velvet or fur. The uniforms of secular persons differed in many respects from the attire of the clergy, so that clergy in Rus' from ancient times stood out from the secular environment by their appearance. Even the wives of the white clergy always wore clothes in which one could immediately recognize them as mothers. Expanding ties with the Orthodox East in the second half of the 17th century contributed to the penetration of the attire of the Greek clergy into the Russian church environment. The Great Moscow Council of 1666-1667 decided to bless the spiritual vestments accepted at that time in the Orthodox East for Russian clergy and monks. At the same time, a reservation was made that the Council does not force, but only blesses the wearing of such robes and strictly forbids condemning those who do not dare to wear them. This is how the Greek cassock first appeared in Russia. But a loose, straight cassock, convenient for countries with hot climates, seemed, apparently, unacceptable in our country due to the fact that external conditions created the habit of wearing clothes that fit tightly to the body; moreover, spacious clothes with a slit in the middle, in the front, were worn in that time the Turks. Therefore, Russian cassocks began to be wrapped and sewn in at the waist; straight sleeves were made in the form of a bell. At the same time, two cuts of cassocks arose - Kiev and Moscow. The “Kiev” cassock is slightly sewn in at the waist from the sides, and leaves the back straight, while the “Moscow” cassock is sewn in significantly at the waist, so that it fits to the body both from the sides and from the back.

Since the 18th century, the secular clothes of the upper classes took on a completely different look from traditional Russian clothes. Gradually all classes of society began to wear short clothes, often of the European type, so that the attire of the clergy was in especially sharp contrast to the secular. At the same time, in the 18th century, the everyday clothes of the clergy acquired greater uniformity and consistency in cut and color. Monastics began to wear mostly only black cassocks and cassocks of the first type, whereas in ancient times they often wore green single-row cassocks, and the white clergy narrowed the color range of their clothes.

The general symbolic meaning of the cassock and cassock is evidence of detachment from worldly vanity, a symbol of spiritual peace. Peace and tranquility of the heart in its constant spiritual presence with God is the highest goal of the efforts of any believer. But especially the clergy and monastics, as those who have dedicated their entire lives to serving God, should have as a result of their spiritual activity this inner renunciation of worldly worries and vanity, peace and tranquility of the heart. The outer attire of the clergy corresponds to this state, reminds of it, calls for it, helps to achieve it: being an image of the outer garment that the Lord Jesus Christ wore during his earthly life, the cassock and cassock mean that the clergy and monasticism imitate Jesus Christ, as He and commanded His disciples. The long robe of the clergy is a sign of God's grace, clothing His servants, covering their human infirmities; The cloth or wool cassock of the monks, belted with a leather belt, is an image of the hair shirt and leather belt that the preacher of repentance John the Baptist wore in the desert (Matthew 3:4). The black color of cassocks and cassocks is especially noteworthy: black is, essentially, the absence of color, something that lies outside the light spectrum. When applied to the attire of the clergy and monasticism, this means the color of perfect peace as the absence of movements of passion, as if spiritual death for sin and renunciation of all vanity, from external, carnal life and concentration on the invisible, internal life. The everyday attire of the clergy also has meaning for the surrounding believers, as evidence of the spiritual state to which all who hope for salvation in God should strive.

The special detachment of monks from the world is indicated by mantle, or paly, is a long, sleeveless cape with a fastener only at the collar, descending to the ground and covering the cassock and cassock. In early Christian times, this was the clothing of all Christians who turned to faith from paganism and renounced the titles and ranks that they had in a pagan environment. Such a long cape made of the simplest material meant renunciation of idolatry and humility. Subsequently, it became the property of only monastics. According to the interpretation of Saint Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople, a loose, unbelted mantle is a sign of angelic wings, which is why it is called the “angelic image”. The mantle is only a monastic robe. In ancient times in Rus', monks wore a robe always and everywhere and had no right to leave their cells without it. For going out into the city without a robe, monks were punished in the 17th century by exile to distant monasteries under close supervision. Such severity was due to the fact that at that time the monks did not yet have robes as obligatory outerwear. They wore single-row shorts with narrow sleeves, so that the robe was the only outer clothing. The robes of monks, like their cassocks and cassocks, are always black.

The clergy and monastics have special headdresses in everyday use. White clergy may wear skufia. In ancient times, skufiya was a small round cap, similar to a bowl without a stand. Since ancient times, in the Western Church and in Rus', such a cap was used to cover the shaved part of the head of the clergy. After ordination to the priesthood, the proteges immediately shaved their hair on their heads in the form of a circle, which in Rus' received the name gumenzo, which meant the sign of the crown of thorns. The shaved part was covered with a small cap, which also received the Slavic name gumentso, or the Greek name skufia.

In ancient times, priests and deacons constantly wore skufia, even at home, taking it off only during worship and before bed.

By decree of Emperor Paul I of December 18, 1797, purple skufiyas and kamilavkas were introduced into church use as awards for the white clergy. The priest can also wear the award skufiya in the church and perform divine services, removing it in the cases provided for by the Charter. Clergymen can wear such a skufiya every day.

The everyday headdress of bishops and monks, in which they can perform some divine services, is also hood. This is a headdress consisting of a kamilavka and a kukul. Klobuk has been known among Slavic people since ancient times. Initially, it was a princely headdress, which was a cap trimmed with fur, with a small blanket sewn to it, descending onto the shoulders. Such caps with veils were also used by other noble people in Rus', men and women. On ancient icons, Saints Boris and Gleb are often depicted wearing hoods. There are mentions of hoods as a princely headdress in chronicles. It is unknown when the hood became the headdress of Russian monks. It appeared in the church environment a very long time ago and had the appearance of a deep soft cap made of simple material with a fur band. The etymology of the verb “to put on, to pull a headdress low over the forehead, over the ears” goes back to the root klobuk. The cap was covered with a black veil that went down to the shoulders. Such hoods were worn in Rus' by both monks and bishops; only the bishops' hoods were made of expensive materials and sometimes decorated with precious stones. In the Orthodox East, monastic headdresses had a different look. There, only the veil worn over the cap was considered to be the actual monastic kukul. The lower part of that blanket, which went down onto the back, began to split into three ends.

Some ancient Russian saints wore white hoods. The iconography depicts the holy metropolitans Peter, Alexy, Jonah, and Philip in such hoods. With the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia in 1589, Russian Patriarchs began to wear white hoods. At the Council of 1666-1667, all metropolitans were given the right to wear white hoods. But at the same time, the metropolitans’ hoods were no different in shape from the monastic hoods of the new (Greek) model (with a solid cylindrical kamilavka), only their “basting” (kukol) became white. And the hoods of the Patriarchs retained the ancient shape of a spherical cap, covered with a white kukul, the ends of which also differed from the ends of the monastic mark. The three ends of the patriarchal hood start almost from the cap, two of them descend from the front to the chest, the third to the back. At the top of the patriarchal hood (on the makovtsa) a cross began to be placed, the frontal side of the hood was decorated with icons, and at the ends of the hood cherubs or seraphim were depicted with gold embroidery.

Currently, the hood of the Moscow Patriarch on the frontal side and at the ends of the hood has images of six-winged Seraphim; in all other respects it is similar to the hoods of the ancient Russian Patriarchs. The white color of metropolitan and patriarchal hoods means a special purity of thoughts and enlightenment by Divine light, which corresponds to the highest degrees of the church hierarchy, which are designed to reflect the highest degrees of spiritual state. In this regard, the Patriarch's hood with images of the Seraphim indicates that the Patriarch, as the head of the entire Russian Church and the prayer book for it, is likened to the highest angelic ranks closest to God. The shape of the patriarchal hood, reminiscent of the dome of a church with a cross on top, also fully corresponds to the position of the Patriarch as the head of the local Church.

From the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 19th century, the Russian Church established the custom, which still exists today, of wearing diamond crosses on black hoods for archbishops and white hoods for metropolitans. The cross on the headdress is not new. In the ancient Russian and especially Ukrainian church environment, even simple priests wore crosses on their everyday hats. Among priests, this custom ceased at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century. Subsequently, diamond crosses on hoods became the insignia of archbishops and metropolitans (bishops wear a regular black monastic hood without a cross). The diamond cross can mean high spiritual perfection and special firmness of faith and teaching, corresponding to the highest degrees of the church hierarchy.

The modern monastic hood is a solid kamilavka in the shape of a cylinder, slightly widened at the top, covered with black crepe, descending to the back and ending in the form of three long ends. This crepe is commonly called nametka (or kukul). In the rite of monastic tonsure called klobuk, of course, there is only crepe, a veil with which the kamilavka is covered. This veil is sometimes called a kukul, just like the veil worn when being tonsured into the Great Schema. In this meaning, the hood is called “the helmet of the hope of salvation,” and the kukul of the great schema, according to the rank of tonsure into the small and great schema, means “the helmet of the hope of salvation.”

This symbolic meaning of monastic veils comes from the words of the Apostle Paul, who says: “Let us, being sons of the day, be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8), and elsewhere : “Stand therefore, having your loins girded with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; and most of all, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery arrows of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:14-17). Thus, everyday spiritual, especially monastic, clothing signifies by external means those internal qualities that any Christian must possess, called at Baptism a soldier of Christ, since he will have to wage a tireless war against the invisible spiritual enemies of salvation.

Monastics of all degrees wear rosaries. This is a prayer item used for frequent reading of the Jesus Prayer. Modern rosary is a closed thread consisting of one hundred “grains”, divided into dozens of intermediate “grains” of larger sizes than ordinary ones. Cell rosaries sometimes contain a thousand “grains” with the same division. The rosary helps to count (hence their name) the number of prayers included in the monk's daily rule, without focusing on the count itself. Rosary beads have been known since ancient times. In Rus', in the old days they had the form of a closed ladder, consisting not of “grains”, but of wooden blocks covered with leather or fabric, and were called “ladder” or “lestovka” (ladder). Spiritually, they mean the ladder of salvation, the “spiritual sword”, and show the image of unceasing (eternal) prayer (a circular thread is a symbol of eternity).

Pectoral Cross

Pectoral crosses for priests appeared in the Russian Orthodox Church relatively recently. Until the 18th century, only bishops had the right to wear pectoral crosses. The cross of a priest testifies that he is a servant of Jesus Christ, who suffered for the sins of the world, and must have Him in his heart and imitate Him. The two-pointed chain of the cross is a sign of the lost sheep, that is, pastoral care for the souls of the parishioners entrusted to the priest, and the cross that Christ carried on His back, as a sign of deeds and suffering in earthly life. The cross and chain are made silver-gilded.

At the beginning of the 19th century, priests began to be awarded crosses with decorations on special occasions. By a decree of the Holy Synod of February 24, 1820, Russian priests serving abroad were blessed to wear special gold crosses issued from the emperor’s office. Such crosses are called cabinet crosses. Sometimes they were given as a reward to certain priests and those who did not travel outside of Russia.

By state decree of May 14, 1896, the cross was introduced into church use, which is a sign of distinction for every priest and hieromonk. This cross, which has since been placed at priestly consecration, is silver, eight-pointed in shape with a relief image of the crucified Savior on the front side and the inscriptions in the upper part: “Where, King, Glory” (“The Lord is the King of Glory”); at the ends of the wide crossbar “IC, XC” (“Jesus Christ”), under the lower oblique crossbar – “Nika” ( Greek- victory). On the back of the cross is the inscription: “Be an image by faithful speech, life, love, spirit, faith, purity (1 Tim. 4:12). Summer 1896, May 14 days.” The cross is equipped with a silver chain of single elongated rings. This chain is also divided into two parts by a jumper in the middle. The crosses of 1896 became an indispensable insignia of priests, which they wear during divine services over their vestments and can be worn in everyday settings over their cassocks, and the crosses of 1797 remained an award, traditionally also awarded to all graduates of theological academies who have been ordained priests.

