The Catalog of Good Deeds

The church is not a kingdom of this world, it is a ship of salvation. And this is underlined from every side and every detail. This also includes the vestments of the clergy.

If you see a tall bearded man in black long robes with a cross walking along the street you immediately understand that it's a priest. You see a bishop in full vestments at a service and you think - here he is, truly resembling the Lord in His majesty and glory.

But priests and bishops didn't always look the way they do now. Vestments would change overtime, certain objects which were regular items began to have a sacred meaning and received a corresponding dogmatic understanding and finally became a part of the tradition of the church. Here are 5 interesting facts about vestments:

1. The Mitre - a burial napkin or the crown of thorns of Christ?

This is that instance when a number of theological interpretations given on the subject of vestments by the Church, would not even come to mind of person who is new to the church. The Mitre is often symbolically associated with the crown of thorns places by Pilate’s legionaries on the head of the Savior or with the burial napkin- a special piece of cloth that covered the head of Christ during His burial.

However when looking at the beautiful, lavishly decorated crown on the head of a bishop or an archpriest, you begin to think of it as more of a symbol of spiritual power than as an item attributed to the Passion of the Lord or even a funeral veil. Such an understanding can be justified with another symbolic interpretation which centers around the liturgical band worn by the first bishop of Jerusalem, James, who was the Brother of the Lord or to the headdress of the high priest.

Also the mitre serves a prefiguration of the golden crowns, with which the righteous will be wedded in the Kingdom of Heaven.

In the Russian Orthodox Church, mitres are also given to priests - as a particularly high honor and as an award. Such priests are referred to as mitred priests. The hierarchical mitre is distinguished from that of a priest by having a small cross on top.

It is interesting that in the Alexandrian Orthodox Church, even altar servers are allowed to wear a mitre, the Catholic pope wore a tiara (a certain version of a mitre) with three crowns until the second half of the 20th century. It served as a symbol of his triple authority over the Vatican and the whole Church (one of the primary reasons which lead to the Great Schism in 1054) and supreme authority over the sovereigns of Europe.

2. The interesting top of the Russian phelonion.

The theological interpretation of this part of the priest’s top vestment can be compared to the bishop’s omophor: the priest is the good shepherd who zealously watches over the flock entrusted to him by the Lord and who is not ashamed to place the lost sheep upon his shoulders.

If we compare the Russian phelonion with the Greek (in the photo two priests in Russian and one in Greek), we will see that there is no top collar on it...

Why is this? Because in Greece, churches are located in a warm climate that extends even through the wintertime, but before there was indoor heating the Russian churches could get very cold. Until the XVII century, Russian churches were not heated and in the wintertime they were filled with cold draft winds. Even the parishioners would attend divine service in fur coats.

That is when the stiffened or standing collar appeared on Russian phelonions. It was minimal protection at least so that the priest’s neck would be protected from cold drafts. Some even attributed the growing of long hair or having a “tail” as an additional protection from the inclimate weather.

3. Sulok (Crosier mantle) on the Bishop’s staff.

This particular vestment piece is most commonly seen in Russian Orthodox churches and can also be attributed to the cold climate.

Liturgical staffs were often made of precious metals. Keeping this in mind, bishops would often have to serve outdoors. One such example can be the blessing of the water during the Feast of Theophany. Obviously, touching the cold metal at the same time would be quite unpleasant.

This is why in the middle of the XVII century, a sulok was invented - a special rectangular fabric which would be folded in half and tied under the crossbeam of the staff. The lower part separated the bishop's fingers from the cold metal, and the upper part protected the bare hand from the frost.

With the passage of time, the sulok became a common church decoration, and sometimes as an award to the hierarch. Today the situation is different because all Russian bishops have them on their staffs, and the staff without a sulok is designated only for the patriarch.

In terms of its theological meaning the sulok symbolizes the Divine grace that covers the human infirmities of the bishop while in charge of the Church.

4. Limited to black undercassocks?

Among the majority of Russians, for some reason, there is a common opinion which exists that priests’ undercassocks(cassocks) need to be black and only black ... Just like Henry Ford cars.

