The Garments of Salvation

by Krista West

  The great omophorion is an eight-inch wide by approximately fourteen-foot long band of fabric, interfaced, lined, and finished with a particular scheme of crosses, badges, and appliqué stars or icons. It is worn in a very distinctive fashion, identical to that of the toga contabulata worn by Roman consuls of the second to fourth centuries. It has a unique “half vs half” design in which its two halves are constructed separately and then sewn together so that, when laid flat, the right half is seen brocade side up and the left half is seen lining side up and, when turned over, vice versa. When worn, it resembles a “Y” shape with crosses over the chest area and a large star or icon sewn to the center back neck area. It is finished in a manner similar to the deacon’s orarion or the presbyter’s epitrachelion with galloon around the entire perimeter and extra galloon and fringe bands sewn to each end. The great omophorion typically features four crosses and one star (or icon) as well as rectangular badges sewn towards the ends of the garment.

  The great omophorion is worn as follows: beginning at the left front knee, the omophorion goes up to the left shoulder, wraps around the back of the neck to the right shoulder, drapes down to the middle of the chest, is then folded back upon itself forming a “Y” at the chest level, brought back up to the left shoulder and then draped down the back of the wearer to the back left knee. Buttons and loops are sewn at various positions along the omophorion to keep it firmly in place when worn. Some of the buttons fasten to corresponding loops on the omophorion itself while others fasten to loops on the sakkos. Such fastening is necessary in a garment so large and bulky in order to keep it from slipping off the shoulders.

  The small omophorion is an abbreviated version of the great omophorion used during portions of the Divine Liturgy when the great omophorion would be too cumbersome, and used as well (in conjunction with the epitrachelion) for sacraments, blessings, and lesser services. The small omophorion generally features two large crosses, one star (or icon) at the center back neck, and badges. It is as wide as the great omophorion but only eight feet in length. Instead of being worn in the Y-draped fashion, it is simply draped around the bishop’s neck and hangs down the front of the body to almost knee-length with a button and loop positioned at the center chest to hold the two sides together and prevent the omophorion from slipping. In some cases it is cut away and shaped around the neck to allow it to lay flat upon the shoulders. Because of its abbreviated length, it typically features only one cross on each side (instead of two as for the great omophorion) and may or may not have badges.

  Figure 8. Vestments of the episcopacy.

  Just as the toga contabulata was the civil garment of highest rank in late antiquity, the omophorion holds highest rank within the usage of liturgical vesture in the Orthodox Christian Church. It bespeaks honor and authority as well as responsibility for the souls under the care of its wearer (in Byzantine times bishops were not only responsible for the spiritual welfare of the souls “under their omophorion” but oftentimes their physical well-being also, since during times of foreign attack or siege bishops were required either to muster military defenses or move their people to a safe location). It was the garment par excellence of the late-antique Roman and early Byzantine world and continues to hold this position even today in its usage within the Church.

  In addition to the major pieces of episcopal vesture, there may also be a cover for the paterissa (“pastoral staff”), a small rectangular piece of brocade finished to match the vestments which has a casing at the top with a cord threaded through that is tied around the episcopal staff under its crosspiece. This piece is most likely a rather late addition to the accoutrements of the bishop (originating from a protective cloth wrapped around the paterissa) and is not universally used. Similarly there are also accoutrements referred to simply as “candle ribbons” which are small circles or octagons of brocade to which are affixed two decorative tails, all of which is fashioned out of a brocade or velvet to coordinate with the vestments of the bishop. These are attached to the candles of the dikerotrikera (the two-candle and three-candle candelabra which the bishop uses to bestow blessings). These candle ribbons have small pieces of regular ribbon sewn to their reverse which allows them to be affixed to the candles. These are also a very late addition to the episcopal vestment collection (as an elaboration of simple ribbons used to hold the candles together) and are not utilized in the practice of many local churches.