In addition, in the 19th century, archpriests began to be given crosses with decorations, similar to bishop’s pectoral crosses, as a reward.

Panagia- the distinctive breastplate of a bishop.

The first mention of panagia as an obligatory accessory for a bishop, which is given to him during initiation after the Liturgy, is contained in the writings of Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica (XV century). The 17th-century writer Jacob Goar testifies that upon accepting the omophorion, the bishops of the Greek Church received a precious cross with the relics of saints, called an encolpion, with the addition of the greeting the word axios (worthy). The custom of placing an encolpion on a bishop during his consecration passed from the Orthodox East to the Russian Church. But in Rus', panagiars in the form of rectangular reliquaries with images of the Lord Christ, the Mother of God, and saints were already in wide use. Often one reliquary with relics had images of the Holy Trinity, Christ Pantocrator, the Mother of God, and saints. There were gilded icons only with images of the Mother of God. Such icons were worn by bishops and archimandrites in the 16th century. Therefore, during the episcopal consecration in Russia, from the 17th century, they began to lay a cross. Since it was the custom of Russian bishops to wear an icon of the Mother of God or an encolpion-reliquary with relics over their robes, the Moscow Council of 1674 allowed Russian metropolitans to wear an “encolpion and cross” over the sakkos, but only within their diocese. An exception was made for the Novgorod Metropolitan, who had the right to wear a cross and encolpion in the presence of the Patriarch.

Russian Patriarchs, as well as Kyiv metropolitans as exarchs, have worn two panagias and a cross since the mid-17th century.

Over time, the relics of saints ceased to be a mandatory part of panagias. Currently, a panagia is an image of the Mother of God, most often round or oval in shape, with various decorations, without relics. Bishops' crosses now also come without relics. Since 1742, archimandrites of some monasteries were awarded panagias. In order to distinguish bishops from archimandrites, from the middle of the 17th century, bishops began to be given two tributes at their consecration: a cross and a panagia. In everyday settings, bishops had to wear a panagia, and during divine services a panagia and a cross. This order continues to this day.

The bishop's cross and panagia are signs of the highest authority in the Church. These images spiritually mean the same thing as the altarpiece Cross and the icon of the Mother of God, namely: The economy of the salvation of people in the Church is carried out by the grace-filled power of the feat of the cross of the Son of God Jesus Christ and the intercession of the Mother of God as the Mother of the Church. The bishop's cross and panagia remind us that a bishop must always have in his heart the Lord and Representative before Him - the Ever-Virgin Mary, that for this he must have a pure heart and a right spirit, and from the excess of heart purity and truth his lips must utter only one thing: good. This is also noted in the prayers said by the deacon when putting a cross and then a panagia on the bishop. When putting the cross on the bishop, the deacon says: “And if anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself,” says the Lord, “and take up his cross and follow Me, always, now, and ever, and forever and ever, Amen.” When putting on the first panagia, the deacon says: “God will create a pure heart in you, and will renew a right spirit in your womb, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.” When putting on the second panagia, he says: “Let your heart spit out the good word that your deeds say, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.”

The bishop's cross and panagia with the image of the Mother of God, which were fully defined in their main features two hundred years ago, arose seemingly by accident, but their symbolism deeply corresponds to the most ancient ideas of the Church about the participation of the Mother of God in the salvation of the world. Only Christ and the Mother of God are addressed with the words “Save us.” The remaining saints are asked: “Pray to God for us.”

The bishop's cross and panagia are worn on chains, which are separated by a jumper, so that the front half of the chain, covering the neck, descends to the chest and converges on the upper part of the cross or panagia, and the back half descends to the back. One cannot help but see in this a repetition of the symbolism of the bishop’s omophorion, which also has front and back ends, signifying the lost sheep that the good shepherd took for his ramen, and the cross that the Lord Christ carried to Calvary. In the consciousness of the Church, the lost sheep is an image of the nature of fallen humanity, which the Lord Jesus Christ took upon Himself, incarnated in this nature and ascended it to Heaven, numbering it among the unlost - among the Angels. This is how Saint Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople (8th century), interprets the meaning of the omophorion, and Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, adds that crosses on the omophorion are depicted for the purpose of “as Christ also bore His cross on His shoulder; Thus, those who want to live on their own in Christ accept their cross, that is, suffering. For the cross is a sign of suffering.” Saint Isidore Pelusiot († c. 436-440) emphasizes the idea that “the bishop, in the image of Christ, fulfills His work and shows everyone by his very clothes that he is an imitator of the good and great Shepherd, who took upon Himself the infirmities of the flock.”

The two ends of the chains of the bishop's cross and panagia signify the bishop's imitation of Christ in his pastoral concern for the salvation of people - the sheep of the “verbal flock” and in the feat of bearing his cross. The two ends of the chains correspond to the dual nature of the archpastor’s ministry - to God and people.

The chains or cords of the pectoral crosses of ordinary lay people do not have a back end, since a lay person does not have pastoral responsibilities towards other people.

In everyday situations, bishops wear staves, different from the staff-staffs that they use during worship. Bishops' daily staffs are usually long wooden sticks with a frame and a thickening at the top made of carved bone, wood, silver or other metal. Everyday staves have a much more ancient origin than liturgical staffs. The liturgical bishop's staff was separated from the ordinary everyday staff of bishops because, according to canonical rules, bishops and other clergy are prohibited from decorating themselves with expensive and bright clothes and household items. Only during divine services, where the bishop must show people the image of the glory of the Heavenly King, does he put on specially decorated vestments and headdresses and take a splendid staff in his hands.

Liturgical Vestments of a Deacon and a Priest

The liturgical vestments of the clergy have a common name - vestments and are divided into deaconal, priestly and bishop's vestments. The priest has all the robes of a deacon and, in addition, those inherent in his rank; the bishop has all the priestly vestments and, in addition, those assigned to his episcopal rank.

The liturgical robes of the Orthodox clergy are typified in the Old Testament by the robes of Aaron and other priests, made at the direct command of God (Ex. 28:2; 31:10) and intended only for priestly service, for the glory and splendor of Divine services. They cannot be worn or used in everyday life. Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord commands the Old Testament priests, leaving the temple into the outer courtyard to the people, to take off their liturgical vestments and place them in the barriers of the saints, putting on other clothes (Ezek. 44:19). In the Orthodox Church, at the end of the service, vestments are also removed and remain in the church.

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the parable of those invited to the royal feast, which figuratively tells about the Kingdom of God, speaks of the inadmissibility of entering it not in wedding clothes (Matthew 22: 11-14). The parable depicts a wedding feast on the occasion of the marriage of the king's son. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, marriage, which is often spoken of here and in other similar images in the Holy Scriptures, is the sacramental marriage of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ (the Lamb) with His beloved bride - the Church (Rev. 19: 7-8). The Apocalypse notes that “it was given to her (the wife of the Lamb) to be clothed in fine linen, clean and bright; and the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.”

Thus, the general symbolic meaning of church vestments is the expression in visible material garments of the spiritual garments of righteousness and purity, in which the souls of believing people must be clothed in order to participate in the eternal joy of Christ’s union with the Church of His elect.

Historically, liturgical vestments did not appear immediately. In its main features, the canon of liturgical vestments was formed in the 6th century. It is known that until this time the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, the first bishop of Jerusalem, wore the long white linen robe of the Jewish priests and a headband. The Apostle John the Theologian also wore a gold bandage on his head as a sign of the high priest. Many believe that the phelonion left by the Apostle Paul at Carp in Troas (2 Tim. 4:13) was his liturgical attire. According to legend, the Mother of God with Her own hands made an omophorion for Saint Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Christ and was then Bishop of Cyprus. Thus, the apostles already used some liturgical vestments. Most likely, the Church has preserved from them a tradition expressed by Blessed Jerome (IV century), according to which it is by no means acceptable to enter the altar and perform divine services in common and simply used clothes.

The common attire for all degrees of the priesthood is surplice, or podsnik. This is also the most ancient garment in terms of time of origin. The surplice corresponds to the undercoat of the Old Testament high priests, but in Christianity it takes on a slightly different appearance and meaning.

For deacons and lower clergy, the surplice is the outer liturgical garment with wide sleeves. For priests and bishops, the surplice is the undergarment over which other vestments are worn. That’s why it has a special name – podrisnik.

A surplice is a long garment without a slit in the front and back, with a hole for the head and wide sleeves. The surplice is also required for subdeacons. The right to wear the surplice can be given to both psalm-readers and laymen serving in the church. The surplice signifies the purity of the soul that persons of holy orders must have.

For priests and bishops this is the lower liturgical clothing. She is put on a cassock, and other vestments are put on her. This vestment has some differences from the surplice. The cassette is made with narrow sleeves, since they must have handrails. The sleeves of the cassock have slits at the ends. A braid or cord is sewn to one side of the cut, so that when wearing this lace, the lower edge of the cassette sleeve is pulled tightly together at the wrist. These laces represent the fetters that tied the hands of the Savior as he was led to judgment. For this reason, there are no stripes on the sleeves of the vest. They are not on the sacristan's shoulders, because his shoulders are covered with outer liturgical clothing (felonion or sakkos).

On the back of the vestment only a cross is sewn, and on the hem, since it protrudes from under the outer clothing and is visible to everyone, there is the same sewn stripe as on the surplice, with the same symbolic meaning. On the sides of the cassock there are the same slits as on the surplice. The casings are made of light fabric and, in accordance with the considered value, should be white. A distinctive feature of the bishop's vestment can be the so-called gammata - sources, streams in the form of ribbons hanging in front. They mean the blood that flowed from the wounds of Christ, and, according to Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, the teaching grace of the hierarch, and various gifts given to him from above and through him poured out on everyone. The cassock is worn only when serving the Liturgy and on some special occasions.

On the left shoulder above the surplice the deacons have orari- a long strip of brocade or other colored material, descending from the front and back almost to the floor. The orarion is secured with a loop on a button on the left shoulder of the surplice, so that its ends hang down freely. Taking the lower front end of the orarion in his right hand, the deacon raises it while pronouncing litanies (petitions), makes the sign of the cross with this end, and, in appropriate cases, indicates to the priest and bishop the order of liturgical actions. At the Liturgy of the “Our Father”, preparing himself to receive the Holy Mysteries, the deacon girds himself with an orar across his chest (chest) so that the orar first crosses the lower part of the chest, across, passes with two ends under the armpits on the back, crosses crosswise on the back , rising on both shoulders, through the shoulders the ends of the orarion descend to the chest, intersect here also crosswise and pass under that part of the orarion that crossed across the lower part of the chest. Thus, the deacon’s chest and back are covered by the orarion in a cross shape. After communion, the deacon again girds the orarion and hangs it on his left shoulder.

Deacon is the first holy degree. The orarion, which he almost always wears on one left shoulder, means precisely the grace of the holy order, but only of the first degree of priesthood, which gives the deacon the right to be a minister, but not a performer of the sacraments. However, this grace of the sacred deaconate is a yoke and a yoke of work for God and people, it is a crucifixion. The symbolic expression of these spiritual truths is contained in the deacon’s orarion. On the other hand, the orarion reminds the deacon of the need to imitate the angels in his service and life, always ready to quickly fulfill the will of God, preserving purity and purity, and remaining in perfect chastity.

Even now, the words of the angelic chant “Holy, Holy, Holy” are sometimes written on orarions. Most often this inscription is found on the so-called double orarions of protodeacons and archdeacons. This orarion is much wider than the usual deacon's one, and has the peculiarity that the middle part of it passes under the right arm so that one end of the orarion rises over the back to the left shoulder and falls down in front, and the other end passes from under the right arm through the chest up and down the same left shoulder from behind. This arrangement of the orarion marks the seniority of protodeacons and archdeacons within the same diaconal rank, which is an image of the seniority of some Angels over others.