This is far from the truth. Black cassocks are worn, mostly by monks. This color of vestments symbolizes repentance and sorrow for the committed sins (therefore, the black liturgical vestments are used during Lent), and monasticism - the rank of those who are repenting.

Married (also called "white clergy") priests are free to choose the color of their undercassocks and in everyday life can wear various colors including black, gray, light gray (almost white) or purple.

At the same time, since the XVII century, there was a tradition among priest from Cathedrals and church located in large cities which entailed wearing cassocks that would match the current feast day color . Accordingly, they are red or white(on Pascha), green (on Pentecost), blue (on the feasts of the Theotokos), white (for the Transfiguration of the Lord and other feasts of the Lord) and gold and all other symbolic colors in the Orthodox Church.

5. Are there priests without a cross?

When it comes to the Russian Orthodox Church then the answer is definitely not. We are all used to the fact that the priest, even if outside of the church, still wears vestments that we can call the bare minimum - pectoral cross and cassock.

But until the end of the XIX century, the priests' crosses were an exception rather than a rule.

Until the eighteenth century, only bishops had the right to wear pectoral crosses. The cross on their chest served as an indication that they are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered for our sins, must have Him in their heart and follow His example.

In the late XVIII - early XIX century priests were awarded crosses only in special cases. A decree of the Holy Synod on February 24, 1820, grated Russian priests serving abroad to wear special gold crosses given by the Czar. Sometimes they were also allowed within the country for priests with high honor and as an award.

If we look at the portraits of the priests from the Crimean War, we can see that some of them have 1-2 crosses on cloth tapes over their chests. These crosses were awarded for valor and given only to those priests who served within the military.

Around the same time we begin to see modern crosses with decoration which served as a award that bishops would give to clerics of their dioceses.

Therefore a priest from the 18th century would not have any pectoral crosses, and by the nineteenth century a priest could have up to 4 such crosses.

Finally, in 1896, Czar Nicholas II, signed a decree on May 14, which introduced a priestly pectoral cross as a "sign of the distinction for every priest and hieromonk." This customary silver eight-pointed cross has since been given to every new priest during his ordination.

Over the years and various merits, it could be replaced by a four-pointed golden cross and then, in turn, with a cross with decorations, in accordance with the will of the bishop.

Nowadays we can also come across an additional cross but only as a special award given personally by the patriarch. It is distinguished by the shape which includes rays of light and has a mitre on its top.

Translated by the Catalog of Good Deeds

Source: https://pravoslavie.fm/interested/pyat-lyubopytnykh-faktov-iz-mira-svyashhen/

By Fr. Sergius Nezhbort

It is very important in our lives not to confuse the most important things with that which is secondary. Human life is very long, diverse, and a person lives going through different inner states: there is inspiration, but there are also hard times. But in these different states it is necessary to understand what we are doing and why we are doing it.

A person who has come to church, discovers the simple truth for himself: Christ must be the center of one’s life. And all the obediences, cares, worries that fill our daily routine, must be done in order to achieve the main and most important goal. But if it so happens that we are distracted from what is most important by the weakness of our human infirmities, then we begin to dig into small and unimportant details.

For example, I have my obedience as an iconographer. A common mistake of an artist who is just beginning - when he is engulfed in his work it can get him carried away and focus on little details, and forget about the work as a whole. The work becomes fractional, and in this fragmentation you can not see the beauty of the artistic image. The same happens with our life. But this does not mean that certain details and everyday worries are not entirely important. In fact they often take up most of our time. But is necessary for us to understand, why we do them and whom we do them for. Then even the simplest and a most basic job will seem to be a true service to Christ. Something that in our everyday life can go unnoticed, will become an apostolic ministry.

The All Night Vigil, chants, cannons - everything that is sung in church needs to lead us to this kind of mentality. We often done hear or think why we need all of it. And sometimes come to church mechanically because we have become used to this rhythm. Yet, by doing so we greatly rob ourselves.

