The Vestments.

The Antiquity of the Vestments. — In the very earliest times of Christianity, persons officiating in a church used to wear, while performing divine service, the same kind of garments as those worn by laymen. But a feeling of reverence prompted them to appear at the common worship in clean, festive garments. The favorite color for such occasions was white, in token that church service demands holiness and purity. The garments for the celebrants were provided by the community; they were kept in secret places and given out to the celebrants when they prepared for the services. Such is the origin of church vestments or holy garments. In the course of time the cut of laymen’s garments changed; various peoples adopted new fashions; only the cut of church vestments, used while officiating in divine services, remained unaltered and universally the same, in token of the unity and immutable nature of the faith and as an allusion to the qualities demanded of the ministers of the Church. All these garments were, from the earliest times, decorated with Crosses, to distinguish them from ordinary garments.

The Sticharion or Tunic. — The universal garment worn by all ancient nations, men and women alike, was the Chiton, otherwise called Tunic or Sticharion, a long garment with sleeves, which reached to the ground. This garment remains common to all classes of ordained persons, with this small difference, that the deacon’s tunic has wide sleeves, while the priest’s and bishop’s tunics have tight-fitting ones. By its brilliant whiteness this garment reminds the celebrant that the grace of the Holy Spirit covers him as with a garment of salvation and joy, and invests him with beauty. In our days, the members of the lower clergy are also authorized to wear this garment.

The Orarion and the Epitrachelion. — Another indispensable portion of every man’s dress was the towel or scarf, which every one wore, thrown over one shoulder and sometimes both. Poor people used it to wipe their mouth and face after ablutions; while wealthy men of rank, who had slaves to carry their towel for them, used the scarf which they wore themselves as an ornament, and therefore had it made out of rich stuffs and sometimes decorated with pearls and precious stones. Such a scarf was called an Orarion. The Orarion — or Stole — remained as one of the sacred vestments, to be used by all classes of ordained persons, in token that the grace of the Holy Spirit flows down upon them abundantly. Deacons wear it on the left shoulder and only on certain occasions bind it around their bodies crosswise. The Orarion is the deacon’s principal vestment, without which he cannot officiate at any service whatever. Holding one end of it with his right hand, he slightly raises it, when he invites the congregation to begin prayers and to listen attentively; also when he himself recites prayers. In old times, deacons used to wipe the lips of communicants with the Orarion after they had received the Eucharist. Because deacons minister on earth around the Lord’s altar as the angels surround Him in the heavens, so, in allusion thereto, the angelic hymn: “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord Sabaoth!” formerly used to be embroidered on the Orarion. Priests and bishops wear this garment on both shoulders, in such a manner that it encircles their neck and descends in front in two ends, which, for convenience sake, are either sewed or buttoned together. From this way of wearing it, the priest’s Orarion or double stole has the name of Epitrachélion, which means “what is worn around the neck.” Priests and bishops thus wear the Orarion on both shoulders in token that they have received the added grace of priesthood and have devoted themselves wholly to the Church. Of the church servitors only the sub-deacons wear the Orarion, crossed on the shoulders or tied under one shoulder.

The Maniples, or Cuffs, and Zone, or Belt. — To the ancient costume also belonged the Maniples — a sort of cuffs, under which men used to gather at the wrist the wide sleeves of the chiton or tunic — and the Zone or belt, which they girded round their waists, when they prepared for any work or went on travels. Maniples still remain an attribute of all grades of priesthood, as an indication that a minister of the Church must hope, not in his own strength, but in the help of God. The belt is worn only by priests or bishops, and serves to remind them that God strengthens them with His own strength, places them on the path of righteousness, and helps them to ascend to the height of holiness with the fleetness of the deer.

The Phelonion or Cope and the Saccos. — Over the chiton or tunic the ancients used to wear a garment named Phelónion. It was long, wide, sleeveless, enveloping the entire person, and leaving only one opening for the head. Poor people made it out of some thick, coarse stuff, and used it only in traveling, to protect them from cold and bad weather. The rich wore the same garment, made out of soft material, so that it was not only a protection in traveling, but an ornamental cloak. It was contrived so as to enable the wearer to get out and use his hands. To this effect there were studs on the shoulders, over which were looped cords which, being pulled, shirred up the skirt of the garment. When shirred up on both shoulders to leave both hands free, it presented the aspect of two bags, one of which-the larger-hung down behind, and the other, smaller, in front. The Phelonion has been preserved as one of the priestly vestments, in token that priests are invested with truth, and hedged off by it from all the iniquities which surround them, and consequently should be ministers of the truth. In Eastern churches the Phelonion is still made after the old model, of equal length in front and behind. But in Russian churches, where this vestment is made out of the richest cloths, of gold and silver, which it would be difficult to shirr up on the shoulders, it is cut out in front, so that it is much shorter than behind. The Phelonion is usually called simply “robe” (ríza).

For several centuries the Phelonion was worn also by bishops. But, when the Christian faith became predominant, the Greek Emperors granted to the principal bishops — the Patriarchs, — the right of wearing the Dalmatic, — a garment like a short tunic with short sleeves, or half sleeves, — worn only by themselves and the grandees of the Empire. The bishops adopted this garment, not as a worldly adornment, but as a reminder that they must rise to holiness of life, and called it Saccos, which means a “sackcloth garment,” or “garment of humility.” In the course of time it became common to all bishops, and they wear it now in the place of the Phelonion.

