Bishop's vestments a pannochka. Church vestments of the clergy
Also, different robes are used for worship and for everyday wear. Worship robes look luxurious. As a rule, expensive brocade is used for sewing such vestments, which is decorated with crosses. There are three types of priesthood. And each has its own type of attire.
Deacon
This is the lowest rank of a priest. Deacons do not have the right to independently perform the sacraments and divine services, but they help bishops or priests.
The vestments of the clergy-deacons conducting divine services consist of a surplice, an orari and a handrail.
The surplice is a long garment that does not have cuts in the back and front. A special hole has been made for the head. The surplice has wide sleeves. This garment is considered a symbol of the purity of the soul. Such vestments are not unique to deacons. The surplice can be worn by both psalmists and those laity who simply regularly serve in the temple.
The orarion is presented in the form of a wide ribbon, usually made of the same fabric as the surplice. This robe is a symbol of God's grace, which the deacon received in the Sacred Sacrament. The orarion is worn on the left shoulder over the surplice. It can also be worn by hierodeacons, archdeacons and protodeacons.
The vestments of the priest also include handrails designed to tighten the sleeves of the surplice. They look like narrowed oversleeves. This attribute symbolizes the ropes that were wrapped around the hands of Jesus Christ when He was crucified on the cross. As a rule, handrails are made of the same fabric as the surplice. They also show crosses.
What is the priest wearing?
The clothes of a priest are different from those of ordinary ministers. During the service, he must wear the following robes: cassock, cassock, handrails, gaiter, belt, stole.
The cassock is worn only by priests and bishops. All this can be clearly seen in the photo. Clothes may differ slightly, but the principle is always the same.
Cassock (cassock)
The cassock is a kind of surplice. It is believed that the cassock and cassock were worn by Jesus Christ. Such robes are a symbol of detachment from the world. The monks in the ancient church wore such almost beggarly clothes. Over time, she came into use and the entire clergy. The cassock is a long, toe-length men's dress with narrow sleeves. As a rule, its color is either white or yellow. The bishop's cassock has special ribbons (gammats), which are used to tighten the sleeves around the wrist. This symbolizes the streams of blood pouring from the perforated hands of the Savior. It is believed that it was in such a tunic that Christ always walked the earth.
Stole
An epitrachelion is a long ribbon that is wound around the neck. Both ends should go down. This is a symbol of double grace, which is provided to the priest for worship and sacred sacraments. Epitrachelion is worn over a cassock or cassock. This is a mandatory attribute, without which priests or bishops do not have the right to conduct sacred rites. Seven crosses should be sewn on each stole. The order of the arrangement of the crosses on the stole also has a certain meaning. On each half, which goes down, there are three crosses, which symbolize the number of sacraments performed by the priest. One is in the middle, that is, on the neck. This is a symbol of the fact that the bishop conveyed to the priest the blessing to perform the sacrament. It also indicates that the minister has taken on the burden of serving Christ. You can see that the priest's vestments are not just clothes, but a whole symbolism. A belt is put on over the cassock and stole, which symbolizes the towel of Jesus Christ. He wore it on his belt and used it when washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper.
cassock
In some sources, the cassock is called a robe or felon. This is the outer garment of a priest. The cassock looks like a long, wide sleeveless dress. It has a hole for the head and a large front cutout that almost reaches the waist. This allows the priest to freely move his hands during the performance of the sacrament. The shoulders of the cassock are hard and high. The upper edge at the back resembles a triangle or trapezoid, which is located above the shoulders of the priest.
The cassock symbolizes the scarlet. It is also called the garment of truth. It is believed that it was Christ who wore it. Over the cassock the priest wears
The legguard is the symbol of the Zanpakutō. He is given to the clergy for special zeal and long service. It is worn on the right thigh in the form of a ribbon thrown over the shoulder and freely falling down.
The priest also puts on a pectoral cross over the cassock.
Clothes of a bishop (bishop)
The robes of a bishop are similar to those worn by a priest. He also wears a cassock, stole, cuffs and a belt. However, the cassock of a bishop is called a sakkos, and a club is put on instead of a loincloth. In addition to these robes, the bishop is also dressed in a miter, panagia and omophorion. Below are photos of the bishop's clothes.
Sakkos
This attire was worn even in the ancient Jewish environment. At that time, the sakkos was made from the coarsest material and was considered a garment worn in sorrow, repentance and fasting. The sakkos looked like a piece of coarse cloth with a cutout for the head, completely covering the front and back. The fabric is not sewn on the sides, the sleeves are wide, but short. Epitrachelion and cassock look through the sakkos.
In the 15th century, sakkos were worn exclusively by metropolitans. From the moment the patriarchate was established in Russia, patriarchs also began to wear them. As for spiritual symbolism, this robe, like the cassock, symbolizes the purple robe of Jesus Christ.
Mace
The vestment of a priest (bishop) is incomplete without a club. This board is shaped like a rhombus. It is hung at one corner on the left thigh over the sakkos. Just like the legguard, the mace is considered a symbol of the spiritual sword. This is God's word, which should always be on the lips of a minister. This is a more significant attribute than a gaiter, since it also symbolizes a small piece of a towel that the Savior used to wash the feet of his disciples.
Until the end of the 16th century, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the club served only as an attribute of bishops. But from the 18th century, they began to give it out as a reward to archimandrites. The liturgical vestment of a bishop symbolizes the seven sacraments performed.
Panagia and omophorion
An omophorion is a long ribbon of cloth adorned with crosses.
It is worn on the shoulders so that one end descends in front and the other in the back. A bishop cannot perform services without an omophorion. It is worn over the sakkos. Symbolically, the omophorion represents a sheep that has gone astray. The good shepherd brought her into the house in his arms. In a broad sense, this means the salvation of the entire human race by Jesus Christ. The bishop, dressed in an omophorion, personifies the Savior Shepherd, who saves lost sheep and brings them to the house of the Lord in his own hands.
A panagia is also worn over the sakkos.
This is a round badge, framed with colored stones, which depicts Jesus Christ or the Mother of God.
The eagle can also be attributed to the vestments of the bishop. A rug depicting an eagle is placed under the feet of the bishop during the service. Symbolically, the eagle says that the bishop must renounce the earthly and rise to the heavenly. The bishop must stand on the eagle everywhere, thus always being on the eagle. In other words, the eagle constantly carries the bishop.
Also during worship, bishops use a symbol of the highest pastoral authority. The rod is also used by archimandrites. In this case, the staff indicates that they are the abbots of the monasteries.
Hats
The headdress of a priest conducting worship is called a miter. In everyday life, the clergy wear a skufia.
The miter is decorated with multi-colored stones and images. This is a symbol of the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus Christ. The miter is considered to be an ornament to the priest's head. At the same time, it resembles the crown of thorns with which the head of the Savior was covered. Putting on a miter is a whole ritual in which a special prayer is read. It is also read during the wedding. Therefore, the miter is a symbol of the golden crowns that are put on the heads of the righteous in the Kingdom of Heaven, who are present at the moment of the union of the Savior with the Church.