  The last garment worn by the bishop we shall consider is the mandyas. The episcopal mandyas derives from the monastic mandyas (“mantle”), which is a historic garment representing prayerful protection of the monk from spiritual attack and is likened to angels’ wings.8 The episcopal mandyas is a truly magnificent garment with multiple pleats sewn into an interfaced collar and cascading down the back of the very long garment, typically spreading out behind the wearer in a three-foot to five-foot train. The fronts can be either pleated or plain, but always feature buttons at the collar and another set of three buttons at the hem to fasten the garment about the bishop (these are the only closures on the mandyas; it is otherwise open all along the front). The lower buttons of the mandyas may be replaced with small bells like those on the bishop’s sakkos. On either side of the upper fronts are affixed tablia, embroidered tablets, typically with angelic representations of cherubim or seraphim, or crosses. An additional pair of tablia are sewn to the bottom front corners at the hem and these feature either angelic representations or, in a specifically Russian tradition, the monogram of the bishop who wears the garment. Running from the center front across the sides and around to the back in parallel, horizontal lines are multiple rows of galloon or ribbon which are referred to as potamoi (“rivers”).

  Figure 9. Bishop’s mandyas

  The bishop wears the mandyas in processions and when he presides at a service officiated by a presbyter. The overarching symbology of the mandyas is the image of a cocoon or protective sheath, being fastened at the neck and hem and without sleeves, keeping the wearer self-contained and defended from spiritual assaults. The galloon potamoi represent the gospel teaching flowing out from the apostolic office into the world. There are variations in color usage: Greek practice typically employs burgundy for all bishops regardless of rank; Russian practice uses burgundy or purple for bishops or archbishops, light blue for metropolitans, and green for the patriarch. In Greek use the potamoi are fashioned from gold galloon, while in Russian practice they are made of red and white ribbons.

  When a bishop celebrates the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy he wears the sticharion, epitrachelion, zone, epimanikia, epigonation, sakkos and the great omophorion (replaced in the latter half of the Liturgy by the small omophorion), the pectoral cross, engolpion (icon pendant), miter, and he carries the paterissa. If a bishop celebrates the Divine Liturgy simply (in accordance with the rubrics for a presbyter9) he wears all the presbyteral vestments (phelonion instead of the sakkos, sticharion, epitrachelion, epimanikia, zone, epigonation) with the omophorion, but with no miter. If he is presiding over a service officiated by a presbyter he wears the mandyas and dons the epitrachelion and small omophorion to partake of Holy Communion or for moments of particular solemnity when he assumes the role of officiant (e.g., for the blessing of the five loaves at an Artoklasia). For Great Vespers, Daily Vespers and minor services the bishop wears the mandyas only. For baptisms, weddings, and funerals he wears the mandyas, epitrachelion and small omophorion. During Pascha and Bright Week if the bishop is celebrating or officiating he vests for every service fully as for the Hierarchcal Liturgy; if he is presiding then he dons the mandyas only.

  Cassocks

  There are two types of cassocks used in the Orthodox Christian Church: the inner cassock and the outer cassock. While “cassock” is the word most commonly used in English for the robe worn by the major orders and monastics for daily use and certain services and by minor orders for their specific tasks within the church building, other languages have specific terms for the inner cassock and the outer cassock respe
ctively. Thus the inner cassock is commonly “anteri” or “zostikon” in Greek and “podryasnik” in Russian, whereas the outer cassock is “exorason” in Greek, and “ryasa” in Russian.10

  The simplest way to understand how the inner and outer cassock are utilized is to think of the inner cassock as analogous to a dress shirt and tie and the outer cassock as analogous to a suit coat—in a setting in which a man might wear just a dress shirt and tie the inner cassock alone is worn, but in settings which demand a suit coat over a dress shirt an outer cassock is worn over an inner cassock. Cassocks are typically worn over black pants and a white shirt.11 Both minor and major orders wear the cassock as well as male and female monastics (when the Greek-style zostikon is worn by monastics, the drawstring belt is omitted to allow the use of a leather belt). Etiquette requires the minor orders to restrict their usage of the cassock to the parish church in which they serve (i.e., they do not wear the garment in public or when visiting another parish, but only when they are performing their specified work within their assigned church; this is a practical consideration so that they are not confused with members of the major orders). Priests and deacons wear the zostikon or podryasnik as their primary garment, both in the church building as they are serving or performing their duties there as well as for general street wear. For the sake of decorum it is generally deemed proper for priests and deacons to wear the exorason (outer cassock) or, in its place, the kontorason (vest) over the inner cassock. The inner cassock is usually worn under the liturgical vestments of the major orders. While inner cassocks are derived from the tunics of antiquity, they have undergone significant design changes to make them fit closer to the body, a necessity for a garment worn daily in various settings (imagine getting in and out of a car in a voluminous tunica talaris).

