Liturgical vestments

These robes, which have a common name "robes" used by clergy during worship services. They are divided into three categories: Diakoian, priestly And episcopal(robes of clergy who do not belong to the clergy do not fall into these categories). An interesting feature is the fact that each subsequent degree of priesthood has all the liturgical vestments of the previous one, plus those vestments that belong to their degree. That is, the priest has all the deacon’s robes and, in addition, those inherent in his rank; the bishop has all the priestly vestments (except for the phelonion, which is replaced by the sakkos) and, in addition, those assigned to his episcopal rank.

Deacon in liturgical vestments

Priest in liturgical vestments

Some of these clothes are symbols of grace-filled gifts, and without them the clergyman cannot perform divine services. Liturgical vestments are:

1. For deacon – cassock, bridle, surplice, orarion;

2. For priest – cassock, cassock(during the Liturgy instead of robes put on vestment), armbands, epitrachelion, belt, phelonion, pectoral cross;

3. For bishop – cassock, cassock(at the Liturgy, instead of a cassock - sacristan), handguards, epitrachelion, belt, club, sakkos(instead of sakkosa May be felonion), omophorion, panagia, cross, miter.

Clergymen serve in surplice.

The priest may perform some services without felony, and the bishop without sakkosa. As a reward, priests are given the right to wear skufiyas, kamilavkas or miters, and gaiter, club, cross with decorations.

- liturgical vestments of priests and clergy. Vary surplices clergyman, deacon, priest and bishop. The difference between the liturgical clothes of the lower rank of clergy - deacons - is that they serve in a cassock, over which they wear surplice. Surplice deacon (and clergyman - altar boy, sexton) - this is a long robe, consisting of two halves, with wide sleeves, with slits from the armpits to the bottom, fastened with buttons. Surplice symbolizes the clothing of salvation. Priestly and bishop surplice are a vestment called a cassock.

Surplice

- liturgical vestments of a priest and bishop - long silk (less often made of other materials) clothes, waist-length, with narrow sleeves, white or yellow. Bishop's sacristan has so-called scales, or sources – ribbons tightening the sleeve at the wrist. Gammata symbolize the flow of blood from the Savior’s perforated hands. As already stated, sacristan replaces the bishop's or priest's cassock during the celebration of the Liturgy.

Podryznik

- part of the liturgical vestments of the clergy, which are trapezoidal strips of dense material with an image of a cross on their outer side, trimmed at the edges with a ribbon having a different color than themselves instruct, shade. Other name handrails - oversleeves, means that this part of the liturgical vestment is fixed on the wrist, on the sleeve of the cassock. Handrail it is tightened with a cord threaded through metal loops on its side edges, and the cord is tightly wrapped around the hand and held firmly to it. Entrust symbolize God's power, strength and wisdom bestowed on the clergy to perform the Divine Sacraments.

- part of the liturgical vestment of a deacon and subdeacon - a long narrow ribbon worn by them on the left shoulder, with one end going down to the chest, the other to the back. Orar is the property of only deacons and received its name from the Greek verb “oro”, which means I look, guard, observe. However, in Latin there is a verb absolutely identical in spelling (lat. verb " oro"), but meaning "to pray". Another meaning of the word orar – towel, lention (from lat. orarium).

Orar

Archdeacon and protodeacon have double orarion, which represents two connected orars: one is worn similarly to the deacon’s, and the second descends from the left shoulder to the right thigh, where it is connected at the ends.

Orar symbolizes the grace-filled gifts that the deacon receives upon ordination. The subdeacon puts on orari cross-shaped, as a sign that he does not have the grace of a clergyman. According to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom orari symbolizes immaterial angelic wings in accordance with the image of angelic service in the Church that deacons personify.

(Greek. neck) - an accessory to the liturgical vestments of the priest and bishop, which is a long ribbon (the deacon's orarion, but as if doubled), covering the neck and descending at both ends to the chest. It is sewn or fastened with buttons at the front and is worn over a cassock or cassock. Formed from Orariya stole meant that the priest acquires greater grace than the deacon, giving him the right and obligation to be the celebrant of the Sacraments of the Church. Stole symbolizes the grace-filled gifts of the priest that he receives in the Sacrament of the Priesthood. That is why when dressing in stole the prayer is read: “Blessed be God, pour out His grace on His priests, like Myrrh on the head, descending on the fence, Aaron’s fence, descending on the sweeps of his clothes” (see: Ps. 132; 2).