Until 1987, the Russian Orthodox Church forbade everyone to wear it, except for archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs. The Holy Synod at a meeting in 1987 allowed all bishops to wear a miter. In some churches, it is permissible to wear it, decorated with a cross, even for subdeacons.
Mitra comes in several varieties. One of them is the crown. Such a miter has a crown of 12 petals above the lower belt. Until the 8th century, this type of miter was worn by all clergy.
Kamilavka - a headdress in the form of a purple cylinder. Skofya is used for everyday wear. This headdress is worn regardless of degree and rank. It looks like a small round black hat that folds easily. Her folds around her head form
Since 1797, the velvet skufia has been given to members of the clergy as a reward, just like the cuisse.
The headdress of a priest was also called a klobuk.
Black hoods were worn by monks and nuns. The hood looks like a cylinder, expanded upwards. Three wide ribbons are fixed on it, which fall on the back. The hood symbolizes salvation through obedience. Hieromonks may also wear black hoods during worship.
Robes for everyday wear
Everyday vestments are also symbolic. The main ones are a cassock and a cassock. Ministers leading a monastic lifestyle must wear a black cassock. The rest can wear a cassock of brown, dark blue, gray or white. Cassocks can be made of linen, wool, cloth, satin, chesuchi, sometimes silk.
Most often, the cassock is made in black. Less common are white, cream, grey, brown, and navy blue. The cassock and cassock may have a lining. In everyday life there are cassocks resembling a coat. They are complemented by velvet or fur on the collar. For winter, cassocks are sewn on a warm lining.
In the cassock, the priest must conduct all divine services, with the exception of the liturgy. During the liturgy and other special moments, when the Ustav compels the clergyman to put on full liturgical attire, the priest takes it off. In this case, he puts on a riza on the cassock. During the service, the deacon is also wearing a cassock, over which a surplice is put on. The bishop over it is obliged to wear various chasubles. In exceptional cases, at some prayer services, the bishop may conduct the service in a cassock with a mantle, on which an epitrachelion is put on. Such clothing of a priest is an obligatory basis for liturgical vestments.
What is the significance of the color of a priest's vestment?
By the color of the clergyman's attire, one can speak of various holidays, events or memorial days. If the priest is dressed in gold, this means that the service takes place on the day of the memory of the prophet or apostle. Pious kings or princes may also be venerated. On Lazarus Saturday, the priest must also dress in gold or white. In the golden robe, you can see the minister at the Sunday service.
White is a symbol of divinity. It is customary to wear white robes on such holidays as the Nativity of Christ, the Presentation of Christ, the Transfiguration, as well as at the beginning of the divine service on Easter. White color is the light emanating from the tomb of the Savior during the Resurrection.
A priest puts on a white robe when he conducts the sacrament of baptism and weddings. During the initiation ceremony, white robes are also worn.
Blue symbolizes purity and innocence. Clothes of this color are worn during the holidays dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as on the days of veneration of the icons of the Mother of God.
Metropolitans also wear blue robes.
On Great Lent and on the feast of the Exaltation of the Great Cross, the clergy wear a purple or dark red cassock. Bishops also wear purple headdresses. The red color commemorates the commemoration of the martyrs. During the service held on Easter, the priests are also dressed in red robes. In the days of remembrance of the martyrs, this color symbolizes their blood.
Green symbolizes eternal life. Servants wear green robes on the days of remembrance of various ascetics. The robes of the patriarchs are of the same color.
Dark colors (dark blue, dark red, dark green, black) are mainly used on days of mourning and repentance. It is also customary to wear dark robes during Lent. On feast days, during fasting, robes decorated with colored trimmings may be used.
Clergy can be distinguished by their ranks and ranks during worship by their liturgical robes, special headdresses, and pectoral crosses.
Clergy and monastics in everyday use wear headdresses called skufii. This is a soft figured folding cap, sewn so that its folds over the head form the sign of the cross.
From the end of the 18th century, kamilavkas were introduced into church use as awards for the white clergy. This is a solid headdress, which is a cylinder, slightly expanded upwards. The everyday headdress of bishops and monks, in which they can perform some divine services, is a klobuk. This is a kamilavka, covered with black crepe, descending to the back and having a completion in the form of three long ends, called cukul. Metropolitans have the right to wear white hoods. And the hoods of the patriarchs retained the ancient form of a spherical cap, covered with white kukul. Two of their ends descend on the chest, the third - behind the back. At the top of the patriarchal klobuk is a cross. During worship, the headdress of bishops is a miter, a cap richly decorated with brocade embroidery and precious stones.
Pectoral crosses for priests in the Russian Orthodox Church appeared relatively recently. Until the 18th century, only bishops had the right to wear pectoral crosses. Since the clothes of priests practically do not differ from the clothes of deacons and monks, the cross becomes the difference between priests and other clergy. Priests wear crosses over their robes for worship, but they can also be worn in everyday situations over a cassock.
The distinctive breastplate of a bishop is a panagia. Panagia is an image of the Mother of God, most often round or oval, with various decorations. In everyday situations, bishops wear only a panagia, and during divine services, a panagia and a cross. These are signs of the highest authority in the church.
§ 81. The Orthodox clergy have their own insignia, according to which they can be distinguished by rank and rank.
1. Bishops (bishops). Panagia, staff.
Patriarch - white cockle, panagia.
Metropolitan - a white klobuk with a cross.
Archbishop - klobuk with a cross.
Bishop - klobuk without a cross.
2. Priests. Pectoral cross.
Archimandrite - cross with decorations, miter.
Archpriest (abbot) - a cross gilded or with decorations.
Priest (hieromonk) - a silver or gilded cross.
3. Deacons - kamilavki, purple skufii. There is no pectoral cross.
Protodeacon (archdeacon) - a double orarion (a long cloth strip with crosses sewn on it, descending from the front and back almost to the floor).
Deacon (hierodeacon) - orarion.
For the performance of divine services, the clergy wear special sacred garments. Each rank of clergy has its own vestments, and the highest rank always has the vestments of the lower ranks. Sacred garments are made of brocade or some other material suitable for this and are decorated with crosses.
The clothes of the deacon are: surplice, orarion and handrails.
Surplice- long clothes without a cut in front and behind, with a hole for the head and with wide sleeves. A surplice is also required for subdeacons. The right to wear a surplice can also be given to altar servers, psalmists, and also to the laity serving in the temple. The surplice marks the purity of the soul, which the persons of the holy dignity should have.
Orari - a long wide ribbon of the same material as the surplice. It is worn by the deacon on the left shoulder, over the surplice. The orarion marks the grace of God, which the deacon received in the sacrament of the Priesthood.
Handrails are called narrow sleeves, pulled together by laces, covering only the wrist. The instructions remind the clergy that when they perform the Sacraments or participate in the celebration of the Sacraments, they do this not with their own strength, but with the power and grace of God. The handrails also resemble the bonds (ropes) on the hands of the Savior during His suffering.
