The vestments of the Nestorian Church are perhaps the simplest of the forms of dress in vogue in the various non-reformed Churches. They are six in number, and are respectively called the _prazôna_, _peena_, _zunnâra_, _hurrâra_, _estla_ or _shorshippa_, and _msâne_. These correspond respectively to breeches, surplice, or alb, girdle, stole, chasuble, and shoes, but they differ in some degree from the analogous vestments in use elsewhere. They are all made of white linen or calico, the only colour employed being in the girdle and stole, which (to use the convenient heraldic terms) are checky in squares white and blue, bearing crosses of the same colours counter-changed. The chasuble, too, has a Latin cross worked on the back. The latter is a clumsy vestment, being simply a square cloth, thrown over the shoulders and held in position with the finger and thumb. The stole does not reach below the waist, and is kept in its place under the girdle. It is remarkable that the vestments of the different orders of clergy differ only in the quality of the material, and not in elaboration or form; and that they are, as a general rule, only worn during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist or the administration of Baptism. At other services the priests usually wear their ordinary costume, which differs only slightly from that of laymen. The following list will show the parallelism existing between the vestments of the East and of the West; it is useful as showing that the differences between them consist entirely in matters of detail, and not in essentials: [vakass] = amice. =stoicharion= = alb. =epimanikia= = maniple. =epitrachêlion= } = stole. =ôrarion= } =zônê= = girdle. =phainolion= = chasuble. =epigonation= may be compared with appendages of subcingulum. =ômophorion= = pall. =mandyas= = cope, approximately. =chamalauchê= } = mitre, " =exôchamalauchê= } =pateressa= = pastoral staff. =enkolpion= = pectoral cross. =sakkos= = dalmatic Thus, the =epigonation, mandyas, chamalauchê=, and =exôchamalauchê= have no exact equivalent in the West; while, on the other hand, the amice is only represented in one provincial church, and the tunicle, dalmatic, gloves, ring, stockings and sandals, have no Eastern vestments to correspond with them. This is just what we might expect, for these vestments are all, comparatively speaking, of mediaeval invention or application, and the Eastern Church, as we said in other words at the commencement of this chapter, preserves many of the primitive rites and usages in a condition much less altered by time than does its Western sister. [88] 'Patrol. Graec.,' xxv, 358. [89] The assonance cannot be satisfactorily preserved in translation. Perhaps 'rivers and lavers' is the nearest approximation our language affords. [90] Neale. [Illustration] CHAPTER VI. THE VESTMENTS OF THE REFORMED CHURCHES.