Epitrachelion and poruchi

Without stoles priests and bishops do not have the right to perform divine services. Only in extremely difficult circumstances can any long piece of cloth or rope, especially blessed, be used instead.

Belt- part of the liturgical vestments of the priest and bishop, worn over the vestment and epitrachelion, is a dense, 10–15 cm wide, strip of material with trim in the form of stripes of a different shade along the edges. In the middle belts a cross is sewn on, and at its ends there are long ribbons with which it is secured at the back, on the lower back. The belt resembles the towel with which the Savior girded when washing the feet of His disciples at the Last Supper. Symbolically belt in religious usage it has always meant strength, strength, power, readiness to serve, which is clearly reflected in the prayer read when putting it on: “Blessed be God, gird me with strength, and make my path blameless, walk on my nose like a tree, and on high ordain me” (see: Ps. 17; 33,34). It still has the same meaning today.

Belt

- the liturgical vestment of a priest, which is a long cape reaching to the toes (from the back), which in front reaches only to the waist. It has a slit for the head and a raised rigid shoulder, without sleeves. On felony there are four symbolic stripes that signify the Four Gospels, the ministers and evangelists of which are bishops and priests. The stripes also mean Divine protection, grace, strength and wisdom bestowed on the clergyman performing the Sacraments of the Church. On the back at the top felony sewn under the shoulder stripe in the same way as on the surplice sign of the cross, and below under the cross closer to the hem - eight-pointed star. Star and cross on felony mark the union in the Orthodox Church of the grace of the priesthood of the Old (star) and New (cross) Testaments.

Felonne

There is also short, or small felonion, covering the body only to the waist (and less in the front than in the back). Worn during initiation into the clergy and not used in other services.

Feloni in the ancient Church they were white. Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, gives this explanation of the symbolic meaning felony: “The whiteness of this clothing means purity, holiness and the radiance of the Glory of God, for God is light and is clothed in light, like a robe... The phelonion is sewn without sleeves in the image of the sackcloth in which the Savior was dressed during the reproach. This priestly garment covers the entire body, from head to feet, in the image of God's Providence, which from the beginning supports and protects us. During the sacred rite, the phelonion is raised with both hands, and these hands, like wings, signify angelic dignity, and the actions performed by them, the effective force with which the priest performs the Sacrament. The sacred phelonion means the highest and bestowed power and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. This clothing signifies both the lordship of the first ranks of the Mountains, and the power of God, containing everything, providential, omnipotent, beneficial, by which the Word descended even to us and through the incarnation, crucifixion and rebellion united everything above with what is below.”

In the ancient Church, belonged to the patriarchs and metropolitans felony were completely covered with images of crosses and were called therefore polystauria (Greek. polycross). Sewing material felonies is gold and silver brocade, as well as materials of other primary colors used in worship.

is part of the liturgical vestments of some priests and is a rectangle worn on a long ribbon at the hip. Right to wear legguard given to priests as a reward. Gaiter is seen as a symbolic image of spiritual weapons - the word of God. This idea is also expressed in the verses of the psalm, which the priest must read while dressing. legguard: “Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Mighty One, with Thy beauty and Thy kindness, and advance, and prosper, and reign for the sake of truth, and meekness, and righteousness, and Thy right hand will guide Thee wondrously, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. "(see: Ps. 44; 4.5).

Gaiter

Gaiter trimmed along the edges with a sewn strip of fabric different from that from which it itself is sewn. In the center legguard there is always a cross, and its lower edge is usually decorated with fringe.

- part of the liturgical vestment of a bishop, archimandrite or priest (given to priests as a reward), which is a cloth rhombus, hung at one of the sharp corners and worn on a ribbon at the right hip.