The deacon's home clothes are made up of a cassock (half-caftan) and a cassock.
The vestments of the priest are: underdress, epitrachelion, belt, handrails and phelonion (or chasuble).
Undershirt- this is the same surplice in a slightly modified form.
It differs in that it is made of thin white matter, and its sleeves are narrow with laces at the ends, with which they are tightened on the hands. The white color of the vestment reminds the priest that he must always have a pure soul and lead a blameless life. In addition, the vestment also reminds of the tunic (underwear) in which Jesus Christ walked on earth.
Stole- the same orarion, but only folded in half so that, bending around the neck, it goes down from the front down with two ends, which, for convenience, are sewn or somehow connected to each other. Epitrachelion marks a special, double compared with a deacon, grace given to a priest for the performance of the Sacraments. Without an epitrachelion, a priest cannot perform a single divine service, just like a deacon - without an orarion.
Belt It is put on over the stole and vest and signifies the readiness to serve the Lord, as well as the Divine power that strengthens the clergy in their service. The belt also resembles the towel with which the Savior girded himself when washing the feet of His disciples at the Last Supper.
Riza, or phelonion, worn by a priest over other clothes. This garment is long, wide, sleeveless, with a hole for the head at the top and with a large opening in front for free hand action. In its appearance, the riza resembles the purple robe in which the suffering Savior was clothed. The ribbons sewn on the robe are reminiscent of the streams of blood that flowed over His garments. At the same time, the riza also reminds the priests of the clothes of truth, in which they should be clothed as servants of Christ.
On top of the chasuble, on the chest of the priest is pectoral cross, which they also wear on their home clothes over a cassock and cassock.
For diligent, long service, priests are given as a reward gaiter, worn on a belt or hip, is a quadrangular, slightly oblong board, hung on a ribbon over the shoulder at two corners on the right hip and meaning a spiritual sword.
Priests wear head ornaments on their heads during worship. skufii- small hats made of cloth, or kamilavki- high velvet hats, which are given as an award or distinction.
The bishop (bishop) puts on all the clothes of a priest: a vestment, epitrachelion, belt, handrails, only the riza (phelonion) is replaced by a sakkos, and a gaiter by a club. In addition, the bishop puts on the omophorion and miter. 
Sakkos- the outer clothing of the bishop, similar to the deacon's surplice shortened from the bottom and in the sleeves, so that from under the sakkos the bishop can see both the underdress and the stole. Sakkos, like the priest's robe, marks the Savior's scarlet.
Mace- This is a quadrangular square board, hung at one corner, over a sakkos on the right thigh. As a reward for diligent service, the right to wear a club is sometimes received from the ruling bishop and honored archpriests, who also wear it on the right side, and in this case the cuisse is placed on the left. For archimandrites, as well as for bishops, the club serves as a necessary accessory of their vestments. The club, like the legguard, means the spiritual sword, that is, the word of God, with which clerics must be armed to fight unbelief and wickedness.
On their shoulders, over the sakkos, bishops wear omophorion(shoulder). This is a long wide ribbon-like board, decorated with crosses. It is placed on the bishop's shoulders in such a way that, wrapping around the neck, one end descends in front, and the other behind. The omophorion belongs exclusively to the bishops. Without it, the bishop, like a priest without a stole, cannot perform any service and reminds the bishop that the clergyman must take care of the salvation of the erring, like the gospel good shepherd, who, having found the lost sheep, carries it home on his shoulders.
On the chest, on top of the sakkos, in addition to the cross, the bishop also has panagia which means "Holy One". This is a small round image of the Savior or the Mother of God, decorated with colored stones.
On the head of the bishop is placed miter, decorated with small icons and colored stones. She marks the crown of thorns, which was placed on the head of the suffering Savior. The archimandrites also have a miter. In exceptional cases, the ruling bishop gives the right to the most deserving archpriests during Divine Services to wear a miter instead of a kamilavka.
During worship, bishops use wand or staff, as a sign of the highest pastoral authority and a reminder of their sacred duty - to guide their flock on the path of Salvation, not to allow them to go astray and repel the attacks of spiritual enemies. The staff is also given to archimandrites and abbots, as heads of monasteries.
During the service, under the feet of the bishop are placed eagles- small round rugs depicting an eagle flying over the city. Eaglets mean that the bishop must, with his thoughts and deeds, like an eagle, strive from the earthly to the heavenly.
The bishop's home clothes, as well as the clothes of a deacon and a priest, are made up of a cassock and a cassock, over which the bishop wears a cross and a panagia on his chest.
Part of the church liturgical symbolism is the variety of colors of priestly vestments. Their color scheme is made up of all the colors of the rainbow: red, yellow, orange, green, blue, blue, purple, and also white. 
White color is a symbol of Divine Light. In white vestments, priests serve on great holidays: the Nativity of Christ, Theophany, Ascension, Transfiguration, Paschal Matins begins in them. At baptism and burial, the priest is also dressed in white.
Red color after the white one, the Easter service continues and they serve in red vestments until the feast of the Ascension. This color is a symbol of the inexpressible, fiery love of God for the human race. But red is also the color of blood, so services in honor of the martyrs are held in red vestments.
Yellow,or gold,And orange colors are symbols of glory, majesty and dignity. In such vestments they serve on Sundays and on the days of memory of the Prophets, Apostles and Hierarchs.
Green color adopted in the days of remembrance of the saints and testifies that their monastic feat revives a person by union with Christ and elevates him to heaven. In green colors they serve on the day of the Holy Trinity, Palm Sunday, Monday of the Holy Spirit.
Cyan or blue color- this is the color of the Mother of God holidays, 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 the remembrance of the Cross of the Lord.
IN black color Priests vest in the days of Great Lent. This is a symbol of renunciation of pomp, worldly fuss, the color of repentance and crying.
EVERYDAY GARMENTS
Everyday robes, which distinguish the servants of the Church from lay people and testify to their dignity and rank, once originated from the robes used in the world, and quickly, already in ancient times, acquired special features, so that the clergy and monasticism began to stand out outwardly from the secular environment. This deeply corresponded to the concept of the Church as a kingdom not of this world, which, although it goes through its journey and ministry in the world, is nevertheless profoundly different from it in its nature. In the minds of the ancients, the sacred dignity or monastic rank obliged the bearers of such to be always and everywhere what 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, to the toe, robe with narrow sleeves with a tightly buttoned collar. A cassock is an undergarment. For monastics, it should be black. The color of the white clergy cassocks is black, navy blue, brown, gray and white for summer. Material: cloth, wool, satin, linen, flax, less often silk fabrics.
- outer garment with long, below the palms, wide sleeves. The cassocks are predominantly black, but can be dark blue, brown, white, less often cream and gray. The materials for the cassocks are the same as for the cassocks. Both cassocks and cassocks can be lined.
For everyday life, there are cassocks, which are demi-season and winter coats. These are cassocks of the first kind, with a turn-down collar trimmed with black velvet or fur. Winter cassocks-coats are made on a warm lining.
