by Krista West
The priest then proceeds to the prosthesis, where all has been made ready by the deacon.
Of the Bishop
Taking the sticharion, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Bless, master, the holy sticharion. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop blesses the sticharion and kisses it, as the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
Thy soul shall rejoice in the Lord, for he hath clothed thee with the garment of salvation, and with the robe of gladness hath he encompassed thee. As a bridegroom he hath set a crown upon thee, and as a bride hath he adorned thee with ornament.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the epitrachelion, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Bless, master, the holy epitrachelion. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop blesses the epitrachelion and kisses it, as the deacon puts it on him saying:
1st Deacon:
Blessed is God, who poureth out his grace upon his high priests, as oil of myrrh upon the head, which runneth down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, which runneth down to the fringe of his raiment.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the zone, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Bless, master, the holy zone. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop blesses the zone and kisses it, as the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
Blessed is God, who girdeth thee with power and hath made thy path blameless.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the right epimanikion, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Bless, master, the holy epimanikion. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop blesses the epimanikion and kisses it, as the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength; thy right hand, O Lord, hath shattered thine enemies, and in the multitude of thy glory hast thou crushed thine adversaries.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the left epimanikion, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Bless, master, the holy epimanikion. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop blesses the epimanikion and kisses it, as the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
His hands have made and fashioned thee; may he give thee understanding and mayest thou learn his commandments.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the epigonation, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Bless, master, the holy epigonation. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop blesses the epigonation and kisses it, as the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Mighty One, in thy comeliness and they beauty, and proceed prosperously, and be king because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and they right hand shall guide thee wondrously.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the sakkos, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Bless, master, the holy sakkos. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop blesses the sakkos and kisses it, as the deacon puts it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
Thy high priests, O Lord, shall be clothed with righteousness, and thy holy ones shall rejoice with joy.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the omophorion, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Bless, master, the holy omophorion. Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop blesses the omophorion and kisses it, as the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
When thou didst take upon thy shoulders human nature which had gone astray, O Christ, thou didst bear it to heaven unto thy God and Father.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the pectoral cross, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop kisses the pectoral cross, and the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the engolpion, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop kisses the engolpion, and the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
May God create in thee a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within thee.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
If the bishop has the dignity of a second engolpion, the first deacon takes the second engolpion and says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop kisses the second engolpion, and the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
Thy heart hath poured forth a good word; thou wilt speak of thy works to the King; thy tongue is the pen of a swiftly writing scribe.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Taking the mitre, the first deacon says to the bishop:
1st Deacon:
Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop kisses the mitre, and the deacons put it on him, saying:
1st Deacon:
He has set upon thine head a crown of precious stones; thou didst ask life of him, and he gave thee length of days.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Handing the pateritsa to the bishop and kissing his hand, the first deacon says:
1st Deacon:
Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
A scepter of power shall the Lord send thee out of Sion; rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The first deacon takes up the trikirion and the second takes up the dikirion. As they stand facing the bishop, the first deacon on his right and the second deacon on his left, the first deacon says:
1st Deacon:
Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
The bishop blesses the deacons, and the deacons say:
1st Deacon:
Let thy light so shine before men, that they may see thy good works and give glory to thy Father who is in heaven.
2nd Deacon:
Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The first deacon, followed by the second deacon, kisses the right hand of the bishop.
Notes
1 Bishop Basil (Essey), trans., The Liturgikon (Englewood, NJ: Antakya Press, 1989), 230–239. Reprinted by permission from Antakya Press.
APPENDIX D
Glossary
Aer – large liturgical veil that covers the Holy Gifts after their preparation on the prosthesis, is carried in procession at the Great Entrance, and then again covers the Holy Gifts on the Holy Table from the conclusion of the Great Entrance until the recitation of the Symbol of Faith (“Creed”
)
Analavos – garment which is bestowed upon monastics when they are tonsured to the great schema, adorned with an image of the Holy Cross and symbols of the Passion of Christ
Antimension – rectangular piece of cloth which historically served as a portable Holy Table; in current usage it is unfolded on the Holy Table under the chalice and diskos during the Divine Liturgy and represents the bishop’s blessing for the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated on a particular Holy Table
Baptismal robe – floor-length tunic bestowed upon an Orthodox Christian at his baptism