Mace

When, as a reward for diligent service, the right to wear club Archpriests receive it, then they also wear it on the right side, and in this case the legguard moves to the left. For archimandrites, as well as for bishops, club serves as a necessary accessory to their vestments. Symbolic meaning clubs similar to that of the legguard, that is, both of these items mean the spiritual sword of the word of God (diamond-shaped clubs means the Four Gospels).

What kind of service the clergy are performing at the moment determines what and how many items of liturgical attire they will use. So small priestly vestments, in which all evening and morning services and requirements are served, except for the Liturgy, they are: epitrachelion, charge And felonion.

Full vestment used during the service of the Liturgy and in other cases provided for by the Charter. It consists of: sacristan, over which is put on stole, Then handguards, belt, legguard And club(who has them), and also felonion. Because the legguard And club Since they are awards for the clergy and not every priest has them, they are not among the obligatory items of vestment.

Bishop in liturgical vestments

Bishops have a much wider range of vestments. To the above items are added such as sakkos, omophorion, miter(although it may be a reward for a very distinguished priest, in this case it is not crowned with a cross), bishop's staff And mantle. In the number of items full bishop's vestments three of the above are not included: miter, bishop's staff And mantle. Thus, full bishop's liturgical vestments in accordance with the seven Sacraments that the bishop performs, contains seven main subjects: vestment, epitrachelion, shoulder straps, belt, club, omophorion and sakkos.

Sakkos

(Hebrew rags, sackcloth) - the liturgical vestment of the bishop: long to the toes, loose clothing with wide sleeves, sewn from expensive fabric. Sakkos in appearance it resembles a deacon's surplice with the difference that it is cut completely: along the underside of the sleeves and on the sides to the floor. Along the cut line it is connected by so-called bells, which replace the buttons of the deacon's surplices that perform similar functions, but in addition to this they emit melodic sounds at those moments when the bishop moves. On top sakkosa an omophorion and a panagia with a cross are put on.

Sakkos spiritually means the same thing as phelonion. This determines the fact that when putting it on there is no special prayer, only the deacon reads during the vesting of the bishop: “Your bishops, O Lord, will be clothed in truth.” , as a rule, they are sewn from expensive brocade and decorated with images of crosses.

Front half sakkosa symbolizes the priesthood of the New Testament, the back - the Old Testament. Their connection by bells symbolically means the inseparable, but also not confused, succession of this priesthood in Christ. Another symbolic meaning of this connection is the dual nature of the bishop's ministry to both God and people.

(Greek. worn on the shoulders) - part of the liturgical vestments of the bishop. Omophorion The bishop has two sewn transverse stripes at its ends - a sign of strict renunciation of all vain things. Two main symbolic meanings learned omophorion the following: the bishop’s likeness to Christ in caring for the salvation of people and the special fullness of Divine grace and power granted to the bishop for this.

Small omophorion

There are two types omophorion:

1.Great Omophorion is a long wide ribbon with images of crosses. It goes around the bishop's neck and descends with one end onto his chest and the other onto his back. Great Omophorion The bishop wears it from the beginning of the Liturgy until the reading of the Apostle.

2. Small omophorion is a wide ribbon with images of crosses, which descends at both ends to the chest and is sewn or secured with buttons in front.

Worn over the sakkos. Symbolically depicts the blessed gifts of the bishop, therefore, without omophorion the bishop cannot officiate. The bishop performs all services in great omophorion, except for the Liturgy, which after reading the Apostle is celebrated in small omophorion. But small omophorion does not replace the stole.

Bishop's staff with sulko

Sew homophores from brocade, silk and other fabrics of different colors accepted in the Church.

Bishop's staff (staff)- This is a symbol of the spiritual archpastoral authority of the bishop over the church people, given by Christ to His disciples, called to preach the word of God. According to the interpretation of Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, “the rod that the bishop holds signifies the power of the Spirit, the affirmation and shepherding of people, the power to guide, to punish those who do not submit and to gather those who are far away to oneself. Therefore, the rod has handles (horns on top of the rod), like anchors. And over those hilts the Cross of Christ means victory.” Bishop's staffs, especially metropolitan and patriarchal ones, it is customary to decorate them with precious stones, overlays, and inlays. A feature of Russian bishop's staffs is sulbk- two scarves, nested one inside the other and fixed at the handle. In Rus', its appearance was determined by harsh weather conditions: the lower scarf was supposed to protect the hand from touching the cold metal of the rod, and the upper one was supposed to protect it from the frost outside.