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All divine services, except for the Liturgy, are performed by the priest in a cassock and cassock, over which special liturgical robes are put on ( vestments). When serving the Liturgy, as well as in special cases when, according to the Rule, the priest must be in full liturgical vestments, the cassock is removed and a 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 hierarchal robes are put on. The only exceptions are some prayer services, litias, cell and other clergy services of the bishop, when he can serve in a cassock or a cassock and a mantle, over which an epitrachelion is put on.
Thus, everyday robes of the clergy are an obligatory basis for liturgical vestments.
Long-sleeved 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 widespread in the Jewish environment during the earthly life of the Savior, Who Himself wore such clothes, as evidenced by tradition and iconography. Therefore, the cassock and cassock are considered the garment of the Lord Jesus Christ. The antiquity of this type of clothing is indirectly confirmed by the fact that even today many Eastern peoples use a wide long slit and unslit front robe with wide long sleeves, very similar to a cassock, as traditional national clothing. The word "cassock" comes from the Greek adjective "to ráson", which means - scraped, worn, devoid of lint, worn. It was precisely such almost beggarly clothes that monastics were supposed to wear in the Ancient Church. From the monastic environment, the cassock came into use for all the clergy, which is confirmed by many testimonies.
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In the Russian Church until the 17th century, cassocks were not required. In everyday situations, the clergy wore long single-rows of a special cut made of cloth and velvet of green, purple and crimson colors. The gates were also trimmed with velvet or fur. Single rows of secular persons in many respects differed from the robes of the clergy, so that the clergy in Rus' from ancient times stood out with their appearance from the secular environment. Even the wives of the white clergy necessarily wore such clothes in which one could immediately recognize their mothers in them. Expanding ties with the Orthodox East in the second half of the 17th century contributed to the penetration of the robes of the Greek clergy into the Russian church environment. The Great Moscow Cathedral of 1666-1667 decided to bless for Russian clergymen and monks the spiritual robes adopted at that time in the Orthodox East. 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. So the first Greek cassock appeared in Russia. But a loose straight cassock, convenient for countries with a hot climate, seemed apparently unacceptable in our country also 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 front, were worn in that time the Turks. Therefore, Russian cassocks began to be wrapped up and sewn in at the waist, the sleeve was made from a straight line in the form of a bell. At the same time, two cuts of cassocks arose - Kiev and Moscow. The “Kiev” cassock is slightly sutured at the waist from the sides, and leaves the back straight, while the “Moscow” cassock is significantly sutured 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 have taken on a look completely different from traditional Russian clothes. Gradually, all classes of society began to wear short clothes, often of a European type, so that the robes of the clergy turned out to be in a particularly sharp difference from the secular ones. At the same time, in the 18th century, the everyday clothes of the clergy acquired greater uniformity and stability of cut and color. The monastics began to wear mostly only black cassocks and cassocks of the first type, while in ancient times they often wore green single-row, and the white clergy narrowed down the color scheme of their clothes.
The general symbolic meaning of the cassock and cassock is evidence of detachment from worldly fuss, a symbol of spiritual peace. Peace and tranquility of the heart in its constant spiritual abiding with God is the highest goal of the efforts of any believer. But especially the clergy and monastics, as those who have devoted their entire lives to serving God, should have as a result of their spiritual activity this inner renunciation of worldly care and fuss, peace and tranquility of the heart. The outer attire of the clergy corresponds to this state, reminds of it, calls to it, helps to achieve it: being the image of the outer garment that the Lord Jesus Christ wore during earthly life, the cassock and cassock mean that the clergy and monastics 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 woolen cassock of the monks, girded with a leather belt, is an image of the sackcloth and leather belt, which the preacher of repentance John the Baptist wore in the desert (Matt. 3, 4). The black color of the cassocks and cassocks is especially remarkable: black is, in essence, the absence of color, something that lies outside the light spectrum. When applied to the attire of the clergy and monastics, this means the color of perfect peace as the absence of movements of passion, as it were, spiritual death for sin and renunciation of everything vain, from external, carnal life and focus on invisible life, internal. The daily attire of the clergy is also important for the surrounding believers, as evidence of the spiritual state to which all who seek salvation in God should strive.
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The special detachment of monks from the world is indicated by mantle, or paly, - a long, sleeveless, cape with a clasp only on the collar, descending to the ground and covering the cassock and cassock. In early Christian times, this was the clothing of all Christians who converted to the faith from paganism and renounced those titles and ranks that they had in a pagan environment. Such a long cape made of the simplest matter meant renunciation of idol service and humility. Subsequently, it became the property of some monastics. According to the interpretation of St. 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 garment. In ancient times in Rus', the monks wore a mantle always and everywhere and did not have the right to leave their cells without it. For entering the city without a mantle, the monks were punished in the 17th century by exile in remote monasteries under strong supervision. Such severity was due to the fact that at that time the monks did not yet have cassocks as mandatory outerwear. They wore single rows with narrow sleeves, so that the mantle was the only outer garment. The monks' robes, like their cassocks and cassocks, are always black.
Clergy and monastics in everyday use have special headdresses. White clergy may wear skufii. 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', clergymen covered the shaved part of the head with such a cap. After being ordained to the priesthood, the proteges immediately shaved their hair on their heads in the form of a circle, which in Rus' received the name gumentsó, which meant the sign of the crown of thorns. The shaved part was covered with a small cap, which received the Slavic name also gumenzo, or the Greek - skufiya.
In ancient times, priests and deacons constantly wore a skufi, even at home, taking it off only during worship and before going to bed.
By decree of Emperor Paul I of December 18, 1797, purple skufis and kamilavkas were introduced into church use as awards for white clergy. In the award skufi, the priest can also stay in the church, perform divine services, removing it in the cases provided for by the Charter. Priests can wear such a skufia on a daily basis.
The everyday headdress of bishops and monks, in which they can perform some divine services, is also cowl. This is a headdress consisting of a kamilavka and a cuckoo. Klobuk has been known in the Slavic environment since ancient times. Initially, it was a princely headdress, which was a cap trimmed with fur, with a small veil sewn to it, descending on the shoulders. Such caps with bedspreads were also used by other noble people in Rus', men and women. On ancient icons, Saints Boris and Gleb are often depicted wearing hoods. About hoods, as a princely headdress, there are references in the annals. When the klobuk became the headdress of Russian monks is unknown. In the church environment, he appeared a very long time ago and looked like a deep soft cap made of simple matter with a fur band. The etymology of the verb “to put on” (to put on, put on a headdress low on the forehead, on the ears) goes back to the root klobuk. The cap was covered with a black veil that fell over the shoulders. Such hoods were worn in Rus' by both monks and bishops, only among bishops were hoods made of expensive materials and sometimes decorated with precious stones. In the Orthodox East, monastic headdresses had a different look. There, only a veil worn over a hat was considered to be a monastic cukul. The lower part of that coverlet, descending on the back, began to be divided into three ends.
