The Garments of Salvation

by Krista West

  The epimanikia are curved rectangles, being narrower at the wrist and wider at the forearm. They serve to embellish the sleeve ends of the sticharion at the same time as they help contain the voluminous sleeves. These cuffs retain their ancient garment design by wrapping around the wrist and fastening with a system of seven metal rings through which a long piece of cord winds, beginning at the wrist and proceeding alternately through each ring to the forearm, after which the remainder of the cord is wrapped around the forearm to secure the cuff in place. While epimanikia are typically made from brocade and galloon to match the set of vestments, there is also a beautiful tradition of cuffs being highly embellished with embroidery which is most likely a feature of their smaller size and their origin as a gift or award piece. One of the most historically significant embroidery motifs for this application is a representation of the Annunciation in which the Mother of God is portrayed on the right cuff and the Archangel Gabriel on the left. When the priest moves his hands together the action symbolizes the Annunciation and becomes a type of living icon.

  The epitrachelion is the scarf of office for the presbyterate. While this garment began as a long band, approximately three to six inches wide, that simply wrapped around the neck and hung down the front of the body almost to the floor, in current usage it features a curved, fitted neck and the two bands reaching to the floor are held together with seven buttons sewn down the center front. It is usually made from the same brocade and galloon as the vestment set and features seven crosses, once again referencing the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Six of the crosses, usually three to four inches in size, are sewn in confronted pairs spaced evenly along the front and a seventh, smaller cross is sewn at the back of the neck. This back neck cross is the one which the priest kisses when he vests. There are typically two banks of galloon and fringe sewn along the bottom of the epitrachelion with the bottom bank even with the edge of the garment and the upper bank positioned eight to fourteen inches above this, depending on the priest’s height and the motif repeat of the brocade. The fringe, with its multiple, tiny threads, symbolizes the many souls under the priest’s care.

  There are variations of the epitrachelion, most notably the one-piece style in which a single breadth of fabric takes the place of the two bands fastened with buttons. This so-called “one-piece” epitrachelion features a galloon neck placket (just like that on the sticharion) for ease of vesting and is typically finished with three crosses, four to six inches in size, along the front in place of the six smaller crosses (the small cross at the center back neck is retained). The origins of this variation are unclear, but its usage likely began in monasteries since the overall design shows a marked similarity with the analavos, the symbolic garment which is bestowed upon monastics when they are tonsured to the great schema. Its one-piece design could also have come about due to its width providing a much better format for brocades with large-scale motifs; whereas the standard style necessitates cutting down the brocade into a five- to six-inch section which is then further obscured by the addition of vertical bands of galloon leaving barely four inches of brocade visible, the one-piece style allows for an almost ten-inch swath of brocade to be seen.

  Figure 5. Embroidered epitrachelion from Holy Monastery of Iveron (Eleni Vlachopoulou-Karabina, Holy Monastery of Iveron Gold Embroideries. Mt Athos: Holy Monastery of Iveron, 67).

  Similar to the epimanikia, epitrachelia may also be ornately embroidered and such decorated epitrachelia feature some of the most spectacular examples of traditional Orthodox Christian liturgical embroidery preserved in our monasteries and museums. Virtually covered with embroidery, these historic epitrachelia feature embroidered iconography of saints and scenes from the life of Christ, vinework and floral motifs, birds of paradise, elaborate cross designs, pearl work, and similar motifs. Truly breathtaking in their complexity, richness, and sheer beauty, these pieces are to honored, treasured and—one hopes—emulated by future generations of ecclesiastical artisans.

  The zone is essentially a belt which serves the practical purpose of containing the broad girth of the sticharion and restricting the movement of the epitrachelion. Sewn from brocade to match the set of vestments, it is heavily interfaced to provide stability and durability and is finished around its entire perimeter with galloon to match the set of vestments and a small cross sewn at the center front. Ribbons are sewn between the brocade and lining on either end for fastening. The zone is worn over the epitrachelion.