On the sleeves of the cassock, and when fully vested, on the sleeves of the cassock, priests and bishops put instruct, or sleeves. Deacons put them on the sleeves of their cassock. The handrail is a slightly curved strip of dense material with an image of a cross in the middle, trimmed along the edges with a ribbon of a different shade than the handrail itself. Covering the hand at the wrist, the handrail is connected to the inside of the arm using a cord threaded through metal loops on its side edges, and the cord is wrapped around the hand, so that the handrail tightly pulls the sleeve of the cassock or cassock and holds firmly on the hand. In this case, the sign of the cross appears on the outside of the hand. The orders are worn on both sleeves and signify God's power, strength and wisdom, given to His clergy to perform the Divine sacraments. The sign of the cross means that it is not the human hands of the clergy, but the Lord Himself through them who performs the sacraments with His Divine power. This meaning of the braces is reflected in the prayers when putting them on for serving the Liturgy. For the right hand it reads: “Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength; Thy right hand, O Lord, has crushed the enemies and with the multitude of Thy glory has erased these adversaries.” This prayer also contains the idea that the orders, as a sign of the power of God, protect the clergyman from demonic machinations when performing the sacraments. For the left handrail it reads: “Thy hands have made me and created me; give me understanding and I will learn Thy commandment.”

The history of the origin of the handrails is as follows. There were no commissions in the original Church. Since ancient times, the narrow sleeves of the imathium (cassock) and cassock were decorated with a special decoration in the form of two or three stripes covering the edges of the sleeves. At the same time, a cross was sometimes depicted between these stripes. There are no interpretations of this decoration among ecclesiastical authors of antiquity. Armbands first appeared as an item of clothing for Byzantine kings. They were used to decorate and tighten the sleeves of the lower clothing, protruding from under the wide sleeves of the sakkos - the upper royal vestment. Wanting to honor the patriarchs of their capital Constantinople with special honor, the emperors began to bestow upon them items of royal vestments. Byzantine kings granted the patriarchs wands and the right to depict a double-headed eagle on shoes and carpets. In the 11th-12th centuries, the saints of Constantinople received sakkos and orders from the kings; then the assignments passed to the primates of other Orthodox Churches, to the most prominent eastern metropolitans and bishops. Somewhat later, the assignments passed to the priests. Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica (12th century), writes about the cords as a necessary accessory for priestly and episcopal vestments. In the 14th-15th centuries, orders as a reward appeared first among some archdeacons, and then among all deacons. Ancient armatures were often richly decorated with gold and silver embroidery, pearls, sometimes they depicted a deisis, an icon of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, John the Baptist, sometimes they did not have any images. Subsequently, the only image on the arms becomes a cross - a sign of the power of the cross imparted to the servant of the throne of God. The symbolism of the handrails thus reaches its completion in the 16th-17th centuries. With the advent of hand guards, stripes and crosses were no longer sewn on the sleeves of the cassock and cassock. The handpieces, as an object external to the sleeves, provided clear evidence that the power and wisdom in performing the sacraments and services do not belong to the clergyman himself, but is given to him from the outside, from God. This is the dogmatic meaning of the change that has occurred in the symbolism of the sleeves. Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, gives the orders, in addition to the sign of God's power and wisdom, the meaning of the image of the fetters that tied the hands of the Savior, led to judgment. When the handles are put on a cassock or cassock without cords on the sleeves, they really take on this meaning. When they are put on the vestment, the sleeves of which are already tied with a cord - the image of the paths of Christ - only their first meaning remains behind the straps - the power and wisdom of God performing the sacraments.

The surplice, orarion and bridles are the vestments of the deacon. Other liturgical vestments belong to the vestments of the priestly rank.

Starting from the 15th century, the bishop, ordaining a deacon to the priesthood, wrapped a deacon's orar around his neck, so that both ends evenly descended along the chest, down to the hem, and at the same time connected to one another. It turned out stole- an item of clothing for priests and bishops. (The word epitrachelion in Greek is masculine, but in Russian books it was used in the feminine gender.) This is exactly what bishops did starting from the 15th century when ordaining a deacon to the rank of priest. The epitrachelion formed from the orarion meant that the priest, without losing the grace of the deaconate, acquires double grace, in comparison with the deacon, giving him the right and obligation to be not only a minister, but also a performer of the Sacraments of the Church and the entire work of the priesthood. This is not only double grace, but also a double yoke, a yoke.

In later times (approximately from the 16th-17th centuries), stoles began to be made not from deacon’s orarions, but especially for ease of wearing. In the part that covers the neck, the epitrachelion is made curly and narrow, so that this part can comfortably fit the collar of a cassock or cassock. When consecrating a deacon as a presbyter, the bishop no longer places the orarion around the neck of the dedicatee, but immediately places the finished epitrachelion on him. The separation of the epitrachelium from the orarion does not, however, abolish the meaning of the epitrachelion as an orarion connected at the front. Therefore, even today, the epitrachelion is sewn in such a way that it looks like two separate stripes at the front, connected only in a few places where conditional buttons are placed, since there are no loops, the buttons are planted in those places where the halves of the epitrachelion are simply sewn to one another. But the epitrachelion is not sewn along its entire length, with rare exceptions. The deacon's orarion, as a rule, has seven sewn crosses on it to commemorate the fact that the deacon is the minister of all seven Sacraments of the Church, and the priest performs six Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, Communion, Marriage, Blessing of Anointing. Only the bishop has the right to perform the Sacrament of Priesthood. When the orarion is bent around the neck, the cross in its middle part ends up on the back of the neck, and the other six are located opposite each other on both halves of the orarion, connected in front. In the same way, the signs of the cross are sewn onto the stole, so that in front it has three pairs of crosses on both halves, which indicates that the priest performs the six Sacraments of the Church. The seventh sign of the cross, located on the neck of the priest, means that he received his priesthood from the bishop and is subject to him, and also that he bears the yoke (yoke) of serving Christ, who redeemed the human race through the feat of the cross.

The priest can perform all divine services and services only in the epitrachelion, which is placed over the cassock, and in full vestment over the cassock, as is always the case when serving the Liturgy and in some special cases .

Felonne(in everyday life - chasuble) is the outer liturgical attire of priests and, in some cases, bishops. In the plural, the word “chasuble” means all vestments in general, but the singular form implies a phelonion.

This robe is very ancient. In ancient times, a phelonion was a cloak-cape made of a long rectangular piece of woolen material and served to protect against cold and bad weather. It was worn on both shoulders, with the front ends pulled together on the chest, and over one shoulder; sometimes a cutout was made in the middle of this cloak for the head, and the phelonion, worn over the shoulders, covered the entire body of the person with long ends in front and behind. At the same time, among the Jews, the edges of the phelonion were sometimes decorated with ryasnyas or ometas - trim made of sewn lace; and along the very edge of this trim the so-called cracks were sewn - a blue cord with tassels or fringe as a sign of constant remembrance of the commandments and the Law, which was commanded by God Himself (Num. 15: 37-40). The phelonion was worn by the Lord Jesus Christ in His earthly life. This is confirmed by ancient icons, where the Savior is almost always depicted in a cloak, sometimes worn over both shoulders, and sometimes over one shoulder. Perhaps it is the phelonion-cloak that John the Evangelist has in mind when he says that at the Last Supper, the Lord, intending to wash the feet of the disciples, took off His outer clothing. The apostles also wore the phelonion, as evidenced by the Apostle Paul (2 Tim. 4:13). Many believe that this was his liturgical clothing. In any case, even if the Lord and the apostles used the phelonion only as the usual outer clothing of those times, in the consciousness of the Church it precisely for this reason acquired sacred meaning and from very ancient times began to be used as liturgical vestments.

The form of the felony changed. To make it easier to wear, a larger or smaller semicircular cutout began to be made at the front hem, that is, the front hem of the phelonion no longer reached the feet. Over time, the upper shoulders of the phelonion began to be made firm and high, so that the rear upper edge of the phelonion in the form of a truncated triangle or trapezoid now began to rise above the shoulders of the clergyman.

On the back, in the upper part of the phelonion, under the shoulder stripe, in the same way as on the surplice and for the same reasons, the sign of the cross is placed. And at the bottom of the back of the phelonion, closer to the hem, an eight-pointed star is sewn on the same line with the cross. The eight-pointed star in the Christian view means the eighth century - the advent of the Kingdom of Heaven, a new earth and a new sky, since the earthly history of mankind has seven periods - seven centuries. Thus, in two short symbols - the cross and the eight-pointed star - the beginning and the end of the salvation of mankind in Christ Jesus are indicated on the phelonion. These symbols can also mean the Nativity of Christ (the star over Bethlehem) and His Feat of the Cross. However, the Star of Bethlehem also contains a sign of the future age, for with the coming of the Son of God in the flesh, “the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near” to people. The star and cross on the phelonion symbolize, in addition, the union in the Orthodox Church of the grace of the priesthood of the Old (star) and New (cross) Testaments.

Containing many high spiritual concepts, the phelonion in its general appearance primarily means the radiance of Divine glory and the strength of Divine light, clothing the clergy, the robe of righteousness and spiritual joy. Therefore, in the prayer when putting on the phelonion it is read: “Thy priests, O Lord, will be clothed in truth, and Thy saints will always rejoice with joy, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen” (Ps. 131:9). The concepts of Divine light, righteousness, joy, as a wealth of spiritual gifts and feelings, make it possible for felonies to be not only white. Feloni are made of gold and silver brocade, which especially emphasizes the meaning of the radiance of glory, as well as from material of other primary colors, accepted in worship for vestments. Since the 18th century, during Great Lent, black phelonions with white stripes have been worn, being in this case a sign of the rags and sackcloth in which the Savior was dressed when mocked.

The epitrachelion, bristles and phelonion make up the small priestly vestment, in which all evening and morning services and services are served, except for the Liturgy. When serving the Liturgy, as well as in certain cases provided for by the Charter, the priest puts on full vestments. The basis of full vestment is the cassock. On top of it, they successively put on an epitrachelion, armbands, a belt, a legguard, a club, and a phelonion. At the same time, the legguard and club, being awards for the clergy, may not be worn by all priests and are not among the required items of vestment.

Belt, worn over the cassock and epitrachelion, is a not very wide strip of material with trim in the form of stripes of a different color or shade along the edges, in the middle there is a sewn sign of the cross. There are ribbons at both ends of the belt that tie it at the back, on the lower back.

From ancient times to the present day, a tightly tied belt, as an item of clothing for workers and warriors, has been used to give the body strength and strength. Hence, as a symbolic object in religious and secular use, the belt has always meant certain concepts of strength, strength, power or readiness to serve. The psalmist prophet David says: “The Lord reigned, clothed with beauty; the Lord clothed himself with strength and girded himself.” Here, as in many other places of Holy Scripture, Divine power is symbolically designated by a belt, a girdle. Christ, girding himself with a long towel and washing the feet of His disciples, gives this image of His service to people. And the Lord Jesus Christ speaks figuratively about His service to the faithful in the future age of the Kingdom of Heaven: “He will gird himself, and make them sit down, and come and serve them” (Luke 12:37). The Apostle Paul exhorts Christians, saying: “Stand therefore, having your loins girded with truth” (Eph. 6:14). In these words, the concept of the spiritual strength of truth is combined with the concept of serving God in the spirit of truth.

The legguard is an oblong rectangular plate on a long ribbon - the first in line reward for zealous service to the Church.

Gaiter Archimandrites, abbots and priests are awarded. Symbolically, the rectangular shape of the legguard means the Four Gospels, which is quite consistent with the concept of the spiritual sword, which is the word of God.

The robes of clergy testify to their rank and title, thus distinguishing the bearers of this rank from among lay people. This corresponds to the concept of the Church as a kingdom not of this world, and for clergy it is a constant reminder that they always, in any situation, must be worthy of the highest service they have received from God.

There are two types of everyday robes of the clergy and monasticism: cassock And cassock.

Cassock- a long robe reaching to the toes with narrow sleeves and a tightly buttoned collar. It comes in two types.

