History and symbolism of clerical vestments

[Andreas Moran]

I would like to know if the priests' vestments have meaning beyond the symbolic. When did they take their present form? I know (at least Fr Zacharias told me) the priest cannot celebrate any service without the epitracheilion - what is the reason for that?

[Paul Cowan]

I would like to know if the priests' vestments have meaning beyond the symbolic. When did they take their present form? I know (at least Fr Zacharias told me) the priest cannot celebrate any service without the epitracheilion - what is the reason for that?

If the fathers would not mind also expanding Andreas' question to include the dressing practises and reasons why certain parts of the service and preparatory services have the priest wearing or not wearing parts of his vestments. Thanks
Paul

[Anthony Stokes]

I would like to know if the priests' vestments have meaning beyond the symbolic. When did they take their present form? I know (at least Fr Zacharias told me) the priest cannot celebrate any service without the epitracheilion - what is the reason for that?

Andreas,
here is a short explanation of the epitracheilion from Fr. Hopko's "The Orthodox Faith"- The second fundamental vestment for Christian clergy is the stole or epitrachelion which goes around the neck and shoulders. It is the sign of the pastoral office and was originally made of wool to symbolize the sheep -- that is, the members of the flock of Christ -- for whom the pastors are responsible. Both bishops and priests wear this vestment when they are exercising their pastoral office, witnessing to the fact that the ministers of the Church live and act solely for the members of Christ's flock. " - http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=48

Subdeacon Anthony

[M.C. Steenberg]

The epitrachilion symbolises the priestly anointing of Aaron, and thus the priestly office. This is noted perhaps most directly in the vesting prayers, when the priest says, whilst making the sign of cross over the epitrachilion:
"Blessed is God, who pours out his grace upon his priests, as precious ointment upon the head, that runs down the beard, the beard of Aaron, that runs down to the hem of his garment."
This garment, then, which (amongst other things) symbolises the blessing and grace of the priesthood, is in some sense the fundamental vestment of clerical office. In some form or another, all higher orders of clergy wear it. The orarion worn by the deacon is -- at least historically -- the unbound epitrachilion, worn over one shoulder only (whereas with the priest it is over both shoulders, and developed to be sewn together down the front; this exactly mirrors the fact that at ordination a deacon kneels on one knee only, a priest on both). Bishops wear the same garment; and indeed, one of the traditional interpretations of the reason a bishop's sakkos, or main bodily garment, goes down only to the knees, is to ensure that the bottom of the epitrachilion is visible (the rest being entirely covered by his other vestments), showing the fullness of the priesthood.

Priests are not permitted to lead any service, or portion thereof, without wearing the epitrachilion, given that it is the fundamental vestment of priestly service. The same is true of the bishop (and so the deacon, with his orarion). The other vestments are donned or not donned at differing services and portions of services, given the nature of the services and symbolism of the specific vestments; but the epitrachilion is always worn. (Technically speaking, a priest should not touch the altar unless wearing the epitrachilion.)

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[Andreas Moran]

I remember once Fr Zacharias going to the cemetery to say the trisagion over my wife's grave and he'd forgotten his epitrachelion. He asked his cell attendant to fetch it, saying, 'I came into battle without my weapon'.

[M.C. Steenberg]

Dear Anthony, you provided the following quotation:

here is a short explanation of the epitracheilion from Fr. Hopko's "The Orthodox Faith"- The second fundamental vestment for Christian clergy is the stole or epitrachelion which goes around the neck and shoulders. It is the sign of the pastoral office and was originally made of wool to symbolize the sheep -- that is, the members of the flock of Christ -- for whom the pastors are responsible. Both bishops and priests wear this vestment when they are exercising their pastoral office, witnessing to the fact that the ministers of the Church live and act solely for the members of Christ's flock. " - http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=48
I find this interesting, because I don't see it as directly reflected in the liturgical prayers of the vesting. The epitrachilion is generally taken to symbolise the anointing of Aaron, and the oil flowing down his beard. It is actually the bishop's omophorion that is generally taken to symbolise the sheep borne over the shepherd's shoulders, as the bishop is the arch-shepherd of the Christian flock. Thus he wears the epitrachilion around his neck, symbolising the fulness of the priesthood; and atop this is placed the image of his arch-pastoral shepherding.

XB, Dcn Matthew

[Anthony Stokes]

Dear Anthony, you provided the following quotation:

I find this interesting, because I don't see it as directly reflected in the liturgical prayers of the vesting. The epitrachilion is generally taken to symbolise the anointing of Aaron, and the oil flowing down his beard. It is actually the bishop's omophorion that is generally taken to symbolise the sheep borne over the shepherd's shoulders, as the bishop is the arch-shepherd of the Christian flock. Thus he wears the epitrachilion around his neck, symbolising the fulness of the priesthood; and atop this is placed the image of his arch-pastoral shepherding.

XB, Dcn Matthew


Fr. Dn. Matthew,
you are right, that is interesting. The only mention of the omophorion that Fr. Hopko gives on that page is this:"The bishops traditionally probably also wore the phelonion over which they placed the omoforion, the sign of their episcopal office as leading pastor of the local church."

I have seen other explanations of the stole as a representation of the Roman garment of position that all officials in the Roman empire were required to wear.

Subdeacon Anthony

[Andreas Moran]

Is the western stole the exact equivalent of the epitrachelion?

[Anthony Stokes]

Is the western stole the exact equivalent of the epitrachelion?

I think in a generic sense, yes. I've heard the terms used interchangeably among Orthodox. While the Western stole may more closely resemble the orarion, mainly because it is not buttoned or sewn together like the epitrachelion. But again, I have hear the epitrachelion referred to as a stole before.

Subdeacon Anthony