  Of the basic vestments of the presbyter, the final and most impressive garment is the phelonion. This large garment is made from a twelve-foot length of brocade and is similar in design to the cape from which it originates (the paenula of antiquity), hanging from four to eight inches above the floor in the back and cut away in front. It features the classic galloon neck placket and a band of galloon sewn around the perimeter. A large, ornate cross is sewn to the back between the shoulder blades (occasionally an embroidered icon may be used in the place of a cross, but it should always be an icon of Christ or an icon of the Mother of God with the Christ child). The phelonion is most commonly fitted by means of deep darts at the shoulder (typically one five- to six-inch dart on each shoulder) and can be made either fully lined or unlined (in the case of machine-embroidered fabrics, woven polystavros fabrics, or lightweight silks). In order to create its conical shape, the phelonion is made from a center panel, typically the entire width of the brocade, and then additional side flanges are attached to the center panel to create the necessary width. When made from brocade, the seams of these side flanges must be motif-matched in order that the seams are virtually invisible on the finished garment. When made from lightweight, embroidered fabrics or woven polystavros fabrics, the side flanges are eliminated since these materials are specially milled to be exceptionally wide, typically ten feet in width. Once the requisite width is achieved, the phelonion is sewn along the center front seam. While most contemporary phelonia feature a front that is much shorter than the back (usually waist length or higher), the fronts of historic phelonia were often worn to the knees or lower. For phelonia in which the front is significantly shorter than the back, two lengths of sturdy ribbon are sewn to the inside of the garment at the bottom of the galloon neck placket so that the wearer may secure the phelonion by tying the ribbons behind his back. This keeps the presbyter from being choked as the shorter front is pulled backwards by the greater weight of the longer back of the garment. Occasionally, a system of buttons and loops is employed along the front edge of the phelonion so that the wearer can fasten the front up for freer movement during the Proskomedia and critical portions of the Divine Liturgy.

  Like other vestment pieces, there are multiple variations of the phelonion, but they can be divided into two basic categories: the so-called “low-back” variation described above which is fitted around the neck by means of shoulder darts, and the “high-back” or “Athonite” variation which is made without any darting, resulting in a large section that stands up behind the neck area, often to the middle of the back of the head. To provide stability and shape to this excess fabric, a large piece of interfacing must be sewn into the garment in the entire upper portion and this interfacing is held in place along its bottom edge by an additional “bib,” or square, of galloon sewn in the upper torso area along the front and back. The high-back phelonion is commonly used in both the Russian practice and in the monasteries of Mt Athos. It is a wonderful canvas for the display of elaborate, heavy, real-metal brocades with large-scale motif repeats and has the advantage of fitting multiple, variously-sized wearers since the neck and shoulders are unfitted (this may well account for the popularity of this style in monasteries where the same phelonion may be used by multiple hieromonks in rotation). In some variations the interfaced portion may be made with inset velvet, which is referred to in Russian as an “opelchye.” This velvet can be finished with an eight-inch cross or more elaborate embroidery, occasionally covering the entire ground of the velvet.

  Many pe
ople have wondered and speculated which form of the phelonion is the original: the low-back or the high-back variety? An examination of the historical record (limited as it is) yields the paradoxical answer: both and neither. Judging from what we can observe of the back section of phelonia in historic icons (always a limited view, since the priest wearing the garment faces the observer) and judging as well from very old (though not quite ancient) phelonia that are preserved in museum collections, it seems clear that the early form of this garment was conical in shape with an aperture for the head at the top of the cone. Fabric was cut away for the neck opening on the front side of the garment, leaving a certain amount of material to fall down and pool behind the neck of the wearer. Apparently, in time more shaping of this area of the garment came to be desired and tailors devised two different methods of dealing with this excess fabric. One method was to remove the excess by the use of shoulder darts; thus the low-back style emerged. An alternative was to stiffen the excess fabric with interfacing so that it would stand upright, thus yielding the high-back profile. Clearly both styles are fully traditional and in conformity with accepted Orthodox Christian liturgical usage.