Bishop's Robe

Bishop's robe, Unlike the robe of a simple monk, it is purple (for bishops), blue (for metropolitans) and green (for His Holiness the Patriarch). Besides, bishop's robe more voluminous and longer. On its front side, at the shoulders and at the hem are sewn "tablets"– rectangles with trim around the edges and crosses or icons inside the shoulder rectangles. The lower ones may contain the bishop's initials. Tablets on mantle mean that the bishop, when ruling the Church, must be guided by the commandments of God.

Full width mantle there are three wide two-color stripes called sources, or jets. They symbolically depict the teaching itself, as if “flowing” from the Old and New Testaments and the preaching of which is the duty of bishops, as well as the teaching grace of the bishopric. Spiritually mantle repeats some symbolic meanings of phelonion, sakkos and omophorion, as if “replacing” them, since it is worn when these liturgical vestments (except for the omophorion) are not on the bishop. Used bishop's robe during solemn processions, at the entrance to the temple and at divine services, at moments determined by the Charter. In general, when dressing in liturgical clothes mantle removed.

(Greek bandage worn on the head) is a headdress that is part of the bishop’s vestments. It is also included in the liturgical vestments of archimandrites and those priests who have the right to wear miters given as a reward. It has a pear shape. Usually made of velvet stripes on a rigid frame, decorated with small and medium-sized pearls in the form of a floral pattern (as one of the options); general decoration options miters so many. On the sides miters four small icons are placed: the Savior, the Mother of God, John the Baptist and some saint or holiday; the upper part is crowned with an icon of the Holy Trinity or Seraphim. Instead of an icon on the top of the bishop's miters a small cross is erected.

ὀράριον , from lat. orare - to pray, or lat. os - mouth; also from Greek. ωρα - time) - in various Christian denominations, the liturgical vestment of the deacon and subdeacon is a long narrow ribbon made of brocade or other colored fabric. In the Orthodox Churches, the orarion is worn by deacons, including protodeacons (and their corresponding hierodeacons and archdeacons in the black clergy), as well as subdeacons (crosswise only).

History and symbolic meaning

Historians of liturgical vestments believe that in the New Testament Church the orarion arose from an ubrus (towel), which in the Old Testament synagogues from an elevated place was given a sign to proclaim “Amen” when reading Scripture.

The orarion symbolizes angelic wings, and the deacon himself is, as it were, likened to an angel, ready to do the will of God. In addition, the orarion is a symbolic image of the grace-filled gifts of the deacon as a clergyman.

Dressing in Orarion

The first vestment in the orarion occurs during the ordination of subdeacon. After the other subdeacons have clothed the newly ordained surplice, they present the orarion to the bishop. The bishop makes the sign of the cross over the orarion, then the dedicatee kisses it and the bishop’s hand, and the subdeacons gird the dedicatee in the shape of a cross.

The subdeacon puts on the orarion in the shape of a cross. The deacon puts on the orarion in a cross shape during the Divine Liturgy after saying the prayer “Our Father”. In this case, the orar is put on so that its middle is in front of the lower back, and both of its ends are first transferred to the back on both sides, then crossed on the back crosswise, and then transferred over the shoulders to the chest and crossed there again.

In the Russian Orthodox Church, there is an unofficial practice of awarding senior or experienced altar servers with an orarion, which is worn in a cruciform manner, like that of a subdeacon. However, this award did not receive approval from the hierarchy and is therefore awarded secretly

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Date: 04/12/2009 21:38:19

Why do some deacons have one ribbon and some have 2? Does this make any difference?

Orar– accessory to the liturgical vestments of the deacon and subdeacon – a long wide ribbon.

The deacon wears an orarion on his left shoulder over the surplice, one end goes down to his chest, the other to his back. The subdeacons wear it crosswise around their shoulders. The deacon girds himself with his orar crosswise only during the liturgy, after the prayer “Our Father,” preparing himself to receive the Holy Mysteries. Exclaiming prayers, with the words: “Let us attend,” “Bless, Master,” etc., he each time raises the end of the orarion with three fingers of his right hand.