1 . Sewn in at the waist, cut from top to bottom, with a widened bottom. The lower left flap is folded inside under the right flap, which, in turn, is fastened on the left side of the neck using special hooks, as well as in the belt.

Priest in non-liturgical vestments

2 . So-called single row, most often sewn in at the waist, but there is also a straight one, split in the center either from the neck to the chest, or from the neck to the bottom. Single row fastened in the center with the help of a row of buttons running from the middle of the collar to the bottom edge of the row (traditionally 33 pieces). Cassock - this is an undergarment, the color of which indicates which clergy - black (monastics) or white (parish priesthood) he belongs to. For monastics, it can only be black, while for white clergy, in addition to black, it can be dark blue, brown, gray, and white. Material for production cassocks Cloth, wool, satin, linen, comb, and also silk should serve.

Cassock(Greek “to roson” – torn, worn out, lint-free clothing) - the outer robe of monks and clergy of all degrees with long, below the palms, wide sleeves, mostly black (for monastics); for white clergy, in addition to black, dark blue, gray, brown, cream and white are possible. Usually, cassock fastens at the collar and on the belt. Cassocks, like cassocks, they have two main cuts:

1 .Cut same as cassock cassocks of the first type, only the sleeve is longer and wider at the bottom. Exist robes of this cut, sewn as demi-season and winter coats, with a turn-down collar trimmed with black velvet or fur.

2. Straight cassock, split in the middle, fastened only at the collar and chest with straight sleeves equally wide from base to end. This cassock Greek model.

The materials for cassocks are the same as for cassocks, moreover, both of them can be lined. All services, except the Liturgy, must be performed by the priest in a cassock and cassock. In addition, at different moments of different services, other liturgical vestments are worn over them. (robes), the use of each of which is determined by the Charter. During the celebration of the Liturgy and in other cases, when the priest must be in full liturgical vestments, a cassock removed and on top the cassock is put on so-called vestment and other vestments.

General symbolic meaning cassock and cassock - this is an internal renunciation of worldly worries and vanity, peace and tranquility of the heart, a sign of spiritual peace. Cassock And cassock - this is an image of the outer clothing that the Lord Jesus Christ wore during his earthly life. Thus, by wearing them, representatives of the clergy and monasticism imitate Jesus Christ according to the commandment that he gave to His disciples.

In the Russian Church there were two cuts of cassocks Kyiv And Moscow Kyiv The cut is characterized by the fact that cassock it is sewn in slightly at the waist from the sides, and the back is made straight. Moscow the cut differs in that cassock It is significantly sutured at the waist and fits tightly to the body from the sides and back.

In addition to the above robes, monastics wear the so-called mantle(or paliy), which is a long, floor-length, sleeveless cape, exclusively black, fastened only at the collar. This cape symbolizes the monks’ deep detachment from the world.

The everyday attire of clergy also includes headdresses, which come in several types:

1 .Skufja (Greek head cover) - a headdress for clergy and clergy, which is a pointed cap, for clergy it is made of velvet. Covers the head to the eyebrows, and its folds form the sign of the cross.

2 . Kamilavka- a tall, solid headdress of monks and white priesthood, usually made of camel hair. The last ones are purple kamilavki or skufy are given as a reward and a badge of distinction.

Kamilavka

3 .Cowl (Turk, cap, hat) - is both an everyday and liturgical headdress for monastics. It connects into a whole solid kamilavka in the form of a cylinder expanding upward and basting in the form of a black crepe cylinder attached to the top, falling in three tongues: two on the sides in front; and one on the back. Bishop's hood the form is similar to that of a monk. Metropolitans wear hood white with a cross sewn on, archbishops - black with a cross sewn on, bishops - without a cross. Patriarchal hood – hemispherical in shape, black or white, with a cross on the pommel, with embroidered images of Seraphim or crosses, one wider ribbon goes down the back and two on the chest. In the Russian Church there is a custom for archbishops to wear it on black, and for metropolitans to wear it on white. hoods diamond crosses.

Patriarchal hood (or kukul)

4 . Kukol or kukul (lat. cucullus - hood) - the outer vestment of a monk of the Great Schema, which has the shape of a pointed hood with two long, like a hood, stripes of black material covering the back and chest. Belonging cockle are images of crosses (decorated with five crosses located on the forehead, on the chest, on both shoulders and on the back), Seraphim and the text of the Trisagion. He wears it over his robe.

In addition, the priests of the Orthodox Church must have a cross worn on them over their vestments, which, depending on the position of its owner in the church hierarchy or his merits, comes in several varieties:

1 . Pectoral cross(or priestly), worn by a priest over a cassock (during non-liturgical times) or a phelonion (in service), is a distinctive (and integral) sign of his belonging to the second degree of the priesthood. pectoral cross, worn by the priest is made of silver, by the archpriest - of gold. This cross eight-pointed shape with a relief Crucifix on the front side and the inscription at the top: “Where, King, Glory” (“Lord is the King of Glory”). At the ends of the central crossbar cross the inscription “IC, HS” (“Jesus Christ”) is made, and under the lower oblique crossbar there is “Nike”, which translated from Greek means winner. On the other side cross the inscription is made: “Be an image with the right word, life, love, spirit, faith, purity.” It is worn on a silver chain of single elongated rings. How can a priest wear a reward? gilded cross. Gold pectoral cross - belonging to the archpriest.

Pectoral (or priestly) cross

2 . Cross with decorations- a pectoral cross with precious stones, presented to a clergyman as a reward for his special services.

Cross with decorations

3. Cabinet cross- originally introduced by the Decree of the Holy Synod of February 24, 1820, a golden cross issued from the Emperor’s office to Russian priests serving abroad. Later it was used as a reward for clergy and those who did not leave Russia.

Panagia-reliquary

The exclusively bishop's insignia was panagia, which has several different names. Panagia(encolpion, nadrennik, confidant, panagir)- a small reliquary of rectangular, round or cross-shaped with the image of Jesus Christ or saints. Previously inside panagia particles of consecrated prosphora or relics of saints were placed. Currently, it represents an image of the Mother of God, most often round or oval in shape, with various decorations, without relics. Bishop's cross and panagia are signs of the highest authority in the Church.

Modern bishop's panagia

Since 1742 panagia began to be given as a reward to the archimandrites of some monasteries. To distinguish the bishop from the archimandrite during divine services, the former had to wear the bishop's cross.

Bishop in non-liturgical vestments

His Holiness the Patriarch wears two panagia(the second is with the image of the Lord Jesus Christ), the Metropolitan of Kiev was awarded the same right. In addition, as provided by the Synod, two panagia Worn by especially honored bishops, the second is given to them as a reward.

Also, during non-liturgical times, bishops wear staves- long wooden canes, framed with overlays, having thickenings in the upper part made of carved bone, valuable wood, silver or other metal. Everyday staves have a more ancient origin than liturgical staffs. The liturgical staff appeared much later, because strict canonical rules ordered clergy not to decorate themselves with expensive clothes and household items. Only during divine services, where the bishop symbolizes the image of the glory of the Heavenly King, can he replace staff a specially decorated, splendid rod.

Thus, non-liturgical vestments deacon are cassock and cassock;

priest – cassock, cassock And pectoral cross;

bishop - cassock, cassock, mantle, hood, pectoral cross And Panagia.

Liturgical vestments

These robes, which have a common name "robes" used by clergy during worship services. They are divided into three categories: deacons, priests And episcopal(robes of clergy who do not belong to the clergy do not fall into these categories). An interesting feature is the fact that each subsequent degree of priesthood has all the liturgical vestments of the previous one, plus those vestments that belong to their degree. That is, the priest has all the deacon’s robes and, in addition, those inherent in his rank; the bishop has all the priestly vestments (except for the phelonion, which is replaced by the sakkos) and, in addition, those assigned to his episcopal rank.

Deacon in liturgical vestments

Priest in liturgical vestments

Some of these clothes are symbols of grace-filled gifts, and without them the clergyman cannot perform divine services. Liturgical vestments are:

1 . For deacon – cassock, bridle, surplice, orarion;

2 . For priest – cassock, cassock(during the Liturgy instead of robes put on vestment), armbands, epitrachelion, belt, phelonion, pectoral cross;

3 . For bishop – cassock, cassock(at the Liturgy, instead of a cassock - sacristan ), handguards, epitrachelion, belt, club, sakkos(instead of sakkosa May be felonion ), omophorion, panagia, cross, miter.

Clergymen serve in surplice.

The priest may perform some services without felony, and the bishop without sakkosa. As a reward, priests are given the right to wear skufiyas, kamilavkas or miters, and gaiter, club, cross with decorations.

Surplice- liturgical vestments of priests and clergy. Vary surplices clergyman, deacon, priest and bishop. The difference between the liturgical clothes of the lower rank of clergy - deacons - is that they serve in a cassock, over which they wear surplice. Surplice deacon (and clergyman - altar boy, sexton) - this is a long robe, consisting of two halves, with wide sleeves, with slits from the armpits to the bottom, fastened with buttons. Surplice symbolizes the clothing of salvation. Priestly and bishop surplice are a vestment called a cassock.

Podsnik- liturgical vestments of a priest and bishop - long silk (less often made of other materials) clothes, waist-length, with narrow sleeves, white or yellow. Bishop's sacristan has so-called scales, or sources – ribbons tightening the sleeve at the wrist. Gammata symbolize the flow of blood from the Savior’s perforated hands. As already stated, sacristan replaces the bishop's or priest's cassock during the celebration of the Liturgy.

Podryznik

Handle- part of the liturgical vestments of the clergy, which are trapezoidal strips of dense material with an image of a cross on their outer side, trimmed at the edges with a ribbon having a different color than themselves instruct, shade. Other name handrails - oversleeves, means that this part of the liturgical vestment is fixed on the wrist, on the sleeve of the cassock. Handrail it is tightened with a cord threaded through metal loops on its side edges, and the cord is tightly wrapped around the hand and held firmly to it. Entrust symbolize God's power, strength and wisdom bestowed on the clergy to perform the Divine Sacraments.

Orar- part of the liturgical vestment of a deacon and subdeacon - a long narrow ribbon worn by them on the left shoulder, with one end going down to the chest, the other to the back. Orar is the property of only deacons and received its name from the Greek verb “oro”, which means I look, guard, observe. However, in Latin there is a verb absolutely identical in spelling (lat. verb " oro"), but meaning "to pray". Another meaning of the word orar – towel, lention (from lat. orarium).

Archdeacon and protodeacon have double orarion, which represents two connected orars: one is worn similarly to the deacon’s, and the second descends from the left shoulder to the right thigh, where it is connected at the ends.

Orar symbolizes the grace-filled gifts that the deacon receives upon ordination. The subdeacon puts on orari cross-shaped, as a sign that he does not have the grace of a clergyman. According to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom orari symbolizes immaterial angelic wings in accordance with the image of angelic service in the Church that deacons personify.

Stole(Greek. neck) - an accessory to the liturgical vestments of the priest and bishop, which is a long ribbon (the deacon's orarion, but as if doubled), covering the neck and descending at both ends to the chest. It is sewn or fastened with buttons at the front and is worn over a cassock or cassock. Formed from Orariya stole meant that the priest acquires greater grace than the deacon, giving him the right and obligation to be the celebrant of the Sacraments of the Church. Stole symbolizes the grace-filled gifts of the priest that he receives in the Sacrament of the Priesthood. That is why when dressing in stole the prayer is read: “Blessed be God, pour out His grace on His priests, like Myrrh on the head, descending on the wedding, Aaron’s wedding, descending on the sweeps of his clothes” (see:).

Epitrachelion and poruchi

Without stoles priests and bishops do not have the right to perform divine services. Only in extremely difficult circumstances can any long piece of cloth or rope, especially blessed, be used instead.