The Omophorion. — In ancient times aged men and persons in poor health used to wear on their shoulders, over the Phelonion, to keep themselves warm, a sheepskin, which was called Omophórion, i.e., “shoulder covering.” Some bishops, especially the more aged, wore the sheepskin even during divine service, laying it aside at the most solemn moments. Soon the Omophorion was added to the church vestments, as one distinctively belonging to bishops. It was made at first out of sheepskin, afterwards out of white woolen stuff; but now it is of the same material as the rest of the vestments. It is a long broad strip, adorned with Crosses and arranged on the bishop’s shoulders in such a way that one end descends in front and the other behind. This vestment reminds the bishop that he should take thought for the conversion of the erring, as a merciful shepherd, who takes the straying sheep upon his shoulders.

The Miter, the Skull-cap (“Kamilavka”) and the Scuffia. — The headdress of the ancients was a long strip of linen cloth, which was wrapped around the head and called “head-band” or “fillet.” According to the position and wealth of the wearer, this head-gear differed in material and shape. At first only Patriarchs adopted it during divine service; but in the course of time it became a part of the sacred vestments of all bishops. At the present time archimandrites, protopresbyters, archpriests and some priests are given the right to wear a headdress during divine service. That of the bishops, archimandrites, and protopresbyters is called a miter (which means “headband”); the headdresses of priests are called, one kind — the skull-cap — kamilávka, and the other, scuffía. Some archpriests are also permitted to wear a miter. The word kamilavka means either “something made out of camel’s hair,” or “something that protects against heat”; while scuffia means “something resembling a cup or a skull.”

The Epigonation or “Pálitsa,” and the Thigh-shield (“Nabédrennik”). — In ancient times persons occupying important positions in the armies and at courts wore swords of different kinds, and under them, suspended from the belt, knee-protectors, also varying in form. They were either oblong squares, tied to the belt by two cords or strings, or smaller and lozenge-shaped pieces, tied by one string. The knee-protectors of the first kind were called “thigh-shields” (in Russian nabédrennik); those of the second — epigonátion (in Russian pálitsa). These articles, as well as the weapons which rested on them, were signs of distinction conferred on State servants. The Greek Emperors, after they became Christians, granted to the bishops and a few priests the right of wearing them without swords; thus they were added to the church vestments as signs of distinction. Those who receive the right of wearing the thigh-shield alone suspend it on the right side; if the epigonation is added, the latter is worn on the right side and the thigh-shield on the left. The priests and bishops to whom these signs of distinction are granted, wear them as a reminder that they have received the spiritual sword — the Word of God, with which they must smite all that is impure and vicious.

To recapitulate: The tunic or sticharion is the garment of the reader; that of the sub-deacon is the tunic with the orarion or stole, always folded round the person; deacons have the tunic, the stole and the maniples, priests — the tunic, the epitrachelion or double stole, the maniples, the belt, and the phelonion or outer robe; and some have, in addition to these, the thigh-shield, the epigonation, the kamilavka or skull-cap, and the scuffía. The vestments of a bishop are: The tunic, the epitrachelion, the belt, the maniples, the thigh-shield, the epigonation, the saccos, the omophorion and the mitre.

The Pectoral Cross, the Panagia, the Crosier and the Orlets (Eagle Rug). — These form part of the special attributions and adornments of bishops at the present day.

They wear a Cross on their breast, outside their robes, as a reminder that they should not merely carry Christ in their hearts, but also confess him in the face of all men, i.e., that they must be preachers of the faith of Christ. Such Crosses, ornamented in various ways, are given as signs of distinction to all the archimandrites, also and to several archpriests and priests.

The Panagia (“which means the All-holy”) is a round or oval image of the Saviour or the Mother of God, not large, but richly decorated, which bishops wear on the breast. It is also given to some archimandrites. In old times panagias were made of somewhat different shape — that of a folding diptych, round or square, on one side of which was the image of the Virgin, on the other that of the Saviour or of the Holy Trinity. There also was a receptacle for holding particles of holy relics.

The Crosier or pastoral staff is nowadays used by all bishops in token that they are shepherds of Jesus’ flock and should care for it as a father for his children. For this reason the crosier is also called paterissa (from the Greek word pater, “father”). The episcopal crosier has a double crook on top and above that — a Cross. The crook is usually made like serpents’ heads at both ends, in memory of the Saviour’s words: “Be wise like unto serpents.” As the serpent is renovated yearly, casting off its old slough and forcing its way through thorny plants, so the bishop, while guiding his flock, must follow himself and lead others along the path of enlightenment and renovation, in despite of sorrows and sufferings. Below the crook, a piece of some kind of handsome cloth is tied, usually silk, as an ornament, and to make it pleasanter to the hand to hold the staff.

The Orléts (eagle rug) is a small round or oval rug, whereon is represented an eagle; with a glory around his head, flying above a city. During divine service, the bishop stands on such rugs, as a reminder that he should, by his teaching and his life, rise above his flock, and be to them the example of a soul aspiring from the things of earth to those of heaven.