The priest's vestments may indicate his position in the Orthodox Church. Also, for holding services and for everyday wear, they use different robes. The robes for worship look luxurious. As a rule, for sewing such vestments, expensive brocade is used, which is decorated with crosses. There are three types of priesthood. And each has its own type of vestment.
Deacon
This is the lowest rank of clergyman. Deacons do not have the right to perform sacraments and services on their own, but they help bishops or priests.
The vestments of the clergy-deacons conducting the service consist of a clergyman, orari and errands.
The cotto is a long garment that does not have cuts in the back and front. A special hole has been made for the head. The cotta has wide sleeves. These clothes are considered a symbol of purity of soul. Such vestments are not unique to deacons. The elemental can be worn by both the psalmists and those laity who simply regularly attend the temple.
Orar is presented in the form of a wide ribbon, usually made of the same fabric as the clerk. This robe is a symbol of God's grace, which the deacon found in the Holy Priesthood. Orar is put on the left shoulder over the clerk. Hierodeacon, archdeacon, and protodeacon can also wear it.
The priest's vestments also include handles designed to tighten the sleeves of the clergyman. They look like narrower arm ruffles. This attribute symbolizes the ropes with which the arms of Jesus Christ were entwined when He was crucified on the cross. As a rule, handrails are made of the same fabric as the clerk. They also depict crosses.
What is the priest dressed in?
The priest’s clothing is different from the attire of ordinary ministers. During the service, the following robes should be worn on it: a cassock, cassock, handrails, a plait, belt, epitrachil.
The cassock is worn only by priests and bishops. All this can be clearly seen in the photo. The clothes may vary slightly, but the principle is always maintained.
Cassock
Coddler is a kind of creeper. It is believed that Jesus Christ wore a cassock and cassock. Such robes are a symbol of detachment from the world. The monks in the ancient church wore such almost miserable clothes. Over time, she came into use and the entire clergy. A cassock is a long, to five men’s dress with narrow sleeves. As a rule, his color is either white or yellow. The bishop’s cassock has special ribbons (scales) that tighten the sleeves in the wrist area. This symbolizes streams of blood pouring from the Savior's perforated hands. It is believed that it was in such a tunic that Christ always walked the earth.
Stole
Epitrachilia is a long ribbon that is wound around the neck. Both ends should go down. It is a symbol of double grace that is granted to a priest for worship and sacred ordinances. Epitrachilus is worn over a cassock or cassock. This is a mandatory attribute, without which priests or bishops are not allowed to conduct sacred rites. Seven crosses should be sewn on each epitrachili. In the order of the crosses on the epitrachili, a certain meaning is also laid. 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 that the bishop gave the priest the blessing to perform the sacrament. It also indicates that the minister took upon himself the burden of serving Christ. You may notice that the priest's vestments are not just clothes, but a whole symbolism. A belt that symbolizes the towel of Jesus Christ is put on over the cassock and epitrachili. 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 priest's outerwear. The cassock looks like a long, wide sleeveless dress. It has a hole for the head and a large neckline in front, which almost reaches the waist. This allows the priest to freely move his hands during the performance of the sacrament. Mantle of the cassock is stiff and tall. The upper edge of the back resembles a triangle or trapezoid, which is located above the shoulders of the priest.
The cassock symbolizes scarlet. It is also called the garment of truth. It is believed that it was Christ who wore it. On top of the cassock, the clergyman wears a pectoral cross.
The legguard is a symbol of the spiritual sword. He is given to clergy for special diligence and long service. He is worn on the right thigh in the form of a ribbon thrown over his shoulder and freely falling down.
On top of the cassock, the priest also puts on a pectoral cross.
The clothes of the bishop (bishop)
The bishop's robes are similar to those the priest puts on. He also wears a cassock, epitrachel, handrails and a belt. However, the bishop’s cassock is called saccos, and instead of a gaiter a club is put on. In addition to these robes, the bishop is also clothed in miter, panagia and omophorion. Below are photos of the bishop's clothes.
Saccos
This robe was worn in the ancient Jewish environment. At that time, saccos was made from the coarsest material and was considered clothing worn in sorrow, repentance and fasting. Sakkos looked like a piece of coarse fabric with a cut-out for the head, completely covering the front and back. The fabric is not sewn along the sides, the sleeves are wide but short. Epitrachilus and the cassock peep through the saccos.
In the 15th century, saccos were exclusively worn by the metropolitans. Since the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia, the patriarchs also began to wear them. As for spiritual symbolism, this garment, like the cassock, symbolizes the crimson of Jesus Christ.
Club
The vestment of a priest (bishop) is incomplete without a club. This is a circuit board in the shape of a rhombus. He is hung at one corner on his left thigh over saccos. Just like a legguard, a club is considered a symbol of the spiritual sword. This is God's word, which must always be on the lips of the minister. This is a more significant attribute than a plait, as it also symbolizes a small section of the 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 was the attribute of only bishops. But since the 18th century, it began to be issued as a reward to archimandrites. The liturgical vestments of the bishop symbolize the seven sacraments performed.