Belt- part of the liturgical vestments of the priest and bishop, worn over the vestment and epitrachelion, is a dense, 10–15 cm wide, strip of material with trim in the form of stripes of a different shade along the edges. In the middle belts a cross is sewn on, and at its ends there are long ribbons with which it is secured at the back, on the lower back. The belt resembles the towel with which the Savior girded when washing the feet of His disciples at the Last Supper. Symbolically belt in religious usage it has always meant strength, strength, power, readiness to serve, which is clearly reflected in the prayer read when putting it on: “Blessed be God, gird me with strength, and make my path blameless, walk on my nose like a tree, and on high supply me” (see:). It still has the same meaning today.

Felony- the liturgical vestment of a priest, which is a long cape reaching to the toes (from the back), which in front reaches only to the waist. It has a slit for the head and a raised rigid shoulder, without sleeves. On felony there are four symbolic stripes that signify the Four Gospels, the ministers and evangelists of which are bishops and priests. The stripes also mean Divine protection, grace, strength and wisdom bestowed on the clergyman performing the Sacraments of the Church. On the back at the top felony sewn under the shoulder stripe in the same way as on the surplice sign of the cross, and below under the cross closer to the hem - eight-pointed star. Star and cross on felony mark the union in the Orthodox Church of the grace of the priesthood of the Old (star) and New (cross) Testaments.

There is also short, or small felonion, covering the body only to the waist (and less in the front than in the back). Worn during initiation into the clergy and not used in other services.

Felony in the ancient Church they were white. Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, gives this explanation of the symbolic meaning felony: “The whiteness of this clothing means purity, holiness and the radiance of the Glory of God, for there is light and be clothed with light, like a robe... The phelonion is sewn without sleeves in the image of the sackcloth in which the Savior was dressed during the reproach. This priestly garment covers the entire body, from head to feet, in the image of God's Providence, which from the beginning supports and protects us. During the sacred rite, the phelonion is raised with both hands, and these hands, like wings, signify angelic dignity, and the actions performed by them, the effective force with which the priest performs the Sacrament. The sacred phelonion means the highest and bestowed power and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. This clothing signifies both the lordship of the first ranks of the Mountains, and the power of God, containing everything, providential, omnipotent, beneficial, by which the Word descended even to us and through the incarnation, crucifixion and rebellion united everything above with what is below.”

In the ancient Church, belonged to the patriarchs and metropolitans felony were completely covered with images of crosses and were called therefore polystauria (Greek. polycross). Sewing material felonies is gold and silver brocade, as well as materials of other primary colors used in worship.

Gaiter is part of the liturgical vestments of some priests and is a rectangle worn on a long ribbon at the hip. Right to wear legguard given to priests as a reward. Gaiter is seen as a symbolic image of spiritual weapons - the word of God. This idea is also expressed in the verses of the psalm, which the priest must read while dressing. legguard: “Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Mighty One, with Thy beauty and Thy kindness, and advance, and prosper, and reign for the sake of truth, and meekness, and righteousness, and Thy right hand will guide Thee wondrously, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. " (cm.: ).

Gaiter

Gaiter trimmed along the edges with a sewn strip of fabric different from that from which it itself is sewn. In the center legguard there is always a cross, and its lower edge is usually decorated with fringe.

Mace- part of the liturgical vestment of a bishop, archimandrite or priest (given to priests as a reward), which is a cloth rhombus, hung at one of the sharp corners and worn on a ribbon at the right hip.

When, as a reward for diligent service, the right to wear club Archpriests receive it, then they also wear it on the right side, and in this case the legguard moves to the left. For archimandrites, as well as for bishops, club serves as a necessary accessory to their vestments. Symbolic meaning clubs similar to that of the legguard, that is, both of these items mean the spiritual sword of the word of God (diamond-shaped clubs means the Four Gospels).

What kind of service the clergy are performing at the moment determines what and how many items of liturgical attire they will use. So small priestly vestments, in which all evening and morning services and requirements are served, except for the Liturgy, they are: epitrachelion, charge And felonion.

Full vestment used during the service of the Liturgy and in other cases provided for by the Charter. It consists of: sacristan, over which is put on stole, Then handguards, belt, legguard And club(who has them), and also felonion. Because the legguard And club Since they are awards for the clergy and not every priest has them, they are not among the obligatory items of vestment.

Bishop in liturgical vestments

Bishops have a much wider range of vestments. To the above items are added such as sakkos, omophorion, miter(although it may be a reward for a very distinguished priest, in this case it is not crowned with a cross), bishop's staff And mantle. In the number of items full bishop's vestments three of the above are not included: miter, bishop's staff And mantle. Thus, full bishop's liturgical vestments in accordance with the seven Sacraments that the bishop performs, contains seven main subjects: vestment, epitrachelion, shoulder straps, belt, club, omophorion and sakkos.

Sakkos(Hebrew rags, sackcloth) - the liturgical vestment of the bishop: long to the toes, loose clothing with wide sleeves, sewn from expensive fabric. Sakkos in appearance it resembles a deacon's surplice with the difference that it is cut completely: along the underside of the sleeves and on the sides to the floor. Along the cut line it is connected by so-called bells, which replace the buttons of the deacon's surplices that perform similar functions, but in addition to this they emit melodic sounds at those moments when the bishop moves. On top sakkosa an omophorion and a panagia with a cross are put on.

Sakkos spiritually means the same thing as phelonion. This determines the fact that when putting it on there is no special prayer, only the deacon reads during the vesting of the bishop: “Your bishops, O Lord, will be clothed in truth.” Sakkosy, as a rule, they are sewn from expensive brocade and decorated with images of crosses.

Front half sakkosa symbolizes the priesthood of the New Testament, the back - the Old Testament. Their connection by bells symbolically means the inseparable, but also not confused, succession of this priesthood in Christ. Another symbolic meaning of this connection is the dual nature of the bishop's ministry to both God and people.

Omophorion(Greek. worn on the shoulders) - part of the liturgical vestments of the bishop. Omophorion The bishop has two sewn transverse stripes at its ends - a sign of strict renunciation of all vain things. Two main symbolic meanings learned omophorion the following: the bishop’s likeness to Christ in caring for the salvation of people and the special fullness of Divine grace and power granted to the bishop for this.

Great Omophorion

There are two types omophorion:

1 .Great Omophorion is a long wide ribbon with images of crosses. It goes around the bishop's neck and descends with one end onto his chest and the other onto his back. Great Omophorion The bishop wears it from the beginning of the Liturgy until the reading of the Apostle.

2 . Small omophorion is a wide ribbon with images of crosses, which descends at both ends to the chest and is sewn or secured with buttons in front.

Worn over the sakkos. Symbolically depicts the blessed gifts of the bishop, therefore, without omophorion the bishop cannot officiate. The bishop performs all services in great omophorion, except for the Liturgy, which after reading the Apostle is celebrated in small omophorion. But small omophorion does not replace the stole.

Bishop's staff with sulko

Sew homophores from brocade, silk and other fabrics of different colors accepted in the Church.

Bishop's staff (staff)- This is a symbol of the spiritual archpastoral authority of the bishop over the church people, given by Christ to His disciples, called to preach the word of God. According to the interpretation of Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, “the rod that the bishop holds means the power of the Spirit, the affirmation and shepherding of people, the power to guide, to punish those who do not submit and to gather those who are far away to oneself. Therefore, the rod has handles (horns on top of the rod), like anchors. And over those hilts the Cross of Christ means victory.” Bishop's staffs, especially metropolitan and patriarchal ones, it is customary to decorate them with precious stones, overlays, and inlays. A feature of Russian bishop's staffs is sulbk- two scarves, nested one inside the other and fixed at the handle. In Rus', its appearance was determined by harsh weather conditions: the lower scarf was supposed to protect the hand from touching the cold metal of the rod, and the upper one was supposed to protect it from the frost outside.

Patriarchal Robe

Bishop's robe

Bishop's robe, Unlike the robe of a simple monk, it is purple (for bishops), blue (for metropolitans) and green (for His Holiness the Patriarch). Besides, bishop's robe more voluminous and longer. On its front side, at the shoulders and at the hem are sewn "tablets"– rectangles with trim around the edges and crosses or icons inside the shoulder rectangles. The lower ones may contain the bishop's initials. Tablets on mantle mean that the bishop, when ruling, must be guided by the commandments of God.

Full width mantle there are three wide two-color stripes called sources, or jets. They symbolically depict the teaching itself, as if “flowing” from the Old and New Testaments and the preaching of which is the duty of bishops, as well as the teaching grace of the bishopric. Spiritually mantle repeats some symbolic meanings of phelonion, sakkos and omophorion, as if “replacing” them, since it is worn when these liturgical vestments (except for the omophorion) are not on the bishop. Used bishop's robe during solemn processions, at the entrance to the temple and at divine services, at moments determined by the Charter. In general, when dressing in liturgical clothes mantle removed.

Miter(Greek bandage worn on the head) is a headdress that is part of the bishop’s vestments. It is also included in the liturgical vestments of archimandrites and those priests who have the right to wear miters given as a reward. It has a pear shape. Usually made of velvet stripes on a rigid frame, decorated with small and medium-sized pearls in the form of a floral pattern (as one of the options); general decoration options miters so many. On the sides miters four small icons are placed: the Savior, the Mother of God, John the Baptist and some saint or holiday; the upper part is crowned with an icon of the Holy Trinity or Seraphim. Instead of an icon on the top of the bishop's miters a small cross is erected.

EVERYDAY VESTMENTS

Everyday attire, which distinguishes the ministers of the Church from lay people and testifies to their rank and title, once originated from the attire used in the world, and quickly, already in ancient times, acquired special characteristics, so that the clergy and monasticism began to outwardly stand out from the worldly environment. This was deeply consistent with the concept of the Church as a kingdom not of this world, which, although it goes through its journey and service in the world, is nevertheless deeply different from it in nature. In the minds of the ancients, the holy order or monastic title obliged its bearers to always and everywhere be who they are before God and the Church.

The main everyday attire of the clergy and monasticism of all degrees are cassock and cassock.

It is a long robe, reaching to the toes, with a tightly buttoned collar and narrow sleeves. A cassock is an undergarment. For monastics it should be black. The colors of the cassocks of the white clergy are black, dark blue, brown, gray and white for summer. Material: cloth, wool, satin, linen, comb, less often silk fabrics.

- an outer garment with long, wide sleeves below the palms. Cassocks are predominantly black, but can be dark blue, brown, white, and less often cream and gray. The materials for cassocks are the same as for cassocks. Both cassocks and cassocks can be lined.

For everyday use, there are cassocks, which are demi-season and winter coats. These are cassocks of the first type, with a turn-down collar, trimmed with black velvet or fur. Winter cassocks-coats are made with a warm lining.

All services, except the Liturgy, are performed by the priest in a cassock and cassock, over which special liturgical vestments are worn ( vestments). When serving the Liturgy, as well as in special cases when, according to the Rules, the priest must be in full liturgical vestments, the cassock is removed and the cassock and other vestments are put on over the cassock. The deacon serves in a cassock, over which he wears surplice.

The bishop performs all divine services in a cassock, on which special priestly vestments are put on. The only exceptions are some prayer services, litias, cell services and other sacred services of the bishop, when he can serve in a cassock or cassock and mantle, over which an epitrachelion is worn.

Thus, the everyday attire of the clergy is an obligatory basis for liturgical vestments.

Long-skirted clothing with narrow sleeves was widespread throughout the world among Eastern and Western peoples. Loose long clothes with wide sleeves - oriental origin. It was also common among the Jews during the earthly life of the Savior, who Himself wore such clothing, as evidenced by legend and iconography. Therefore, the cassock and cassock are considered the attire of the Lord Jesus Christ. The antiquity of clothing of this type is indirectly confirmed by the fact that to this day, many eastern peoples use a wide, long, cut and uncut at the front robe with wide long sleeves, very similar to a cassock, as traditional national clothing. The word “cassock” comes from the Greek adjective “to rason”, which means scraped, wiped, lint-free, worn. It was precisely this kind of almost beggarly clothing that monastics were supposed to wear in the Ancient Church. From the monastic environment, the cassock came into use among the entire clergy, which is confirmed by many testimonies.