Some Russian saints of antiquity wore white klobuks. Iconography depicts the holy metropolitans Peter, Alexy, Jonah, Philip in such hoods. With the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia in 1589, Russian Patriarchs began to wear white klobuks. At the Council of 1666-1667, all metropolitans were given the right to wear white klobuks. But at the same time, the hoods of the metropolitans did not differ 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 form of a spherical cap, covered with white kukul, the ends of which also differed from the ends of the monastic basting. The three ends of the patriarchal hood begin 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 Makovets) a cross began to be supplied, the frontal side of the hood was decorated with icons, and cherubim or seraphim were depicted at the ends of the cukul with gold embroidery.
At present, the hood of the Moscow Patriarch on the frontal side and at the ends of the cockle 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 the 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 called upon to reflect the highest degrees of the spiritual state. In this regard, the hood of the Patriarch with the images of Seraphim indicates that the Patriarch, as the head of the entire Russian Church and a prayer book for her, is likened to the highest angelic ranks closest to God. The shape of the patriarchal klobuk, resembling the dome of a temple 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 - the beginning of the 19th centuries, the Russian Church established the custom that still exists today to wear diamond crosses for archbishops on black, and for metropolitans on white klobuks. The cross on the headdress is not new. In the ancient Russian and especially Ukrainian church environment, even ordinary priests wore crosses on everyday hats. For priests, this custom ceased at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries. Subsequently, diamond crosses on hoods became the insignia of archbishops and metropolitans (bishops wear the usual black monastic hood without a cross). A diamond cross can mean high spiritual perfection and a special firmness of faith and teaching, corresponding to the highest degrees of the church hierarchy.
The modern monastic klobuk is a solid kamilavka in the form of a cylinder, slightly widened upwards, covered with black crepe, descending to the back and ending in the form of three long ends. This crepe is commonly called a basting (or cukul). In the rank of monastic vows under the name klobuk, of course, only crepe, a veil with which a kamilavka is covered. This veil is sometimes called a kukul, just like the veil put on during tonsure into the great schema. In this sense, the klobuk is called the “helmet of the hope of salvation,” and the kukul of the great schema, according to the order of tonsure into the small and great schema, means “the helmet of saving hope.”
This symbolic meaning of monastic veils comes from the words of the Apostle Paul, who says: “But we, being sons of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8), and in another place : “Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having your feet shod in readiness to preach the gospel of peace; and above 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, clothes signify by external means those internal qualities that any Christian must possess, called a soldier of Christ at Baptism, since he will have to wage a relentless war against invisible spiritual enemies of salvation.
Monastics of all degrees wear a rosary. This is a prayer object used for frequent reading of the Jesus Prayer. Modern rosary is a closed thread, consisting of a hundred "grains", divided into dozens of intermediate "grains" of larger sizes than ordinary ones. Cell rosaries sometimes contain a thousand "seeds" with the same division. The rosary helps to count (hence their name) the number of prayers that a monk should include in the daily rule, without focusing on the count itself. The rosary has 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 sheathed in leather or fabric, and were called “ladder” or “lestovka” (ladder). Spiritually, they mean the ladder of salvation, the “spiritual sword”, they are an image of unceasing (eternal) prayer (a circular thread is a symbol of eternity).
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| 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 priest's cross testifies that he is a servant of Jesus Christ, who suffered for the sins of the world, 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 signs of exploits and suffering in earthly life. The cross and the 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 golden crosses there, issued from the emperor's office. Such crosses are called office crosses. Sometimes they were issued as a reward to some priests who did not leave Russia.
By a state decree of May 14, 1896, a cross was introduced into church use, which is the distinction of every priest and hieromonk. This cross, which has been laid since then during priestly consecration, is silver, eight-pointed in shape with a relief image of the crucified Savior on the front side and 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 reverse side of the cross there is an inscription: “Be the image of a faithful word, 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. A jumper in the middle of this circuit is also divided into two parts. The crosses of 1896 have become an indispensable insignia of the priests, which they wear during worship over the chasuble and can be worn in everyday situations over the cassock, and the crosses of 1797 have remained awards, traditionally also granted to all graduates of theological academies who have the dignity of priests.
In addition, in the 19th century, archpriests began to be rewarded with crosses with decorations, similar to bishops' pectoral crosses.
Panagia Bishop's badge.
The first mention of a panagia as an obligatory accessory for a bishop, which is given to him at consecration after the Liturgy, is contained in the writings of Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica (15th century). The 17th-century writer Jacob Goar testifies that after the adoption of the omophorion, the bishops of the Greek Church received a precious cross with the relics of saints, called the encolpion, with the addition of the greeting with the word axios (worthy). The custom of placing an encolpion on a bishop at his consecration passed from the Orthodox East to the Russian Church. But in Rus' panagiaras were already in wide use in the form of rectangular reliquaries with images of the Lord Christ, the Mother of God, and saints. Often one reliquary with relics had images of the Holy Trinity, Christ the Almighty, 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 since the 17th century, they began to lay a cross. Since it was customary for Russian bishops to wear an icon of the Mother of God or an encolpion reliquary with relics over their robes, the Moscow Cathedral of 1674 allowed Russian metropolitans to wear an “encolpion and a cross” over the sakkos, but only within their diocese. An exception was made for the Metropolitan of Novgorod, who had the right to wear a cross and an encolpion in the presence of the Patriarch.
Since the middle of the 17th century, the Russian Patriarchs, as well as the Metropolitans of Kyiv, as exarchs, have been wearing two panagias and a cross.
Over time, the relics of saints ceased to be an obligatory accessory to panagias. Currently, the panagia is an image of the Mother of God, most often round or oval in shape, with various decorations, without relics. Bishops' crosses are now also available without relics. Since 1742, archimandrites of some monasteries have been awarded panagias. In order to distinguish bishops from archimandrites, from the middle of the 17th century, bishops began to put on consecrations of two vestments: a cross and a panagia. In everyday situations, bishops had to wear a panagia, and during worship, a panagia and a cross. This order continues to this day.
The episcopal cross and panagia are signs of the highest authority in the Church. These images spiritually mean the same thing as the altar Cross and the icon of the Mother of God, namely: the dispensation 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 episcopal cross and panagia remind us that the bishop must constantly have in his heart the Lord and the Intercessor before Him - the Ever-Virgin Mary, that for this he must have a pure heart and a right spirit, and from an excess of heart purity and truth, his mouth must wear only one good. This is also noted in the prayers recited by the deacon when putting on the bishop the cross, and then the panagia. When putting the cross on the bishop, the deacon says: “But if anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself,” the Lord said, “and take up his cross and follow Me, always, now and forever, and forever and ever, amen.” When putting on the first panagia, the deacon says: “God will create a pure heart in you, and renew the right spirit in your womb, always, now, and forever, and forever and ever.” When putting on the second panagia, he says: “May your heart burp the word of goodness, speak of your Tsar’s deeds, always, now, and forever, and forever and ever.”