  Figures 6.a and 6.b. Historic, conical phelonion with interfacing, front and back views.

  Figures 6.c and 6.d. Historic, conical phelonion without interfacing, front and back views.

  On both the low-back and high-back variations, there are a variety of galloon embellishment options. On the low-back phelonion this is typically limited to a single band of galloon sewn to the entire perimeter of the garment along the edge. Sometimes a second band of galloon is added six to eight inches above this for further ornamentation and this second band is almost always employed in the high-back version. Occasionally, coordinating velvet will be sewn between these two bands and can be a very successful design feature. Additionally, the high-back style will also feature the galloon bib that secures the stiffening interfacing. In place of additional, decorative galloon banding, some machine- or hand-embroidered phelonia may feature an embroidered border of four to ten inches in width which follows the entire perimeter of the phelonion. This “border style” is quite common in Greece and is beginning to make its way into North American usage.

  A variety of fabrics are used currently for the presbyter’s vestments including synthetic brocades (polyester or rayon), real-metal brocades (polyester base with metallic fibers woven throughout), silk brocades, machine-embroidered polyesters, machine-embroidered velvet, and both synthetic and cotton velvet. Less-ornate versions can be made with simpler, woven fabrics, typically polyester-cotton blends, and these styles are often unlined for greater comfort.

  In addition to the vestment set comprised of sticharion, epimanikia, epitrachelion, zone, and phelonion, there are two distinct award pieces that may be worn with an Orthodox Christian presbyter’s vestments: the epigonation (in Russian, palitsa) and the nabedrennik. The epigonation is a lozenge-shaped piece, heavily interfaced to provide a rigid shape, approximately twelve to fourteen inches wide and twelve to fifteen inches long, and often made from the same brocade and galloon as the rest of the vestment set. It is finished with three tassels, one at the bottom and one at each side corner, and a long loop of ribbon or cord is sewn to the top. The priest slips the loop of ribbon or cord over his left shoulder allowing the epigonation to hang at his right knee with the ribbon placement then secured by the zone. The cross sewn to the center of the epigonation is medium in size, midway between the larger cross sewn to the phelonion and the smaller crosses used on the lesser vestment pieces.

  Because the epigonation originated as an award piece and continues to function in this capacity, there are also very heavily embroidered versions that feature vinework and floral designs, various icons of Christ, saints, or feasts, and decoration with pearls, semi-precious stones, and synthetic gems. This type of more ornate epigonation is intended to be worn with multiple sets of vestments, not necessarily matching only one set, and so tends to be rendered in a versatile palette, either burgundy velvet with gold metal thread embroidery or multi-colored embroidery work on an ivory ground fabric.

  The use of the epigonation varies among Orthodox Christian jurisdictions: it can be used as a sign that a presbyter has completed a course of higher theological education, has been blessed to hear confessions, or has served a specific number of years. In this manner the epigonation fully retains its historical significance of being a piece specially awarded to the presbyter by his bishop.

  The nabedrennik is an award piece restricted to Russian usage only and its origin is unclear, although it is likely that it began to be employed during the period of Tsarist Russia in which clergy were official state employees and therefore awarded various crosses, vestment pieces, and other distinctions to correspond with the multiple pay grades of civil servants. The nabedrennik is rectangular and approximately eleven inches wide by sixteen inches long and features galloon around its entire perimeter and double banks of galloon and fringe along the bottom edge, similar to the finishing of an epitrachelion. It features a three- to four-inch cross sewn in the center of the upper section and has a ribbon or cord sewn to the two top corners and is worn in a manner similar to the epigonation, suspended from the left shoulder and resting above the right knee. Like the epigonation it is often made to match a vestment set, but it can also be made in a more versatile palette or style so that it can be worn with various sets of vestments. In the Russian tradition a presbyter may be awarded both the nabedrennik and the epigonation (palitsa) in which case the former is worn on the left side and the latter on the right.