In the Russian Church, until the 17th century, cassocks were not required. In everyday situations, the clergy wore long single-row suits of a special cut made of cloth and velvet in green, purple and crimson colors. The gates were also trimmed with velvet or fur. The uniforms of secular persons differed in many respects from the attire of the clergy, so that clergy in Rus' from ancient times stood out from the secular environment by their appearance. Even the wives of the white clergy always wore clothes in which one could immediately recognize them as mothers. Expanding ties with the Orthodox East in the second half of the 17th century contributed to the penetration of the attire of the Greek clergy into the Russian church environment. The Great Moscow Council of 1666-1667 decided to bless the spiritual vestments accepted at that time in the Orthodox East for Russian clergy and monks. At the same time, a reservation was made that the Council does not force, but only blesses the wearing of such robes and strictly forbids condemning those who do not dare to wear them. This is how the Greek cassock first appeared in Russia. But a loose, straight cassock, convenient for countries with hot climates, seemed, apparently, unacceptable in our country due to the fact that external conditions created the habit of wearing clothes that fit tightly to the body; moreover, spacious clothes with a slit in the middle, in the front, were worn in that time the Turks. Therefore, Russian cassocks began to be wrapped and sewn in at the waist; straight sleeves were made in the form of a bell. At the same time, two cuts of cassocks arose - Kiev and Moscow. The “Kiev” cassock is slightly sewn in at the waist from the sides, and leaves the back straight, while the “Moscow” cassock is sewn in significantly at the waist, so that it fits to the body both from the sides and from the back.

Since the 18th century, the secular clothes of the upper classes took on a completely different look from traditional Russian clothes. Gradually all classes of society began to wear short clothes, often of the European type, so that the attire of the clergy was in especially sharp contrast to the secular. At the same time, in the 18th century, the everyday clothes of the clergy acquired greater uniformity and stability of cut and color. Monastics began to wear mostly only black cassocks and cassocks of the first type, whereas in ancient times they often wore green single-row cassocks, and the white clergy narrowed the color range of their clothes.

The general symbolic meaning of the cassock and cassock is evidence of detachment from worldly vanity, a symbol of spiritual peace. Peace and tranquility of the heart in its constant spiritual presence with God is the highest goal of the efforts of any believer. But especially the clergy and monastics, as those who have dedicated their entire lives to serving God, should have as a result of their spiritual activity this inner renunciation of worldly worries and vanity, peace and tranquility of the heart. The outer attire of the clergy corresponds to this state, reminds of it, calls for it, helps to achieve it: being an image of the outer garment that the Lord Jesus Christ wore during his earthly life, the cassock and cassock mean that the clergy and monasticism imitate Jesus Christ, as He and commanded His disciples. The long robe of the clergy is a sign of God's grace, clothing His servants, covering their human infirmities; The cloth or wool cassock of the monks, belted with a leather belt, is an image of the hair shirt and leather belt that the preacher of repentance John the Baptist wore in the desert (Matthew 3:4). The black color of cassocks and cassocks is especially noteworthy: black is, essentially, the absence of color, something that lies outside the light spectrum. When applied to the attire of the clergy and monasticism, this means the color of perfect peace as the absence of movements of passion, as if spiritual death for sin and renunciation of all vanity, from external, carnal life and concentration on the invisible, internal life. The everyday attire of the clergy also has meaning for the surrounding believers, as evidence of the spiritual state to which all who hope for salvation in God should strive.

The special detachment of monks from the world is indicated by mantle, or paly, is a long, sleeveless cape with a fastener only at the collar, descending to the ground and covering the cassock and cassock. In early Christian times, this was the clothing of all Christians who turned to faith from paganism and renounced the titles and ranks that they had in a pagan environment. Such a long cape made of the simplest material meant renunciation of idolatry and humility. Subsequently, it became the property of only monastics. According to the interpretation of Saint Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople, a loose, unbelted mantle is a sign of angelic wings, which is why it is called the “angelic image”. The mantle is only a monastic robe. In ancient times in Rus', monks wore a robe always and everywhere and had no right to leave their cells without it. For going out into the city without a robe, monks were punished in the 17th century by exile to distant monasteries under close supervision. Such severity was due to the fact that at that time the monks did not yet have robes as obligatory outerwear. They wore single-row shorts with narrow sleeves, so that the robe was the only outer clothing. The robes of monks, like their cassocks and cassocks, are always black.

The clergy and monastics have special headdresses in everyday use. White clergy may wear skufia. In ancient times, skufiya was a small round cap, similar to a bowl without a stand. Since ancient times, in the Western Church and in Rus', such a cap was used to cover the shaved part of the head of the clergy. After ordination to the priesthood, the proteges immediately shaved their hair on their heads in the form of a circle, which in Rus' received the name gumenzo, which meant the sign of the crown of thorns. The shaved part was covered with a small cap, which also received the Slavic name gumentso, or the Greek name skufia.

In ancient times, priests and deacons constantly wore skufia, even at home, taking it off only during worship and before bed.

By decree of Emperor Paul I of December 18, 1797, purple skufiyas and kamilavkas were introduced into church use as awards for the white clergy. The priest can also wear the award skufiya in the church and perform divine services, removing it in the cases provided for by the Charter. Clergymen can wear such a skufiya every day.

The everyday headdress of bishops and monks, in which they can perform some divine services, is also hood. This is a headdress consisting of a kamilavka and a kukul. Klobuk has been known among Slavic people since ancient times. Initially, it was a princely headdress, which was a cap trimmed with fur, with a small blanket sewn to it, descending onto the shoulders. Such caps with veils were also used by other noble people in Rus', men and women. On ancient icons, Saints Boris and Gleb are often depicted wearing hoods. There are mentions of hoods as a princely headdress in chronicles. It is unknown when the hood became the headdress of Russian monks. It appeared in the church environment a very long time ago and had the appearance of a deep soft cap made of simple material with a fur band. The etymology of the verb “to put on, to pull a headdress low over the forehead, over the ears” goes back to the root klobuk. The cap was covered with a black veil that went down to the shoulders. Such hoods were worn in Rus' by both monks and bishops; only the bishops' hoods were made of expensive materials and sometimes decorated with precious stones. In the Orthodox East, monastic headdresses had a different look. There, only the veil worn over the cap was considered to be the actual monastic kukul. The lower part of that blanket, which went down onto the back, began to split into three ends.

Some ancient Russian saints wore white hoods. The iconography depicts the holy metropolitans Peter, Alexy, Jonah, and Philip in such hoods. With the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia in 1589, Russian Patriarchs began to wear white hoods. At the Council of 1666-1667, all metropolitans were given the right to wear white hoods. But at the same time, the metropolitans’ hoods were no different in shape from the monastic hoods of the new (Greek) model (with a solid cylindrical kamilavka), only their “basting” (kukol) became white. And the hoods of the Patriarchs retained the ancient shape of a spherical cap, covered with a white kukul, the ends of which also differed from the ends of the monastic mark. The three ends of the patriarchal hood start almost from the cap, two of them descend from the front to the chest, the third to the back. At the top of the patriarchal hood (on the makovtsa) a cross began to be placed, the frontal side of the hood was decorated with icons, and at the ends of the hood cherubs or seraphim were depicted with gold embroidery.

Currently, the hood of the Moscow Patriarch on the frontal side and at the ends of the hood has images of six-winged Seraphim; in all other respects it is similar to the hoods of the ancient Russian Patriarchs. The white color of metropolitan and patriarchal hoods means a special purity of thoughts and enlightenment by Divine light, which corresponds to the highest degrees of the church hierarchy, which are designed to reflect the highest degrees of spiritual state. In this regard, the Patriarch's hood with images of the Seraphim indicates that the Patriarch, as the head of the entire Russian Church and the prayer book for it, is likened to the highest angelic ranks closest to God. The shape of the patriarchal hood, reminiscent of the dome of a church with a cross on top, also fully corresponds to the position of the Patriarch as the head of the local Church.

From the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 19th century, the Russian Church established the custom, which still exists today, of wearing diamond crosses on black hoods for archbishops and white hoods for metropolitans. The cross on the headdress is not new. In the ancient Russian and especially Ukrainian church environment, even simple priests wore crosses on their everyday hats. Among priests, this custom ceased at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century. Subsequently, diamond crosses on hoods became the insignia of archbishops and metropolitans (bishops wear a regular black monastic hood without a cross). The diamond cross can mean high spiritual perfection and special firmness of faith and teaching, corresponding to the highest degrees of the church hierarchy.

The modern monastic hood is a solid kamilavka in the shape of a cylinder, slightly widened at the top, covered with black crepe, descending to the back and ending in the form of three long ends. This crepe is commonly called nametka (or kukul). In the rite of monastic tonsure called klobuk, of course, there is only crepe, a veil with which the kamilavka is covered. This veil is sometimes called a kukul, just like the veil worn when being tonsured into the Great Schema. In this meaning, the hood is called “the helmet of the hope of salvation,” and the kukul of the great schema, according to the rank of tonsure into the small and great schema, means “the helmet of the hope of salvation.”

This symbolic meaning of monastic veils comes from the words of the Apostle Paul, who says: “Let us, being sons of the day, be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8), and elsewhere : “Stand therefore, having your loins girded with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; and most of all, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery arrows of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:14-17). Thus, everyday spiritual, especially monastic, clothing signifies by external means those internal qualities that any Christian must possess, called at Baptism a soldier of Christ, since he will have to wage a tireless war against the invisible spiritual enemies of salvation.

Monastics of all degrees wear rosaries. This is a prayer item used for frequent reading of the Jesus Prayer. Modern rosary is a closed thread consisting of one hundred “grains”, divided into dozens of intermediate “grains” of larger sizes than ordinary ones. Cell rosaries sometimes contain a thousand “grains” with the same division. The rosary helps to count (hence their name) the number of prayers included in the monk's daily rule, without focusing on the count itself. Rosary beads have been known since ancient times. In Rus', in the old days they had the form of a closed ladder, consisting not of “grains”, but of wooden blocks covered with leather or fabric, and were called “ladder” or “lestovka” (ladder). Spiritually, they mean the ladder of salvation, the “spiritual sword”, and show the image of unceasing (eternal) prayer (a circular thread is a symbol of eternity).

Pectoral Cross

Pectoral crosses for priests appeared in the Russian Orthodox Church relatively recently. Until the 18th century, only bishops had the right to wear pectoral crosses. The cross of a priest testifies that he is a servant of Jesus Christ, who suffered for the sins of the world, and must have Him in his heart and imitate Him. The two-pointed chain of the cross is a sign of the lost sheep, that is, pastoral care for the souls of the parishioners entrusted to the priest, and the cross that Christ carried on His back, as a sign of deeds and suffering in earthly life. The cross and chain are made silver-gilded.

At the beginning of the 19th century, priests began to be awarded crosses with decorations on special occasions. By a decree of the Holy Synod of February 24, 1820, Russian priests serving abroad were blessed to wear special gold crosses issued from the emperor’s office. Such crosses are called cabinet crosses. Sometimes they were given as a reward to certain priests and those who did not travel outside of Russia.

By state decree of May 14, 1896, the cross was introduced into church use, which is a sign of distinction for every priest and hieromonk. This cross, which has since been placed at priestly consecration, is silver, eight-pointed in shape with a relief image of the crucified Savior on the front side and the inscriptions in the upper part: “Where, King, Glory” (“The Lord is the King of Glory”); at the ends of the wide crossbar “IC, XC” (“Jesus Christ”), under the lower oblique crossbar – “Nika” ( Greek- victory). On the back of the cross is the inscription: “Be an image by faithful speech, life, love, spirit, faith, purity (1 Tim. 4:12). Summer 1896, May 14 days.” The cross is equipped with a silver chain of single elongated rings. This chain is also divided into two parts by a jumper in the middle. The crosses of 1896 became an indispensable insignia of priests, which they wear during divine services over their vestments and can be worn in everyday settings over their cassocks, and the crosses of 1797 remained an award, traditionally also awarded to all graduates of theological academies who have been ordained priests.