  The Greek zostikon is a garment worn almost floor-length, comprised of a rectangular front and back to which side sleeve panels are then attached. The overlapping front pieces, which are fully reversible, are angled from the center of the collar to just above the hip and fastened by a button tab over which a drawstring belt is tied to bring in the extra fullness in the garment. The tailored sleeves, complete with upper and under sleeve, have a chevron cuff with three functioning buttons. There is a lozenge-shaped gusset sewn to the underarm of the sleeve which provides greater freedom of movement, an important feature in a roomy garment such as this. The back of the garment has a casing through which the belt is drawn, gathering up the back slightly and providing shape and containing the extra ease built into the design of the garment. The collar has several variations: mandarin (a collar which meets at center front and has rounded edges), cross-over (a collar which overlaps at center front and has squared-off edges), or various combinations of these two. Cross-over styles can vary widely in the distance they are overlapped, but range from one-quarter of an inch to an inch and a half. The collar is fully tailored with both interfacing and an inner collar (the inner collar is typically finished with a French binding). There are pockets sewn at chest level on each front and welt pockets positioned at hip level of the side sleeve panel. The hem is usually deep, with about two and a half inches of hem allowance total (a generous hem is a must in a garment worn floor-length as it allows for the garment to be lengthened or shortened with relative ease).

  The Russian version of the inner cassock, the podryasnik, is usually worn about two to three inches higher than the Greek zostikon (it is interesting to note that most Russian-style liturgical garments and cassocks are worn higher than Greek-style ones; some have speculated that this might be an accommodation to the need to wade through the snow of Russian winters). The podryasnik features a distinctive back construction with the body of the garment being tailored with inverted pleats and a very wide sleeve gusset, creating a narrow, V-shape from the shoulders to the waist. The overall fit of the torso section is designed to be worn much more fitted than the zostikon (the zostikon has a six-inch to ten-inch ease whereas the podryasnik has a two-inch to five-inch ease), while the skirt of the garment is A-line in design and therefore much fuller at the hem than the zostikon. The front pieces are less angled, coming to a position midway between hip and center front waist, but still fastening with a button tab. The collar is stiffer, often finished with a double layer of interfacing. The sleeves sometimes have buttons, but more often are finished without a button placket. The hip pockets have a large faced flap that is topstitched in place. There is no belt attached to the Russian podryasnik since its closer fit requires none (though monastics will still wear a leather belt over the garment).

  The zostikon most likely has its origins in the tunics of ancient Greece and Rome and has developed its more sophisticated tailoring over time, possibly with some folk-costume influence. The Russian podryasnik seems to have adopted its stylistic differences from Russian folk costumes since it shares many design features with these garments, in particular the close-fitting, V-shaped torso section with distinctive sleeve gussets. Originally the zostikon was almost certainly a light color due to its being made from undyed cloth. This can be observed in historic icons depicting monks in which a light-colored tunic can be observed under the more voluminous, darker-colored mandyas. Most likely, darker-colored zostika began to be worn due to practicality (they show dirt less) and the greater availability of darker-dyed fabrics. The most typical color for an inner cassock is black, but other colors may be worn which include navy, blue (in various hues), burgundy, white or off-white (typically reserved for the Paschal season), taupe or khaki, gray, and forest green.

  A variety of fabrics can be used for making cassocks. The most common are polyester blends (either polyester/cotton or polyester/wool) and wool, but new fabrics utilizing technological advances in fiber development are beginning to be used such as stretch-wool blends, wicking polyesters, and even hemp. Real silk crepe is also coming back into vogue and its excellent properties make for beautiful cassocks (it is the most breathable of the natural fibers and very comfortable to wear). While cotton is often perceived to be the most comfortable of fibers, it is not ideal for cassocks for several reasons: it is prone to wrinkling and it does not retain black dye without a lead mordant (lead mordants are currently banned in textile production because of health concerns).