The episcopal cross and panagia with the image of the Mother of God, which were fully defined in their main features two hundred years ago, appeared, it would seem, by chance, but their symbolism is deeply consistent with 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 Theotokos are addressed with the words “Save us.” The rest of the 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, embracing the neck, descends to the chest and converges on the upper part of the cross or panagia, and the back part descends to the back. It is impossible not to see in this a repetition of the symbolism of the bishop's omophorion, which also has front and rear ends, signifying the lost sheep, which the good shepherd took for ramen, and the cross that the Lord Christ carried to Golgotha. 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 raised him to Heaven, reckoning him among the unforgotten - among the Angels. This is how Saint Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople (VIII century), interprets the meaning of the omophorion, and Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, adds that the crosses on the omophorion are depicted for the sake of “as Christ, on His shoulders, bore His cross; thus, those who want to live in Christ on the shoulder accept their cross, that is, suffering. For the cross is the sign of suffering.” Saint Isidore Pelusiot († c. 436-440) emphasizes the idea that “the bishop, in the form of Christ, does His work and shows to everyone with 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 episcopal cross and panagia mark the imitation of the bishop of Christ in pastoral care 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 ministry of the archpastor - God and people.
The chains or laces of the pectoral crosses of ordinary laymen do not have a back end, since a layman does not have pastoral duties to other people.
In everyday life, bishops wear staves, different from those wands-staves that they use for worship. Bishops' everyday croziers are usually long wooden sticks with a rim and a thickening at the top of carved bone, wood, silver or other metal. Everyday staves have a much older origin than liturgical wands. The liturgical episcopal baton separated from the everyday everyday staff of bishops because, according to canonical rules, bishops and other clergymen are forbidden to adorn themselves with expensive and bright clothes and objects in everyday life. Only during the divine service, where the bishop should show people the image of the glory of the Heavenly King, he dresses in specially decorated robes and headdresses and takes a magnificent staff in his hands.
liturgical robes of a deacon and a priest
The liturgical robes of the clergy have a common name - chasubles and are divided into deacon's, priest's and bishop's robes. The priest has all the diaconal robes and, moreover, those inherent in his rank; the bishop has all the priestly robes and, moreover, those assigned to his episcopal rank.
The liturgical robes of the Orthodox clergy are foreshadowed in the Old Testament by the robes of Aaron and other priests, made by the direct command of God (Exodus 28:2; 31:10) and intended only for priestly service, for the glory and splendor of Divine services. They cannot be worn and used in everyday life. Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord commands the Old Testament priests, leaving the temple to the outer courtyard to the people, to take off their liturgical garments and lay them in the barriers of the saints, putting on other clothes (Ezek. 44, 19). In the Orthodox Church, at the end of the service, the vestments are also removed and remain in the temple.
In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the parable of those called to the royal feast, which figuratively tells of the Kingdom of God, speaks of the inadmissibility of entering it without a wedding garment (Matt. 22:11-14). The parable depicts a wedding feast on the occasion of the marriage of the king's son. According to the teaching of the Orthodox Church, marriage, which is often mentioned here and in other similar images in Holy Scripture, is the mysterious marriage of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ (the Lamb) with His beloved bride, the Church (Rev. 19:7-8). At the same time, the Apocalypse notes that “it was given to her (the wife of the Lamb) to put on linen clean and bright; but the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.”
Thus, the general symbolic meaning of church service vestments is the expression in visible material garments of spiritual garments of righteousness and purity, in which the souls of believers must be clothed in order to participate in the eternal joy of combining Christ with the Church of His chosen ones.
Historically, liturgical vestments did not appear immediately. In general terms, the canon of liturgical vestments took shape in the 6th century. It is known that until that time the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, the first bishop of Jerusalem, wore a white linen long garment of Jewish priests and a headband. The Apostle John the Theologian also wore a golden headband 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 Theotokos made with her own hands an omophorion for Saint Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Christ and later became Bishop of Cyprus. Thus, the apostles already used some liturgical robes. Most likely, a tradition from them was preserved in the Church, expressed by the blessed Jerome (4th century), according to which it is by no means unacceptable 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 undershirt. This is the most ancient attire in terms of time of origin. The surplice corresponds to the podir of the Old Testament high priests, but acquires a slightly different form and meaning in Christianity.
For deacons and lower clerics, the surplice is an upper liturgical robe with wide sleeves. For priests and bishops, a surplice is an undergarment over which other vestments are put on. Therefore, it has a special name - podraznik.
A surplice is a long garment without a cut in front and behind, with a hole for the head and with wide sleeves. A surplice is also required for subdeacons. The right to wear a surplice can be given to both psalm-readers and laity serving in the temple. The surplice marks the purity of the soul, which the persons of the holy dignity should have.
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Priests and bishops is the lower liturgical garment. She is put on a cassock, and other robes are put on her. This vestment has some differences from the surplice. The undershirt is made with narrow sleeves, as they should be worn with handrails. The sleeves of the vest have slits at the ends. A braid or lace is sewn to one of the sides of the incision, so that when dressed with this lace, the lower edge of the undershirt sleeve is tightly pulled together at the wrist. These laces mark the fetters that tied the hands of the Savior, led to judgment. For this reason, there are no stripes on the sleeves of the vest. They are not on the shoulders of the vestment, because his shoulders are covered with outer liturgical clothing (phelonion or sakkos).
Only a cross is sewn on the back of the vest, and on the hem, since it protrudes from under the outer clothing and is visible to everyone, there is the same sewn strip as on the surplice, with the same symbolic meaning. On the sides of the vestment there are the same cuts as on the surplice. Undershirts are made of light fabric and, in accordance with the considered meaning, should be white. A distinctive feature of the episcopal vestry can be the so-called gammata - sources, streams in the form of ribbons hanging in front. They mean both the blood flowing from the sores of Christ, and, according to the 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 undershirt is worn only during the service of the Liturgy and on some special occasions.
On the left shoulder, over the surplice, the deacons have orarion- a long strip of brocade or other colored material, descending from the front and back almost to the floor. The orarion is reinforced 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 when pronouncing litanies (petitions), overshadows himself with this end with the sign of the cross, and in the prescribed cases indicates to the priest and bishop the order of liturgical actions. At the Liturgy on “Our Father”, preparing himself for the reception of the Holy Mysteries, the deacon girds himself with the orarion along the Persians (on the chest) so that the orarion 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 to 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 chest and back of the deacon are covered by the orarion crosswise. After communion, the deacon again ungirds the orarion and hangs it on his left shoulder.
Deacon is the first sacred 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, even this grace of the holy diaconal rank is a yoke and a yoke of work for God and people, it is the bearing of the cross. 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 for the quick fulfillment of the will of God, preserving integrity and purity, remaining in perfect chastity.
Even now, the words of the angelic chant “Holy, Holy, Holy” are sometimes written on oraries. Most often this inscription is found on the so-called double oraries of protodeacons and archdeacons. This orarion is much wider than the usual, deacon, and has the peculiarity that its middle part passes under the right hand so that one end of the orarion rises through the back to the left shoulder and goes down in front, and the other end passes from under the right hand through the chest up and down the same left shoulder down the back. Such an 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.