In addition, in the 19th century, archpriests began to receive crosses with decorations, similar to bishop’s pectoral crosses, as a reward.

Panagia- the distinctive breastplate of a bishop.

The first mention of panagia as an obligatory accessory for a bishop, which is given to him during initiation after the Liturgy, is contained in the writings of Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica (XV century). The 17th-century writer Jacob Goar testifies that upon accepting the omophorion, the bishops of the Greek Church received a precious cross with the relics of saints, called an encolpion, with the addition of the greeting the word axios (worthy). The custom of placing an encolpion on a bishop during his consecration passed from the Orthodox East to the Russian Church. But in Rus', panagiars in the form of rectangular reliquaries with images of the Lord Christ, the Mother of God, and saints were already in wide use. Often one reliquary with relics had images of the Holy Trinity, Christ Pantocrator, the Mother of God, and saints. There were gilded icons only with images of the Mother of God. Such icons were worn by bishops and archimandrites in the 16th century. Therefore, during the episcopal consecration in Russia, from the 17th century, they began to lay a cross. Since it was the custom of Russian bishops to wear an icon of the Mother of God or an encolpion-reliquary with relics over their robes, the Moscow Council of 1674 allowed Russian metropolitans to wear an “encolpion and cross” over the sakkos, but only within their diocese. An exception was made for the Novgorod Metropolitan, who had the right to wear a cross and encolpion in the presence of the Patriarch.

Russian Patriarchs, as well as Kyiv metropolitans as exarchs, have worn two panagias and a cross since the mid-17th century.

Over time, the relics of saints ceased to be a mandatory part of panagias. Currently, a panagia is an image of the Mother of God, most often round or oval in shape, with various decorations, without relics. Bishops' crosses now also come without relics. Since 1742, archimandrites of some monasteries were awarded panagias. In order to distinguish bishops from archimandrites, from the middle of the 17th century, bishops began to be given two tributes at their consecration: a cross and a panagia. In everyday settings, bishops had to wear a panagia, and during divine services a panagia and a cross. This order continues to this day.

The bishop's cross and panagia are signs of the highest authority in the Church. These images spiritually mean the same thing as the altarpiece Cross and the icon of the Mother of God, namely: The economy of the salvation of people in the Church is carried out by the grace-filled power of the feat of the cross of the Son of God Jesus Christ and the intercession of the Mother of God as the Mother of the Church. The bishop's cross and panagia remind us that a bishop must always have in his heart the Lord and Representative before Him - the Ever-Virgin Mary, that for this he must have a pure heart and a right spirit, and from the excess of heart purity and truth his lips must utter only one thing: good. This is also noted in the prayers said by the deacon when putting a cross and then a panagia on the bishop. When putting the cross on the bishop, the deacon says: “And if anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself,” says the Lord, “and take up his cross and follow Me, always, now, and ever, and forever and ever, Amen.” When putting on the first panagia, the deacon says: “God will create a pure heart in you, and will renew a right spirit in your womb, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.” When putting on the second panagia, he says: “Let your heart spit out the good word that your deeds say, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.”

The bishop's cross and panagia with the image of the Mother of God, which were fully defined in their main features two hundred years ago, arose seemingly by accident, but their symbolism deeply corresponds to the most ancient ideas of the Church about the participation of the Mother of God in the salvation of the world. Only Christ and the Mother of God are addressed with the words “Save us.” The remaining saints are asked: “Pray to God for us.”

The bishop's cross and panagia are worn on chains, which are separated by a jumper, so that the front half of the chain, covering the neck, descends to the chest and converges on the upper part of the cross or panagia, and the back half descends to the back. One cannot help but see in this a repetition of the symbolism of the bishop’s omophorion, which also has front and back ends, signifying the lost sheep that the good shepherd took for his ramen, and the cross that the Lord Christ carried to Calvary. In the consciousness of the Church, the lost sheep is an image of the nature of fallen humanity, which the Lord Jesus Christ took upon Himself, incarnated in this nature and ascended it to Heaven, numbering it among the unlost - among the Angels. This is how Saint Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople (8th century), interprets the meaning of the omophorion, and Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, adds that crosses on the omophorion are depicted for the purpose of “as Christ also bore His cross on His shoulder; Thus, those who want to live on their own in Christ accept their cross, that is, suffering. For the cross is a sign of suffering.” Saint Isidore Pelusiot († c. 436-440) emphasizes the idea that “the bishop, in the image of Christ, fulfills His work and shows everyone by his very clothes that he is an imitator of the good and great Shepherd, who took upon Himself the infirmities of the flock.”

The two ends of the chains of the bishop's cross and panagia signify the bishop's imitation of Christ in his pastoral concern for the salvation of people - the sheep of the “verbal flock” and in the feat of bearing his cross. The two ends of the chains correspond to the dual nature of the archpastor’s ministry - to God and people.

The chains or cords of the pectoral crosses of ordinary lay people do not have a back end, since a lay person does not have pastoral responsibilities towards other people.

In everyday situations, bishops wear staves, different from the staff-staffs that they use during worship. Bishops' daily staffs are usually long wooden sticks with a frame and a thickening at the top made of carved bone, wood, silver or other metal. Everyday staves have a much more ancient origin than liturgical staffs. The liturgical bishop's staff was separated from the ordinary everyday staff of bishops because, according to canonical rules, bishops and other clergy are prohibited from decorating themselves with expensive and bright clothes and household items. Only during divine services, where the bishop must show people the image of the glory of the Heavenly King, does he put on specially decorated vestments and headdresses and take a splendid staff in his hands.

Liturgical Vestments of a Deacon and a Priest

The liturgical vestments of the clergy have a common name - vestments and are divided into deaconal, priestly and bishop's vestments. The priest has all the robes of a deacon and, in addition, those inherent in his rank; the bishop has all the priestly vestments and, in addition, those assigned to his episcopal rank.

The liturgical robes of the Orthodox clergy are typified in the Old Testament by the robes of Aaron and other priests, made at the direct command of God (Ex. 28:2; 31:10) and intended only for priestly service, for the glory and splendor of Divine services. They cannot be worn or used in everyday life. Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord commands the Old Testament priests, leaving the temple into the outer courtyard to the people, to take off their liturgical vestments and place them in the barriers of the saints, putting on other clothes (Ezek. 44:19). In the Orthodox Church, at the end of the service, vestments are also removed and remain in the church.

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the parable of those invited to the royal feast, which figuratively tells about the Kingdom of God, speaks of the inadmissibility of entering it not in wedding clothes (Matthew 22: 11-14). The parable depicts a wedding feast on the occasion of the marriage of the king's son. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, marriage, which is often spoken of here and in other similar images in the Holy Scriptures, is the sacramental marriage of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ (the Lamb) with His beloved bride - the Church (Rev. 19: 7-8). The Apocalypse notes that “it was given to her (the wife of the Lamb) to be clothed in fine linen, clean and bright; and the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.”

Thus, the general symbolic meaning of church vestments is the expression in visible material garments of the spiritual garments of righteousness and purity, in which the souls of believing people must be clothed in order to participate in the eternal joy of Christ’s union with the Church of His elect.

Historically, liturgical vestments did not appear immediately. In its main features, the canon of liturgical vestments was formed in the 6th century. It is known that until this time the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, the first bishop of Jerusalem, wore the long white linen robe of the Jewish priests and a headband. The Apostle John the Theologian also wore a gold bandage on his head as a sign of the high priest. Many believe that the phelonion left by the Apostle Paul at Carp in Troas (2 Tim. 4:13) was his liturgical attire. According to legend, the Mother of God with Her own hands made an omophorion for Saint Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Christ and was then Bishop of Cyprus. Thus, the apostles already used some liturgical vestments. Most likely, the Church has preserved from them a tradition expressed by Blessed Jerome (IV century), according to which it is by no means acceptable to enter the altar and perform divine services in common and simply used clothes.

The common attire for all degrees of the priesthood is surplice, or podsnik. This is also the most ancient garment in terms of time of origin. The surplice corresponds to the undercoat of the Old Testament high priests, but in Christianity it takes on a slightly different appearance and meaning.

For deacons and lower clergy, the surplice is the outer liturgical garment with wide sleeves. For priests and bishops, the surplice is the undergarment over which other vestments are worn. That’s why it has a special name – podrisnik.

A surplice is a long garment without a slit in the front and back, with a hole for the head and wide sleeves. The surplice is also required for subdeacons. The right to wear the surplice can be given to both psalm-readers and laymen serving in the church. The surplice signifies the purity of the soul that persons of holy orders must have.

For priests and bishops this is the lower liturgical clothing. She is put on a cassock, and other vestments are put on her. This vestment has some differences from the surplice. The cassette is made with narrow sleeves, since they must have handrails. The sleeves of the cassock have slits at the ends. A braid or cord is sewn to one side of the cut, so that when wearing this lace, the lower edge of the cassette sleeve is pulled tightly together at the wrist. These laces represent the fetters that tied the hands of the Savior as he was led to judgment. For this reason, there are no stripes on the sleeves of the vest. They are not on the sacristan's shoulders, because his shoulders are covered with outer liturgical clothing (felonion or sakkos).

On the back of the vestment only a cross is sewn, and on the hem, since it protrudes from under the outer clothing and is visible to everyone, there is the same sewn stripe as on the surplice, with the same symbolic meaning. On the sides of the cassock there are the same slits as on the surplice. The casings are made of light fabric and, in accordance with the considered value, should be white. A distinctive feature of the bishop's vestment can be the so-called gammata - sources, streams in the form of ribbons hanging in front. They mean the blood that flowed from the wounds of Christ, and, according to Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, the teaching grace of the hierarch, and various gifts given to him from above and through him poured out on everyone. The cassock is worn only when serving the Liturgy and on some special occasions.

On the left shoulder above the surplice the deacons have orari- a long strip of brocade or other colored material, descending from the front and back almost to the floor. The orarion is secured with a loop on a button on the left shoulder of the surplice, so that its ends hang down freely. Taking the lower front end of the orarion in his right hand, the deacon raises it while pronouncing litanies (petitions), makes the sign of the cross with this end, and, in appropriate cases, indicates to the priest and bishop the order of liturgical actions. At the Liturgy of the “Our Father”, preparing himself to receive the Holy Mysteries, the deacon girds himself with an orar across his chest (chest) so that the orar first crosses the lower part of the chest, across, passes with two ends under the armpits on the back, crosses crosswise on the back , rising on both shoulders, through the shoulders the ends of the orarion descend to the chest, intersect here also crosswise and pass under that part of the orarion that crossed across the lower part of the chest. Thus, the deacon’s chest and back are covered by the orarion in a cross shape. After communion, the deacon again girds the orarion and hangs it on his left shoulder.

Deacon is the first holy degree. The orarion, which he almost always wears on one left shoulder, means precisely the grace of the holy order, but only of the first degree of priesthood, which gives the deacon the right to be a minister, but not a performer of the sacraments. However, this grace of the sacred deaconate is a yoke and a yoke of work for God and people, it is a crucifixion. The symbolic expression of these spiritual truths is contained in the deacon’s orarion. On the other hand, the orarion reminds the deacon of the need to imitate the angels in his service and life, always ready to quickly fulfill the will of God, preserving purity and purity, and remaining in perfect chastity.