There are two opinions about the origin of the word orar, which, however, do not contradict one another. Some trace the word to the Latin word oratio - “prayer”. Others - to the Latin os, oris - “mouth”, since in ancient times the deacon wiped the mouths of those receiving communion with an oracle. Orarium - "face wiper" - is also known in classical Latin.

In a symbolic interpretation, deacons represent cherubim and seraphim, and the orarion in this sense symbolizes angelic wings. Sometimes an angelic song is embroidered on it: “Holy, Holy, Holy.”

Double orarion

The orarion was traditionally worn differently by the archdeacons who served the patriarch. They, unlike the deacons, lowered the front, longer end of the orarion from the left shoulder under the right arm, girded it around the back, and then lowered it forward again over the left shoulder. In Russia, before the revolution, only a very few protodeacons enjoyed the right to wear such a “double” orarion - for example, the protodeacon of the Resurrection Cathedral of New Jerusalem, since the service there was performed according to the rite of the Jerusalem Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Currently, the double orarion is a common form of church award for deacons of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The award system of the Russian Orthodox Church consists of two groups of awards - liturgical-hierarchical awards and orders, medals and diplomas. The awarding of liturgical and hierarchical awards is regulated by the “Regulations on the liturgical and hierarchical awards of the Russian Orthodox Church,” adopted at the Council of Bishops on February 4, 2011. “Regulations on orders, medals and certificates of the Russian Orthodox Church” is currently under development.

Liturgical-hierarchical awards, according to their regulation, are “a form of encouragement for the clergy and monastics for their labors and services to Orthodoxy - in pastoral service, theological, scientific and administrative activities, revival of spiritual life, restoration of churches, missionary, charitable, social and educational works." These include:

• promotion in rank;
• special elements of liturgical vestments;
• differences in the performance of worship.

CONSISTENT ORDER OF AWARDS

1. Deacon Awards:

• double orarion(no earlier than five years after consecration, the diocesan bishop has the right to award) - worn on the left shoulder over the surplice. Also, a double orarium can be awarded to a deacon who has successfully defended his PhD thesis in theology;
• rank of protodeacon(for white clergy; no earlier than five years after awarding the double orarium; carried out by decree of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus');
• kamilavka(not earlier than five years after elevation to the rank of protodeacon; carried out by decree of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus') - worn during divine services, as well as during official and ceremonial events. The color of the kamilavka established by the Regulations is purple. A protodeacon awarded a kamilavka has the right to wear a purple skufia.

IN archdeacon by decree of the Patriarch, senior hierodeacons of male monasteries are promoted to office (not earlier than after ten years of service), as well as a protodeacon who heads the deacons in the patriarchal service.

2. Elder Awards:

• legguard(no earlier than three years after consecration, the diocesan bishop has the right to award) - hangs over the left shoulder and descends from the right side below the waist to the thigh. Also, a graduate of a theological seminary or who has received a bachelor's degree in theology may be awarded the loincloth, subject to successful completion of the course;
• kamilavka(for white clergy; no earlier than three years after the award of the gait, the diocesan bishop has the right to award) - worn during divine services, as well as during official and ceremonial events. The color of the kamilavka established by the Regulations is purple. A priest awarded a kamilavka has the right to wear a purple skufia. Also, a kamilavka can be awarded to a graduate of a theological academy or who has received a master's degree in theology, subject to successful completion of the course;
• pectoral cross(no earlier than three years after the awarding of the kamilavka (monastics - the breechcloth, the diocesan bishop has the right to award). The pectoral cross can also be awarded to a priest who has successfully defended his candidate's dissertation in theology;
• rank of archpriest(for white clergy; no earlier than five years after being awarded a pectoral cross or, in exceptional cases, ex-officio and no earlier than ten years after presbytery consecration). This and all subsequent awards are made by decree of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus';
• club(no earlier than five years after elevation to the rank of archpriest or five years after laying the pectoral cross for monastics, but no less than ten years of service in the rank of presbyter) - hung under the phelonion over the shoulder, with the club worn on the right, and the legguard - left;
• cross with decorations(no earlier than five years after the archpriests were awarded the club or seven years after the hieromonks were awarded);
• miter for archpriests or rank of archimandrite for monastics (no earlier than five years after being awarded a cross with decorations; upon elevation to the rank of archimandrite, a miter is simultaneously assigned to the rank of archimandrite) - worn exclusively during divine services;
• the right to serve the Divine Liturgy with the royal doors open until the Cherubic Song(not earlier than five years after being awarded the miter;
• the right to serve the Divine Liturgy with the royal doors open according to “Our Father...”(no earlier than five years after being awarded the right to serve the Divine Liturgy with the royal doors open until the Cherubic Song). By decree of His Holiness the Patriarch, a temple or monastery may be given the right to serve the Divine Liturgy in it with the royal doors open according to “Our Father...”;
• patriarchal pectoral cross(the award is made in exceptional cases, for special church services by the will and decree of the Patriarch, regardless of length of service and previous awards) - can be worn as a second cross (including by bishops who were awarded the patriarchal cross before consecration). Those awarded the Patriarchal Cross have primacy of honor over clergy who do not have this award;
• rank of protopresbyter(awarding is made in exceptional cases, for special church merits by the will and decree of the Patriarch).