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On the sleeves of the cassock, and when fully vested - on the sleeves of the cassock, priests and bishops put on handrails, or oversleeves. The deacons put them on the sleeves of the cassock. The handrail is a slightly curved strip of dense material with the image of a cross in the middle, sheathed along the edges with a ribbon of a different shade than the handrail itself. Enclosing the hand in the wrist, the handrail is connected from the inside of the hand with the help of a cord threaded into metal loops on its side edges, and the cord is wrapped around the hand, so that the handrail tightly tightens the sleeve of the cassock or cassock and is firmly held on the hand. In this case, the sign of the cross is on the outside of the hand. The cuffs are worn on both sleeves and signify God's power, strength and wisdom, given to His clergy for the accomplishment of the Divine sacraments. By the sign of the cross, the ensigns mean that it is not the human hands of the clergy, but the Lord Himself who performs the sacraments through them with His Divine power. This meaning of handrails is reflected in the prayers when putting them on to serve the Liturgy. For the right hand it reads: “Thy right hand, Lord, be glorified in the fortress, Your right hand, Lord, crush the enemies and with the multitude of Your glory erased this adversary.” This prayer also contains the idea that the instructions, as a sign of the power of God, protect the clergyman from demonic wiles during the performance of the sacraments. For the left hand it reads: “Thy hands create me and create me, give me understanding and learn your commandment.”
The history of the origin of the handrails is as follows. There were no handrails in the original Church. Since ancient times, the narrow sleeves of the imitation (cassock) and cassock were decorated with a special trim in the form of two or three stripes that covered the edges of the sleeves. At the same time, a cross was sometimes depicted between these stripes. Church authors of antiquity do not find interpretations of this decoration. Handrails first appeared as an item of clothing for Byzantine kings. They decorated and tightened the sleeves of the underwear, protruding from under the wide sleeves of the sakkos - the upper royal vestments. Wishing to honor the patriarchs of their capital throne of Constantinople with a special honor, the emperors began to grant them items of royal vestments. The Byzantine kings granted the patriarchs wands, the right to depict a double-headed eagle on shoes and carpets. In the 11th-12th centuries, the hierarchs of Constantinople received sakkos and hand-rails from the kings; then the instructions passed to the primates of other Orthodox Churches, to the most prominent eastern metropolitans and bishops. Somewhat later, the orders passed to the priests. Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica (12th century), writes about commissions as a necessary accessory for priestly and episcopal vestments. In the 14th-15th centuries, ensigns as a reward first appeared for some archdeacons, and then for all deacons. Ancient handrails 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. In the future, the only image on the handrails becomes the cross - a sign of the power of the cross, communicated 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 handrails on the sleeves of the cassock and cassock, stripes and crosses were no longer sewn on. The handguards, as an object external to the sleeves, clearly showed evidence that the power and wisdom in performing the sacraments and services does not belong to the clergyman himself, but is given to him from outside, from God. This is the dogmatic meaning of the change that has taken place in the symbolism of the sleeves. Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, attaches to the orders, in addition to the sign of God's power and wisdom, the meaning of the image of the fetters with which the hands of the Savior, led to judgment, were bound. When the cuffs are put on a cassock or undershirt without cords on the sleeves, they really acquire this meaning as well. When they are put on a vestment, the sleeves of which are already pulled together with a cord-the image of the bonds of Christ, only their first meaning remains behind the instructions - the power and wisdom of God, performing the sacraments.
The surplice, orarion and handrails are the vestments of the deacon. Other liturgical robes belong to the robes of the priestly rank.
Starting from the 15th century, the bishop, consecrating a deacon to the priesthood, went around his neck with a deacon's orarion, so that both ends evenly descended down the chest down to the hem, and at the same time connected one with the other. It turned out stole- the garment of priests and bishops. (The word epitrachelion in Greek is masculine, but in Russian books it was used in the feminine gender.) Since the 15th century, hierarchs have done precisely this when consecrating a deacon to the priesthood. The epitrachelion formed from the orarion meant that the priest, without losing the grace of the diaconal rank, acquires double, in comparison with the deacon, special grace, giving him the right and duty to be not only a minister, but also a performer of the Sacraments of the Church and the whole work of the priesthood. This is not only a double grace, but also a double yoke, a yoke.
In later times (approximately from the 16th-17th centuries), stole was made not from deacon's orarion, but especially, for ease of wearing. In the part that covers the neck, the stole is curly and narrow, so that this part can comfortably fit the collar of the cassock or cassock. At the consecration of a deacon as a presbyter, the bishop no longer wraps the orarion around the neck of the initiate, but immediately places a ready-made epitrachelion on him. The separation of the stole from the orarion, however, does not abolish the meaning of the stole as an orarion connected in front. Therefore, at present, the stole is sewn in such a way that it consists of two separate strips in 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 stole halves are simply sewn to one another. But the epitrachelion is not sutured along the entire length, with rare exceptions. The deacon's orarion, as a rule, has seven crosses sewn on it to commemorate the fact that the deacon is the minister of all the seven Sacraments of the Church, and the priest performs six Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, Communion, Marriage, Consecration of the Unction. The Sacrament of the Priesthood has the right to perform only the bishop. When the orarion is bent around the neck, the cross in its middle part is 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 also sewn onto the stole, so that in front it has three pairs of crosses on both of its 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, as well as that he bears the yoke (yoke) of service to Christ, who redeemed the human race by the feat on the cross.
The priest can perform all divine services and rites only in the stole, which is superimposed over the cassock, and when fully vested over the vestment, as always happens during the service of the Liturgy and in some special cases .
phelonion(in everyday life - a chasuble) is the upper 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 garment is very ancient. The phelonion in ancient times was a cape made of a long rectangular piece of woolen fabric 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 for the head was made in the middle of this cloak, and a phelonion put on the shoulders covered the whole body of a person with its long ends in front and behind. At the same time, among the Jews, the edges of the phelonion were sometimes decorated with cassocks or omets - a trim made of sewn lace; and along the very edge of this decoration, so-called cracks were sewn - a blue cord with tassels or fringe as a sign of the constant remembrance of the commandments and the Law, which was led 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 on both shoulders, and sometimes over one shoulder. Perhaps it is the phelonion-cloak that the Evangelist means when he says that at the Last Supper the Lord, about to wash the feet of the disciples, took off His outer garments. The apostles also wore the phelonion, as evidenced by the Apostle Paul (2 Tim. 4:13). Many believe that it was his liturgical garment. In any case, even if the Lord and the apostles used the phelonion only as an ordinary outer garment of those times, in the minds of the Church it acquired a sacred meaning for this very reason and began to be used as a liturgical vestment from the deepest antiquity.
