Ecclesiastical Vestments: Their development and historyMacalister, Robert Alexander Stewart
History
Ecclesiastical Vestments: Their development and history
Macalister, Robert Alexander Stewart
Church vestments
VI. The =phainolion= answers in all respects to the Western chasuble;
and it is evident that we are to see in its appellation the old name
_paenula_. The Malabar Christians have a vestment called the _phaino_,
which in appearance corresponds to the cope; but its use assimilates it
to the =phainolion=, as we should expect from the identity of name. The
_phaino_ is made of more or less costly materials, it is square (not
semicircular) in shape with rounded corners. A button and loop answer
the purpose of the Western morse. It may be here stated that the
embroidery and material of the _zando_ usually corresponds with that of
the _phaino_ with which it is worn. The priests of the Armenian Church
also wear a cope-shaped chasuble. Small bells are sometimes hung round
the lower edge. The =phainolion= of bishops was formerly distinguished
from that of priests by being covered with crosses; hence called
=phainolion polystaurion=.
VII. The =epigonation= is a lozenge-shaped ornament, made of brocade,
and suspended by one corner on the right side of the =epitrachêlia= of
bishops. It is ornamented with embroidery on its surface, and with
tassels attached to the three free corners. It was originally a
handkerchief, and it remained in this form for some considerable time;
in fact, it remains a handkerchief in the Armenian Church. Although
properly peculiar to bishops, certain other ecclesiastics wear it as a
special privilege.
VIII. The =ômophorion= is equivalent to the Western _pall_ (though it is
worn by all prelates, not by archbishops only), and similar to it in
shape; it is, however, rather wider, and is worn round the neck in a
knot. It is said to symbolize the lost sheep—presumably from its being
carried on the shoulder.
IX. The =mandyas= is a vestment similar to the cope, worn on certain
occasions by Archimandrites and the higher orders of the Hierarchy. The
difference between it and the Western cope consists in its being rather
fuller, and fastened at the lower ends in front as well as at the top.
Small bells are hung round its lower edge. The =mandyas= of an
archimandrite is not ornamented; that of a prelate is decorated with
wavy stripes called =potama kai pômata=, 'rivers and cups'[89]—a
fanciful method of expressing the 'rivers of grace which flow from
him.'[90]
X, XI. The =chamalauchê= is a cap, the =exôchamalauchê= a hood worn over
it. The =exôchamalauchê= of a Metropolitan is white, signed in front
with a black cross, that of other prelates black.
XII. The =pateressa= corresponds to the pastoral staff, but it is
shorter and is used as an ordinary walking-stick, which it resembles in
every particular. The handle is usually an ornamental modification of
the crutched or tau cross. The bishops of the Eastern Church wear no
ring.
XIII. The =enkolpion= is a pectoral cross, worn in the East, and similar
in all respects to the cross worn in the West.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account