  For the Divine Liturgy, a presbyter is fully vested with sticharion, epimanikia, epitrachelion, zone, phelonion, and any appropriate award pieces (epigonation, and/or nabedrennik, and pectoral cross). For Great Vespers, he begins the service wearing the exorason (see Cassocks below) and epitrachelion, but dons his phelonion prior to the Entrance. For Daily Vespers, the Hours, Compline as well as other minor services, the presbyter wears the exorason and epitrachelion.7 For baptisms, the oldest tradition is for the presbyter to be fully vested as for Divine Liturgy; a more recent custom has arisen of the presbyter wearing only his exorason, epitrachelion, and phelonion (for convenience some omit even the phelonion). At weddings, the oldest tradition is for the presbyter to be fully vested as for Divine Liturgy; a more recent custom has arisen of the presbyter wearing only his exorason, epitrachelion, and phelonion. For funerals, the presbyter wears his exorason, epitrachelion, and phelonion (though in some local practices the phelonion is omitted for funerals). For baptisms, weddings, and funerals archimandrites may, by local custom, substitute their monastic veil for the phelonion. During Pascha and Bright Week, the presbyter is always attired as for the Divine Liturgy since the major orders are fully vested for every service during this season.

  Figure 7.a Vestments of the presbyter: low-back phelonion.

  Figure 7.b Vestments of the presbyter: high-back phelonion.

  Figure 7.c Vestments of the presbyter: epitrachelion, zone, epimanikia laced and unlaced.

  Figure 7.d Vestments of the presbyter: epigonation, nabedrennik, sticharion.

  Vestments of the Bishop

  The bishop wears the priest’s sticharion, epitrachelion, zone, epimanikia and epigonation as described above, and over these pieces dons the sakkos, a garment adopted fairly late in the Church’s history as has been described in Chapter Two. While these garments are almost identical in design and ornamentation as when made for a presbyter, there are some slight differences, most notably in the priestly sticharion worn by bishops serving in the Russian church: because Russian practice is for the bishop to be vested in the middle of the nave this garment features sides that fasten with buttons and loops for easier vesting.

  The sakkos worn by Orthodox Christian bishops is identical in design to the imperial sakkos of Byzantium, which was based upon the colobium, a shortened, more heavily ornamented type of tunic. In its overall design it is simply a shortened version of t
he brocade sticharion, being finished in an almost identical method with galloon around the entire perimeter and additional galloon bands at the sleeves and hem. A large cross or icon of Christ is sewn to the back of the sakkos, but placed slightly lower than the shoulder blades so that when the omophorion is worn over the sakkos it does not obscure the cross or the icon. Because the sakkos is the garment of the highest office in the Orthodox Christian Church, the episcopacy, it is correspondingly the most ornate and embellished of all the vestments. It features the typical galloon neck placket, galloon around its entire perimeter, and additional rows of galloon at the hem and sleeves. The upper bank of galloon above the hem can feature fringe sewn under the bottom edge, and the sleeve extension area and bottom hem area can be made with velvet insets similar to those sometimes used for diaconal sticharia.

  Due to its episcopal use the sakkos is often quite lavishly ornamented. It is typically made of the best-quality brocades or embroidered fabrics. The decoration on the back may be a hand-embroidered, metal-thread-work cross or a silk-floss embroidered icon. The galloon is usually a wide or extra-wide size, either one-and-a-half or three inches wide. The sides are fastened with buttons and loops and a common practice is to sew small bells in place of buttons at the wrist and hem edges. The sakkos presents the ecclesiastical tailor with a wonderful canvas and many elaborate fabrics can be employed featuring interesting color combinations (such as ivory, gold, blue, burgundy and multiple combinations thereof) with bold and striking motifs including flowers, vines, and birds, or with other magnificent decorative schemes rendered upon ornate, heavily embroidered velvet. Although the general design is nearly always the same across the Orthodox Christian world, the ornamentation and embellishment can be quite varied. Russian sakkoi may have a galloon bib sewn in the upper torso area (usually circular rather than square). Due to their value and historical significance, many distinctive sakkoi are featured in museum collections throughout the world.