The shape of the phelonion changed. For the convenience of wearing in front of the hem, a larger or smaller semicircular cutout began to be made, 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 strip, just as on the surplice, and for the same reasons, the sign of the cross is placed. And at the bottom of the dorsal part 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 onset of the Kingdom of Heaven, the new earth and the new heaven, since the earthly history of mankind has seven periods - seven centuries. Thus, in two brief symbols - the cross and the eight-pointed star, the beginning and end of the salvation of mankind in Christ Jesus are indicated on the phelonion. These symbols can also mean the Nativity of Christ (a 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 the cross on the phelonion also signify the union in the Orthodox Church of the grace of the priesthood of the Old (star) and New (cross) Testaments.
Containing many lofty 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 reads: “Thy priests, O Lord, will be clothed in righteousness, and Your saints will always rejoice with joy, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen” (Ps. 131:9). The concepts of Divine light, righteousness, joy, as a wealth of spiritual gifts and feelings, make it possible for felons to be not only white. Phelonies are made of gold and silver brocade, which especially emphasizes the importance of the radiance of glory, as well as of other primary colors used in worship for vestments. Starting from the 18th century, black phelonions with white stripes are put on during Great Lent, in this case being a sign of rags and sackcloth, in which the Savior was dressed when he was desecrated.
Epitrachelion, handrails and phelonion make up a small priestly vestment, in which all evening and morning services and rites 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 a full vestment is a vestment. On top of it, an epitrachelion, handrails, a belt, a gaiter, a club, a phelonion are put on in succession. At the same time, the legguard and club, being awards to the clergy, may not be available to all priests and are not among the mandatory items of vestments.
Belt, worn over a vest and stole, is a not very wide strip of matter with trim in the form of stripes of a different color or shade along the edges, in the middle it has an sewn sign of the cross. At both ends of the belt there are ribbons with which it is tied at the back, on the lower back.
From ancient times to the present day, a tightly tied belt, as an item of attire for workers and warriors, was used to give the body strength and strength. Hence, and as a symbolic object in religious and secular use, the belt has always meant certain concepts of strength, strength, power, or readiness for service. The psalmist the prophet David says: “The Lord hath reigned, clothed in splendor, the Lord hath clothed himself in strength and girded himself.” Here, as in many other places of Holy Scripture, the Divine power is symbolically indicated by a belt, a girdling. Christ, girded with a long towel and washing the feet of His disciples, gives by this an image of His service to people. And about His service to the faithful in the future age of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ speaks figuratively: “He will gird himself, and will seat them, and, coming, will begin to serve them” (Lk. 12:37). The Apostle Paul admonishes 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 connected with the concept of serving God in the spirit of truth.
The gaiter is an oblong rectangular board on a long ribbon - the first award in turn for zealous service to the Church.
Gaiter archimandrites, abbots and priests are awarded. Symbolically, the rectangular shape of the cuisse means the Four Gospels, which is in full agreement with the concept of the spiritual sword, which is the word of God.
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The clothes of a priest are very different from the clothes of ordinary people. It testifies to the rank and rank of a clergyman. Even in ancient times, the attire of priests played a big role. Each attribute has its own secret meaning. Any minor detail can change the image.
People often see church priests: in churches, on television, and so on. Each time they can change the elements in the attire, shades, etc.
The clergy have strict rules in the manner of dressing, which are forbidden to change, they only need to be followed. Some foundations have been known since ancient times, while others appeared relatively recently. However, every piece of clothing means something.
Vestments of the priest of the Orthodox Church
The main details of clothing are the cassock and cassock.
Vestments of an Orthodox priest (click to enlarge)
Cassock- The bottom of the garment. It looks like a heel-length canvas. The monks have only a black cassock. Representatives of the lower clergy wear black, gray, brown and dark blue robes, and in the summer they wear white. Wool and cotton fabrics can serve as the material. Silk is rarely used in the manufacture of an item of clothing.
Under cassock the upper part of the robe with sleeves extended below the fingers is meant. Most often they wear a dark-colored cassock, but there is a similar color scheme, like that of a cassock. The same material is used in the manufacture. Sometimes these wardrobe items have a lining.
Mantle- elongated canvas with fasteners. In ancient times, it was worn by people who had recently renounced the pagan faith and converted to Orthodoxy. In Ancient Rus', the appearance before the people without a mantle was cruelly suppressed. She was considered a holy thing, since in those days there was no other outerwear. The color of the mantle is predominantly black.
Jewelry was an important attribute in the image of a priest, for example, pectoral cross. This little thing appeared among Russian clergy relatively recently.
The cross is a sign that a person is a follower of Jesus Christ, who went through terrible torment for the sins of the people.
The priest must have in his heart the image of the Savior and imitate Him. The pectoral cross is hung on a two-pointed chain, which is a symbol of the servant's duties. He, like a shepherd for sheep, is responsible for the parishioners, helping them find answers to their questions. All details are made in silver-gilt.
Panagia- a symbol of the priest about belonging to the church. As a church sign, it originated in Catholicism. It was customary for the patriarchs in Rus' to wear 1 cross and 2 panagias. In modern times, it looks like this: the image of the Mother of God in a rounded or elongated shape.
Headdresses of the clergy
Those close to God can wear a special headdress on their heads. For example, in the lower clergy they put on a skuf. Skufya- a small round hat. In shape, it resembles a cup without a stand.
In ancient Rus', the shaved part of the head was covered with a skufia. Previously, it was forbidden to take it off, so the clergy even wore it at home.
Another everyday headdress for priests is cowl. It also begins its history in antiquity. Previously, only princes wore klobuks. In church business, these headdresses appeared a long time ago.
It is a cap made of soft fabric with fur trim. The hood is covered with black long cloth.
Now this headdress has undergone external changes. Klobuk - a cap of a cylindrical shape with an expansion upwards, covered with a dark crepe that goes behind the back and ends with three elongated tails.
The color of the vestments of the priests for the celebrations
The clergymen can change the shades of the attire. The color combination changes depending on the Orthodox event, its significance or the event that is celebrated according to the church calendar. The ministers have strict limits in clothing, which they are forbidden to violate.
Here are some coloring rules for the servants of God:
| Colors | celebration | Symbolism |
| gold/yellow | All dates dedicated to Christ; memorable day of church servants (prophet, saint, apostle, etc.). | Communication with heavenly forces. |
| Blue and cyan | Holidays dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos; Bringing to the temple. | Inner calm. |
| White | Day of Remembrance of Heavenly Fruitless Forces. | Emptiness, purity. |
| Burgundy/Purple | Memorial Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. | Spiritual appeasement; crusade. |
| Green | Holidays of holy fools and saints; Pentecost; Palm Sunday; Whit Monday. | Eternity, birth, transformations in the surrounding world. |
| White | Burial; Nativity; Ascension of the Lord; Transfiguration; Epiphany. | Path to the heavenly world. Holy light that illuminates God's creatures. |
| White, red with golden accents | Resurrection of Christ | Light from the tomb of Jesus Christ. |
In Orthodoxy, you should wear colors that match the gamut of the holiday. Women pay special attention to this: they change headscarves. Also, a canvas of the corresponding shade is placed on the red corner in the house. However, this is an optional condition. You can change the colors of the clothes as you wish.