Beautiful Gate (Holy Door) curtain – an embellished curtain which hangs in the Beautiful Gate and is opened and closed according to rubrical directions
Brocade – a fabric woven with an elaborate, decorative design
Chalice veils (potirokalymmata and diskokalymmata; kalymmata set) – liturgical veils that cover the chalice and diskos from the time of their preparation in the Proskomedia until they are placed upon the Holy Table at the conclusion of the Great Entrance of the Divine Liturgy
Chlamys (himation) – cloak used in ancient Greece
Clavi – ornamental bands on a sticharion or toga
Colobium – form of the tunic in which the garment was made from heavier fabric with shortened sleeves; the court dress of Byzantine emperors and empresses
Couching – specific embroidery stitch in which a heavy thread is affixed to the ground cloth by the means of small stitches of thin silk floss; typically the smaller stitches create a distinctive pattern
Dalmatic – form of tunic thought to have been worn by the inhabitants of ancient Dalmatia; currently used as the name for the Western diaconal tunic
Deacon’s Door curtains – curtains which adorn the north and south side (deacon’s) doors of the iconostasis
Deacon’s sticharion – sticharion worn by deacon, more ornamented than a basic sticharion
Dikerotrikera – collective term for the two-candle and three-candle candelabra which a bishop uses to bestow blessings
Eiliton – historically a linen cloth that was placed under the diskos and chalice on a consecrated Holy Table; presently used to refer to a silk or satin protective cloth that wraps the folded antimension and is laid under the antimension when unfolded, or a white linen cloth, approximately the same size as the top of the Holy Table, that covers and protects the endytei
Endytei (altar cloth) – cloth that covers and adorns the Holy Table
Epanokalymmafchion – Monastic veil worn over a Greek-style kalymmafchion
Epigonation (palitsa) – lozenge-shaped vestment piece worn by bishops and some presbyters above the right knee
Epimanikia – cuffs worn upon the wrists by bishops, presbyters and deacons
Epitaphios – embroidered textile that portrays the lifeless body of Christ and is used for Great and Holy Friday and remains on the Holy Table for the 40 days of Pascha; historically derived from the aer
Epitaphios Sindon – epitaphios with a single figure of the lifeless body of Christ
Epitaphios Threnos – epitaphios with a figure of the lifeless body of Christ surrounded by mourning figures
Epitrachelion – scarf of office of the priesthood (worn by both presbyters and bishops); a long, narrow strip of fabric worn around the neck with both ends hanging down the front of the body
Exorason (epanorason, mandorason; Russian: ryasa) – outer cassock worn by bishops, priests, deacons, monastics and chanters
Galloon – decorative banding sewn to the perimeter of most vestments and paraments; also used as additional ornamentation on liturgical garments
Gospel cover – cloth that covers the Gospel on the Holy Table; removed during services
Himation (chlamys) – cloak used in ancient Greece
Kalymmafchion (Russian: kamilavka) – formal hat of Orthodox Christian monastics and clergy
Katasarkion – linen cloth placed upon a Holy Table at its consecration, never after removed; it is the first layer of covering upon the Table, completely overlaid by the endytei
Katholikon – principal church of a monastery
Klobuk – Monastic veil worn over a Russian-style kalymmafchion (kamilavka)
Kontoraki – shortened form of exorason worn by female monastics in combination with a full skirt
Kontorason – abbreviated form of the exorason; either in the form of a short coat or a clergy vest
Koukoulion – peaked cowl worn upon the head which descends into lappets, adorned with images of the seraphim, that drape over the shoulders; worn by great-schema monastics in the Russian tradition
Mandyas – sleeveless cloak worn by monastics and bishops
Nabedrennik – award piece for presbyters, restricted to Russian usage; a rectangle of fabric worn upon the right hip
Omophorion – scarf of office of the episcopate; a long strip of fabric worn elaborately draped about the neck and shoulders
Opelchye – embroidered fabric or velvet that is inserted in the top section of a Russian-style, high-back phelonion to provide further ornamentation
Orarion – scarf of office of the diaconate; a long, narrow strip of fabric worn upon the left shoulder and in some cases elaborated by wrapping about the torso
Paenula – a cloak of semi-circular shape used as an outer garment in the ancient world
Pallium – a long rectangular cloak or wrap used in the ancient world
Paramandyas – a fabric square decorated with an image of the Holy Cross that is worn by monastics over the inner cassock and under the outer garment with cords that tie around the body
Paterissa – bishop’s pastoral staff
Phelonion – voluminous, cape-like outer garment of the presbyter and, historically, of the bishop
Podea – decorative veil for a particular icon or for an icon stand
Polystavrion – cord with many small crosses plaited into it that is wrapped about the arms and the body as a sort of yoke worn by monastics
Polystavros – checkerwork fabric design featuring a repeated motif of many crosses
Proskynitarion – stand on which to display icons
Proksynitarion cloth – decorative veil that covers a proskynitarion
Prothesis table – table on which the bread and wine are prepared for the Divine Liturgy
Sakkos – ornate, short tunic worn as outer garment of the bishop
Skoufaki – diminutive term for a small skufos
Skufos (Russian: skufia) – informal hat of Orthodox Christian monastics and clergy
Sticharion – long-sleeved, floor-length tunic which represents the baptismal robe, the most basic of all vestments
Tablion – an embellished textile award piece that was a part of Byzantine male court dress
Tetrapodion – four-legged table used for services on the ambon
Toga – large, elaborate, cloak-like garment worn by citizens of ancient Rome
Toga contabulatum – the form of the toga picta in which the toga was folded so that only the eight-inch decorative band (clavi) was visible; worn by Roman consuls
Toga picta – ceremonial toga which remained in use until at least the 2nd century AD; worn by Roman consuls
Tunic/Tunica/Chiton – see sticharion
Tunica talaris – the narrow-sleeved, undergarment version of the tunic
Zone – liturgical belt; worn by bishops and presbyters
Zostikon (anteri, esorason; Russian: podryasnik) – inner cassock, worn by bishops, priests, deacons, monastics and minor clerics
APPENDIX E
Sketches of Fully Vested Clergy
These images are used with the permission of Fr Maximos of Simonopetra (Nicholas Constas) based upon his original sketches that first appeared in The Ierotelestikion: A Handbook of Rubrics by Fr Alkiviadis C. Calivas, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, Massachusetts 1984.
Figure 1. Fully vested deacon.
Figure 2. Fully vested priest.
Figure 3. Fully vested
bishop.
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