Even now, the words of the angelic chant “Holy, Holy, Holy” are sometimes written on orarions. Most often this inscription is found on the so-called double orarions of protodeacons and archdeacons. This orarion is much wider than the usual deacon's one, and has the peculiarity that the middle part of it passes under the right arm so that one end of the orarion rises over the back to the left shoulder and falls down in front, and the other end passes from under the right arm through the chest up and down the same left shoulder from behind. This arrangement of the orarion marks the seniority of protodeacons and archdeacons within the same diaconal rank, which is an image of the seniority of some Angels over others.

On the sleeves of the cassock, and when fully vested, on the sleeves of the cassock, priests and bishops put instruct, or sleeves. Deacons put them on the sleeves of their cassock. The handrail is a slightly curved strip of dense material with an image of a cross in the middle, trimmed along the edges with a ribbon of a different shade than the handrail itself. Covering the hand at the wrist, the handrail is connected to the inside of the arm using a cord threaded through metal loops on its side edges, and the cord is wrapped around the hand, so that the handrail tightly pulls the sleeve of the cassock or cassock and holds firmly on the hand. In this case, the sign of the cross appears on the outside of the hand. The orders are worn on both sleeves and signify God's power, strength and wisdom, given to His clergy to perform the Divine sacraments. The sign of the cross means that it is not the human hands of the clergy, but the Lord Himself through them who performs the sacraments with His Divine power. This meaning of the braces is reflected in the prayers when putting them on for serving the Liturgy. For the right hand it reads: “Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength; Thy right hand, O Lord, has crushed the enemies and with the multitude of Thy glory has erased these adversaries.” This prayer also contains the idea that the orders, as a sign of the power of God, protect the clergyman from demonic machinations when performing the sacraments. For the left handrail it reads: “Thy hands have made me and created me; give me understanding and I will learn Thy commandment.”

The history of the origin of the handrails is as follows. There were no commissions in the original Church. Since ancient times, the narrow sleeves of the imathium (cassock) and cassock were decorated with a special decoration in the form of two or three stripes covering the edges of the sleeves. At the same time, a cross was sometimes depicted between these stripes. There are no interpretations of this decoration among ecclesiastical authors of antiquity. Armbands first appeared as an item of clothing for Byzantine kings. They were used to decorate and tighten the sleeves of the lower clothing, protruding from under the wide sleeves of the sakkos - the upper royal vestment. Wanting to honor the patriarchs of their capital Constantinople with special honor, the emperors began to bestow upon them items of royal vestments. Byzantine kings granted the patriarchs wands and the right to depict a double-headed eagle on shoes and carpets. In the 11th-12th centuries, the saints of Constantinople received sakkos and orders from the kings; then the assignments passed to the primates of other Orthodox Churches, to the most prominent eastern metropolitans and bishops. Somewhat later, the assignments passed to the priests. Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica (12th century), writes about the cords as a necessary accessory for priestly and episcopal vestments. In the 14th-15th centuries, orders as a reward appeared first among some archdeacons, and then among all deacons. Ancient armatures were often richly decorated with gold and silver embroidery, pearls, sometimes they depicted a deisis, an icon of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, John the Baptist, sometimes they did not have any images. Subsequently, the only image on the arms becomes a cross - a sign of the power of the cross imparted to the servant of the throne of God. The symbolism of the handrails thus reaches its completion in the 16th-17th centuries. With the advent of hand guards, stripes and crosses were no longer sewn on the sleeves of the cassock and cassock. The handpieces, as an object external to the sleeves, provided clear evidence that the power and wisdom in performing the sacraments and services do not belong to the clergyman himself, but is given to him from the outside, from God. This is the dogmatic meaning of the change that has occurred in the symbolism of the sleeves. Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, gives the orders, in addition to the sign of God's power and wisdom, the meaning of the image of the fetters that tied the hands of the Savior, led to judgment. When the handles are put on a cassock or cassock without cords on the sleeves, they really take on this meaning. When they are put on the vestment, the sleeves of which are already tied with a cord - the image of the paths of Christ - only their first meaning remains behind the straps - the power and wisdom of God performing the sacraments.

The surplice, orarion and bridles are the vestments of the deacon. Other liturgical vestments belong to the vestments of the priestly rank.

Starting from the 15th century, the bishop, ordaining a deacon to the priesthood, wrapped a deacon's orar around his neck, so that both ends evenly descended along the chest, down to the hem, and at the same time connected to one another. It turned out stole- an item of clothing for priests and bishops. (The word epitrachelion in Greek is masculine, but in Russian books it was used in the feminine gender.) This is exactly what bishops did starting from the 15th century when ordaining a deacon to the rank of priest. The epitrachelion formed from the orarion meant that the priest, without losing the grace of the deaconate, acquires double grace, in comparison with the deacon, giving him the right and obligation to be not only a minister, but also a performer of the Sacraments of the Church and the entire work of the priesthood. This is not only double grace, but also a double yoke, a yoke.

In later times (approximately from the 16th-17th centuries), stoles began to be made not from deacon’s orarions, but especially for ease of wearing. In the part that covers the neck, the epitrachelion is made curly and narrow, so that this part can comfortably fit the collar of a cassock or cassock. When consecrating a deacon as a presbyter, the bishop no longer places the orarion around the neck of the dedicatee, but immediately places the finished epitrachelion on him. The separation of the epitrachelium from the orarion does not, however, abolish the meaning of the epitrachelion as an orarion connected at the front. Therefore, even today, the epitrachelion is sewn in such a way that it looks like two separate stripes at the front, connected only in a few places where conditional buttons are placed, since there are no loops, the buttons are planted in those places where the halves of the epitrachelion are simply sewn to one another. But the epitrachelion is not sewn along its entire length, with rare exceptions. The deacon's orarion, as a rule, has seven sewn crosses on it to commemorate the fact that the deacon is the minister of all seven Sacraments of the Church, and the priest performs six Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, Communion, Marriage, Blessing of Anointing. Only the bishop has the right to perform the Sacrament of Priesthood. When the orarion is bent around the neck, the cross in its middle part ends up on the back of the neck, and the other six are located opposite each other on both halves of the orarion, connected in front. In the same way, the signs of the cross are sewn onto the stole, so that in front it has three pairs of crosses on both halves, which indicates that the priest performs the six Sacraments of the Church. The seventh sign of the cross, located on the neck of the priest, means that he received his priesthood from the bishop and is subject to him, and also that he bears the yoke (yoke) of serving Christ, who redeemed the human race through the feat of the cross.

The priest can perform all divine services and services only in the epitrachelion, which is placed over the cassock, and in full vestment over the cassock, as is always the case when serving the Liturgy and in some special cases .

Felonne(in everyday life - chasuble) is the outer liturgical attire of priests and, in some cases, bishops. In the plural, the word “chasuble” means all vestments in general, but the singular form implies a phelonion.

This robe is very ancient. In ancient times, a phelonion was a cloak-cape made of a long rectangular piece of woolen material and served to protect against cold and bad weather. It was worn on both shoulders, with the front ends pulled together on the chest, and over one shoulder; sometimes a cutout was made in the middle of this cloak for the head, and the phelonion, worn over the shoulders, covered the entire body of the person with long ends in front and behind. At the same time, among the Jews, the edges of the phelonion were sometimes decorated with ryasnyas or ometas - trim made of sewn lace; and along the very edge of this trim the so-called cracks were sewn - a blue cord with tassels or fringe as a sign of constant remembrance of the commandments and the Law, which was commanded by God Himself (Num. 15: 37-40). The phelonion was worn by the Lord Jesus Christ in His earthly life. This is confirmed by ancient icons, where the Savior is almost always depicted in a cloak, sometimes worn over both shoulders, and sometimes over one shoulder. Perhaps it is the phelonion-cloak that John the Evangelist has in mind when he says that at the Last Supper, the Lord, intending to wash the feet of the disciples, took off His outer clothing. The apostles also wore the phelonion, as evidenced by the Apostle Paul (2 Tim. 4:13). Many believe that this was his liturgical clothing. In any case, even if the Lord and the apostles used the phelonion only as the usual outer clothing of those times, in the consciousness of the Church it precisely for this reason acquired sacred meaning and from very ancient times began to be used as liturgical vestments.

The form of the felony changed. To make it easier to wear, a larger or smaller semicircular cutout began to be made at the front hem, that is, the front hem of the phelonion no longer reached the feet. Over time, the upper shoulders of the phelonion began to be made firm and high, so that the rear upper edge of the phelonion in the form of a truncated triangle or trapezoid now began to rise above the shoulders of the clergyman.

On the back, in the upper part of the phelonion, under the shoulder stripe, in the same way as on the surplice and for the same reasons, the sign of the cross is placed. And at the bottom of the back of the phelonion, closer to the hem, an eight-pointed star is sewn on the same line with the cross. The eight-pointed star in the Christian view means the eighth century - the advent of the Kingdom of Heaven, a new earth and a new sky, since the earthly history of mankind has seven periods - seven centuries. Thus, in two short symbols - the cross and the eight-pointed star - the beginning and the end of the salvation of mankind in Christ Jesus are indicated on the phelonion. These symbols can also mean the Nativity of Christ (the star over Bethlehem) and His Feat of the Cross. However, the Star of Bethlehem also contains a sign of the future age, for with the coming of the Son of God in the flesh, “the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near” to people. The star and cross on the phelonion symbolize, in addition, the union in the Orthodox Church of the grace of the priesthood of the Old (star) and New (cross) Testaments.

Containing many high spiritual concepts, the phelonion in its general appearance primarily means the radiance of Divine glory and the strength of Divine light, clothing the clergy, the robe of righteousness and spiritual joy. Therefore, in the prayer when putting on the phelonion it is read: “Thy priests, O Lord, will be clothed in truth, and Thy saints will always rejoice with joy, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen” (Ps. 131:9). The concepts of Divine light, righteousness, joy, as a wealth of spiritual gifts and feelings, make it possible for felonies to be not only white. Feloni are made of gold and silver brocade, which especially emphasizes the meaning of the radiance of glory, as well as from material of other primary colors, accepted in worship for vestments. Since the 18th century, during Great Lent, black phelonions with white stripes have been worn, being in this case a sign of the rags and sackcloth in which the Savior was dressed when mocked.

The epitrachelion, bristles and phelonion make up the small priestly vestment, in which all evening and morning services and services are served, except for the Liturgy. When serving the Liturgy, as well as in certain cases provided for by the Charter, the priest puts on full vestments. The basis of full vestment is the cassock. On top of it, they successively put on an epitrachelion, armbands, a belt, a legguard, a club, and a phelonion. At the same time, the legguard and club, being awards for the clergy, may not be worn by all priests and are not among the required items of vestment.

Belt, worn over the cassock and epitrachelion, is a not very wide strip of material with trim in the form of stripes of a different color or shade along the edges, in the middle there is a sewn sign of the cross. There are ribbons at both ends of the belt that tie it at the back, on the lower back.

From ancient times to the present day, a tightly tied belt, as an item of clothing for workers and warriors, has been used to give the body strength and strength. Hence, as a symbolic object in religious and secular use, the belt has always meant certain concepts of strength, strength, power or readiness to serve. The psalmist prophet David says: “The Lord reigned, clothed with beauty; the Lord clothed himself with strength and girded himself.” Here, as in many other places of Holy Scripture, Divine power is symbolically designated by a belt, a girdle. Christ, girding himself with a long towel and washing the feet of His disciples, gives this image of His service to people. And the Lord Jesus Christ speaks figuratively about His service to the faithful in the future age of the Kingdom of Heaven: “He will gird himself, and make them sit down, and come and serve them” (Luke 12:37). The Apostle Paul exhorts Christians, saying: “Stand therefore, having your loins girded with truth” (Eph. 6:14). In these words, the concept of the spiritual strength of truth is combined with the concept of serving God in the spirit of truth.

The legguard is an oblong rectangular plate on a long ribbon - the first in line reward for zealous service to the Church.

Gaiter Archimandrites, abbots and priests are awarded. Symbolically, the rectangular shape of the legguard means the Four Gospels, which is quite consistent with the concept of the spiritual sword, which is the word of God.