The presbytery liturgical-hierarchical award, which is not included in the sequence of awards, is the special cross of Doctor of Theology. The right to wear the doctor's cross is granted by His Holiness the Patriarch to presbyters who have defended a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Theology, as well as to Doctors of Theology who are taking priestly orders. This cross cannot be used as a second cross.

3. Episcopate Awards:

• elevation to the rank of archbishop(the difference is a cross on the hood);
• elevation to the rank of metropolitan(the difference is a white hood with a cross).

In addition, there are a number of episcopal awards that are not included in the award sequence. These awards are:

• right to wear a second panagia within its canonical destiny (the right to wear two panagias belongs to His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and His Beatitude the Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine);
• patriarchal panagia(regardless of length of service and previous awards);
• the right to present the cross during divine services(for metropolitans who have the right to wear two panagias; the right to present a cross during divine services belongs to His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and His Beatitude the Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine within the limits of their inheritance).

All awards of the episcopate are conferred on the recipients on the initiative and decision of the Patriarch.

A feature of the current regulations on awards is the exclusion from the consistent award system for presbyters of elevation to the rank of hegumen. Currently, the rite of installation as abbot is performed on hieromonks, archimandrites and bishops appointed by the Holy Synod to the positions of abbots or governors of monasteries. When installed as abbot, a staff is presented. After leaving office, the title of abbot is retained in memory of the labors incurred.

This provision also regulates awards for nuns and abbess of convents:

• elevation of a nun to the dignity of abbot immediately after being appointed by the Holy Synod to the position of abbess of the monastery (accompanied by the laying of a pectoral cross and the presentation of a staff). In case of leaving the position, the abbot's dignity in memory of the labors incurred is retained, but the right to wear the pectoral cross and staff is lost;
• for nuns or abbess: laying on a pectoral cross or a cross with decorations as a personal reward(for special merits by decree of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'; the right to wear is reserved for the nun or abbess for life);
• for abbess: patriarchal cross(in exceptional cases, on the initiative and decree of the Patriarch, regardless of length of service and previous awards).

In his speech at the last Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, held in February 2011 in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill said: “we should move away from the mechanical approach, when every five years a cleric is given another hierarchical award. The very concept of an award is profane when the awarding of a degree is automatic. And in other dioceses, in the interval between hierarchical awards, they still manage to award the cleric with some kind of order or medal “on a special occasion.” The assignment of the next award should not be based on length of service, but on the basis of the work actually carried out by the cleric. As an exception, liturgical-hierarchical awards can also be awarded by virtue of the position held by the cleric, which is historically closer to the concept of hierarchical degrees.”

os- mouth; also from Greek Greek. ωρα - time) - in various Christian denominations, the liturgical vestment of the deacon and subdeacon is a long narrow ribbon made of brocade or other colored fabric. In the Orthodox Churches, the orarion is worn not only by deacons, but by protodeacons, as well as their corresponding hierodeacons and archdeacons in the black clergy, respectively.