Panagia and omophorion
A omophorion is a long ribbon of cloth decorated with crosses.
It is put on shoulders so that one end descends in front and the other in back. A bishop cannot perform services without a homophore. It is worn over saccos. Symbolically omophorion represents a sheep who has lost her way. The good shepherd brought her into the house in his arms. In a broad sense, this means the salvation by Jesus Christ of the entire human race. The bishop, dressed in an omophorion, personifies the Savior of the Shepherd, who saves the lost sheep and brings them to the Lord’s house on his own hands.
Panagia is also worn on top of the saccos.
This is a round icon framed with colored stones, which depicts Jesus Christ or the Mother of God.
The bishop's vestments can also be attributed to the orlets. The rug on which the eagle is depicted is placed under the feet of the bishop during the service. Symbolically, the orlets says that the bishop must renounce the earthly and rise to heaven. The bishop must everywhere stand on the eagle, thus always being on the eagle. In other words, the eagle constantly bears the bishop.
Also, during divine services, bishops use a rod (staff), symbolizing the supreme pastoral authority. Archimandrites also use the rod. In this case, the staff indicates that they are abbots of monasteries.
Hats
The headdress of the priest conducting the service is called miter. In everyday life, clergymen wear skufu.
Miter is decorated with multi-colored stones and images. This is a symbol of the crown of thorns laid on the head of Jesus Christ. Miter is considered to be the decoration of the head of a priest. At the same time, it resembles a 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. She is read at the time of the wedding. Therefore, miter is a symbol of the golden crowns that are put on the head of the righteous in the Kingdom of Heaven, present at the time of the combination of the Savior with the Church.
Until 1987, the Russian Orthodox Church forbade wearing it to everyone except the archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs. At a meeting in 1987, the Holy Synod allowed all bishops to wear a miter. In some churches it is permissible to wear it, decorated with a cross, even to the subdeacons.
Miter comes in several varieties. The crown belongs to one of them. Such a mitra has a crown of 12 petals above the lower girdle. Until the eighth century, all clergy wore this type of miter.
Kamilavka - a hat in the form of a purple cylinder. For everyday wear, a scoop is used. This headgear is worn regardless of degree and rank. It looks like a small round cap of black color that folds easily. Her folds around her head form a sign of the cross.
Since 1797, velvet skufu has been awarded to clergymen as a reward, just like a leg gait.
The headdress of the priest was also called the hood.
Black hoods were worn by monks and nuns. The hood looks like a cylinder, extended up. Three wide ribbons are fixed on it, which fall to the back. The hood symbolizes salvation through obedience. Hieromonk can also wear black hoods during worship.
Robes for everyday wear
Everyday vestments are also symbolic. The main ones are cassock and cassock. Ministers leading a monastic lifestyle should wear a black cassock. The rest can be clad in a brown, dark blue, gray, or white cassock. 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, gray, brown and dark blue. Cassocks and cassocks can be lined. In everyday life there are cassocks resembling a coat. They are complemented with velvet or fur on the collar. For winter, sew cassocks on a warm lining.
In a cassock, the priest should conduct all services, with the exception of the liturgy. During the liturgy and other special moments, when the Charter makes the clergyman put on a full liturgical robe, the priest takes it off. In this case, he puts on a robe on the cassock. During the service on the deacon, a cassock is also worn, over which the elephant is worn. The bishop is obligated to wear various vestments over her. In exceptional cases, in some prayers, the bishop may serve in a robe with the mantle on which the epitrachel is worn. Such priestly clothes are an essential basis for liturgical vestments.
What is the significance of the color of the vestments of the clergyman?
By the color of the clergyman’s robe, one can speak of various holidays, events, or memorial days. If the priest is dressed in golden color, this means that worship is held on the day of remembrance of the prophet or apostle. Pious kings or princes may also be venerated. On Lazarev Saturday, the priest should also be dressed in gold or white. In the golden robe you can see the minister at the Sunday service.
White color is a symbol of divinity. White robes are usually worn on holidays such as the Nativity of Christ, the Meeting, the Ascension of the Lord, the Transfiguration, as well as at the beginning of the service for Easter. White color is the light emanating from the tomb of the Savior at the Resurrection.
The priest puts on a white robe when he holds the sacrament of baptism and wedding. White robes are also worn during the rite of initiation.
Blue color symbolizes purity and purity. Clothes of this color are worn during the holidays dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as during the days of veneration of the icons of the Mother of God.
Metropolitans also wear blue robes.
On the cross-worshiping week of Lent and on the feast of the Exaltation of the Great Cross, the clergy put on a cassock of purple or dark red. Bishops also wear purple hats. The red color commemorates the memory of the martyrs. During Easter services, priests are also dressed in red robes. In the days of the memory of martyrs, this color symbolizes their blood.
Green symbolizes eternal life. Ministers dressed in green robes in the days of memory of various ascetics. The patriarchs have the same color of the mantle.
Dark colors (dark blue, dark red, dark green, black) are mainly used in the days of sorrow and repentance. It is also customary to walk in dark robes during Lent. On holidays during fasting, robes decorated with colored trimmings can be used.