  For the Greek zostikon, the edges of the fronts, the chest pockets, the cuffs, and the collar are often finished with decorative stitching and one-eighth inch cording or braid attached to the edges of the fronts (extending from collar to waist), the edges of the collar, and the edges of the cuffs. The decorative stitching at the collar is often a type of tailor’s signature with each tailor using a distinctive pattern. The most common type of Russian podryasnik has no decorative stitching; however, more elaborate versions of the garment can incorporate lavish decorative stitching with grapevines being the most-favored motif.

  In addition to the Greek zostikon and Russian podryasnik, there are other cassock styles in different parts of the world. These garments feature slight differences in cut, placement of seams, method of collar fastening, and variations upon the decorative stitching and include, but are not limited to, styles identified as Romanian, Serbian, and Syrian.

  In local churches that still employ the minor order of reader, the reader may be blessed by the bishop to wear the inner cassock. While a clergyman of the major orders may wear this garment in various colors, a reader always wears a black cassock. In the case of the subdeacon, for any service in which the presbyter dons his phelonion the subdeacon is attired in brocade sticharion and orarion; for lesser services in which the presbyter does not wear the phelonion, he is clad in inner cassock alone.12

  The outer cassock, known as the “exorason” in Greek or “ryasa” in Russian, is the more voluminous form of the cassock and is worn over the inner cassock in semi-formal, formal, and liturgical settings. Of elegant design, the exorason features the same front and back construction as the zostikon, but instead of angled fronts a triangular-shaped section is sewn to each front and the particular cut o
f this piece allows the fronts of the garment to overlap along the center without any closure, save for the hook-and-eye closure at the mandarin collar (whereas the zostikon has multiple collar variations, the exorason invariably features a mandarin collar). These front edge panels are fully lined so that, when they fall open as the wearer walks, the back side of the piece is as beautiful and finished as the front side. The garment employs the same general sleeve panel arrangement as the zostikon, but instead of a tailored sleeve-and-gusset combination it has a very large kimono sleeve sewn to a side panel which has eight-inch vents at the hem to allow greater freedom of movement while walking. The width of the sleeves is an indication of rank: chanter’s width sleeves are approximately thirty-six inches in circumference, the deacon’s and presbyter’s are forty-eight inches, and the bishop’s width is sixty inches. The sleeves have a six-inch deep lining that is made from the same fabric used for the lining of the front edge panels. The sleeves are worn long, typically two to three inches longer than inner cassock sleeves and thus covering the hands entirely when the wearer stands with his hands at his side.

  The Russian-style ryasa is a more fitted garment than the Greek-style exorason and it does not feature the front edge panels, but rather fastens with a button tab at the waist in the same manner as the podryasnik. The sleeves of the ryasa are wider than the podryasnik but much narrower than those of the exorason, being typically twenty to twenty-four inches in circumference.

  While the exorason features elements of very ancient garments like the kimono, evincing oriental and Persian influence, it does not appear to come into Orthodox Christian usage until much later than the zostikon, perhaps as late as the fifteenth or sixteenth century. The relatively late beginning of its ecclesiastical usage can be surmised based upon how late its use came to monasteries. Prior to the adoption of the exorason, the plain, black mandyas was the outer garment worn over the zostikon for attendance at divine services and at communal meals in monasteries. Even into the early decades of the twentieth century the mandyas was still the preferred garment in many monasteries, only gradually giving way to the use of the exorason. It is significant that the mandyas and the exorason (also called the “mandorason”—note the etymological similarity to “mandyas”) have many features in common in their general design and the exorason may have developed as a simpler, more tailored version of the mandyas adopted for daily wear by monastics, or possibly a more practical version of the mandyas adapted for use by the secular clergy.13 (Its similarity to other, voluminous, oriental-influenced, outer robes in use during the Ottoman period may well have encouraged its widespread adoption by secular clerics.) The Russian ryasa, on the other hand, has much more design affinity with the podryasnik and appears to have followed a similar developmental trajectory to the podryasnik, most likely borrowing its distinctive design features from Slavic folk costume.