History and symbolic meaning

Historians of liturgical vestments believe that in the New Testament Church the orarion arose from an ubrus (towel), which in the Old Testament synagogues from an elevated place was given a sign to proclaim “Amen” when reading Scripture.

The orarion symbolizes angelic wings, and the deacon himself is, as it were, likened to an angel, ready to do the will of God. In addition, the orarion is a symbolic image of the grace-filled gifts of the deacon as a clergyman.

Dressing in Orarion

The first vestment in the orarion occurs during the ordination (initiation) of a subdeacon. After the other subdeacons have clothed the newly ordained surplice, they present the orarion to the bishop. The bishop makes the sign of the cross over the orarion, then the dedicatee kisses it and the bishop’s hand, and the subdeacons gird the dedicatee in the shape of a cross.

Subdeacons in orarions

The subdeacon puts on the orarion in the shape of a cross, as a sign that he does not have the grace-filled gifts of a clergyman. The deacon puts on the orarion in a cross shape during the Divine Liturgy after saying the prayer “Our Father”. In this case, the orar is put on so that its middle is in front of the lower back, and both of its ends are first transferred to the back on both sides, then crossed on the back crosswise, and then transferred over the shoulders to the chest and crossed there again.

Double orarion

In the Russian Orthodox Church, a deacon, after five years of service (although at the discretion of the bishop it is possible earlier), receives the first reward - the right to wear a double orarion: two orars, one of which is worn like a deacon, and the second descends from the left shoulder to the right hip and is connected ends. Thus, in the Russian Orthodox Church two varieties of double orarion are known: in one, the corner of the orarion under the right shoulder represents the Latin letter V, and in the other, which is less common, the ends of the aforementioned two orars are sewn overlapping. The archdeacon and protodeacon wear the protodeacon's orarion, which differs from the double orarion by the presence on the orarion of nine (and not seven, as on the simple and double orarion) crosses and angelic words " Holy, holy, holy"and rich embroidery.

In the Local Orthodox Churches of the Greek tradition, wearing a double orarion is the privilege of all deacons. Moreover, here the double orarion is simply a straight ribbon.

In the Armenian Apostolic Church there is no practice of wearing a double orarion.

Notes

Literature

• Prot. Seraphim Slobodskaya. God's law for family and school.

Links

• Information about the deacon's vestments and in particular about the orar (photo)
• Hierarchical awards of the Russian Orthodox Church (about the double orar)

Orthodox church and liturgical vestments

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Synonyms:

See what “Orar” is in other dictionaries:

- (Greek). A narrow long strip with crosses, part of the deacon's vestment, which he places on his left shoulder during the service. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. ORAR, modern Greek. horarion, from lat... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language- (Greek orarion) a long (2.5-4 m), usually silk ornamented (woven or embroidered cross motif) ribbon, a symbol of humility and purity of thoughts, which is worn during Christian worship on the left shoulder of the deacons and girded... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

ORAR, orary, husband. (Greek orarion) (church). Part of the deacon's vestment in the form of a long ribbon thrown over the shoulder. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (vrarion) belonging to the vestments of subdeacon, deacon and archdeacon, a kind of long ribbon, which the first wears crosswise over the shoulders, the second on the left shoulder, and during the liturgy, after the Lord’s Prayer, the third wears it crosswise on the left shoulder, having... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Orar- accessory to the liturgical vestments of the deacon and subdeacon – a long narrow ribbon. The deacon wears an orarion on his left shoulder, with one end going down to his chest and the other to his back. The archdeacon and protodeacon wear a double orarion - two orarions, from... ... Orthodoxy. Dictionary-reference book

M. part of the deacon's vestment, consisting of a narrow ribbon over the left shoulder. The orarion symbolizes the wing of an angel, with its help a sign is given for the beginning of the service; other Russian urar - the same (Novgorod helmsman under 1280; see Sobolevsky, Lectures 142), orar... ... Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language by Max Vasmer

Orar- part of the liturgical vestments of the subdeacon and deacon. It is a long narrow ribbon. The deacon is supposed to wear it on his left shoulder, with one end down on his back and the other on his chest. The protodeacon and archdeacon have... Orthodox Encyclopedia