May the Lord help us remember what is most important,and what is the true axis of our life: Christ came to save mankind, and first of all he came to save me. In my life there were moments when I sensed, rather clearly felt that the Lord pulled me out of an everyday cycle of insignificant worries and revealed to me a completely different life. Christianity is a victory, it is a life force. But if we disfigure this concept, it becomes a performance of whining and weakness. When a person is predetermined for everything which is bad, he does not need anything. He is already tired of everything ten years in advance. Therefore, it is very important for us to shake off this fatigue and complaining. Very often while I am Confessing you can not help but hear certain parishioners walk into the church and start talking about something insignificant... That's an example of our condition. And this is not because we came to the wrong place, but it is because we forgot about what is most important.

July 4, 2018

St. Elisabeth Convent

A question from my In Box: Is the Theotokos seriously “more honorable than the cherubim and more glorious than the seraphim”? Doesn’t that praise a plain mortal woman excessively as if she were divine?

“It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos: Ever blessed and most pure, and the mother of our God. More honorable than the cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim; who without gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos: Thee do we magnify.”

We shouldn’t be surprised at Mary’s being called more honorable than the cherubim and more glorious than the cherubim.

After all, scripture insists that God has made Mary a little lower than the angels, and has crowned her with glory and honour; He made her to have dominion over the works of His hands and has put all things under her feet.

Specifically, scripture says that in Psalm 8, where the Psalmist describes the glorified, deified state of mankind in Christ. Can this verse be describing all of humankind except the mother of our Lord?

Note also that verse 5 in Hebrew actually says “Thou hast made man a little lower than elohim” i.e. a little lower than God – which makes sense, since the angelic beings are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for [Mary] who shall be heir of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14)

In Revelation 12 we meet the woman whose Child is “to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her Child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” She is “clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.”

Elizabeth, full of the Holy Spirit, named Mary “the mother of my Lord” and both she and an Archangel proclaimed to Mary, “Blessed art thou among women!” (Luke 1:28, 42-43). No wonder Mary prophesied, “Henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.” (Luke 1:48)

Crowned, glorified, honored, blessed by all generations; named the Mother of the Lord; only a little lower than God and given dominion over all the works of His hands. Astonishing! “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” (Psalm 8)

What artist feels slighted when we praise the excellence of his handiwork? And what parent is ever displeased when we honor the child they love? God is glorified in His saints (2 Thessalonians 1:10, Psalm 67 LXX)

The issue is not that some people attribute too much glory to the Mother of our Lord; the issue is that some people have a disappointingly low and uninspiring notion of what it means to be heirs of the Kingdom, seated on the throne of the Almighty, and (in union with God the Son) more honored and glorious than the seraphim and cherubim. This prayer does not merely praise Mary; in celebrating her glorification, we confess our faith in the salvation of mankind in union with Christ our God.

By Fr. Silouan Thompson

Source: http://silouanthompson.net/2017/10/more-honorable-than-the-cherubim/

A Baptismal Cross is not merely jewelry or a decoration for an Orthodox Christian, but rather the sign our belonging to Christ, Our King and God. The Cross is sacred symbol for Orthodox Christians and therefore should be taken care of accordingly.

How to choose a Baptismal Cross?

The Orthodox Church calls upon us not to treat the Cross as decoration, because the cross does not serve such a purpose. Therefore, one should not strive at all costs to purchase an expensive gold cross or studded with precious stones. Luxury and self pride is not the primary goal here.

Priests often advise against purchasing a cross without a special need. This means if you already have one it is not recommended to buy a lavish upgrade or just because you decided to get a new cross. That is something one would do with typical jewelry accessories: rings, earrings or bracelets. Only when your old cross has gotten worn out, then it may be necessary to change it and buy another one.

Consecration of the Baptismal Cross

Orthodox priests call upon the faithful not to consecrate the crosses themselves for any reason, even if they know the required prayers and what need to be done. Such consecration should only be performed by a priest. After all, there are certain prayers that are delegated specifically to the church clergy.

How to wear a cross?

Our ancestors never wore crosses over their clothes. Even shirts in Russia were sewn with a closed collar so that the cross would not fall out. So why should the cross be hidden under our clothes? First of all , because a cross should not be compared to beads or necklaces, which are worn over clothing to serve as a decoration. And, secondly, it is not customary to put one’s faith on display.

Only priests wear crossed over their clothes. But these crosses are not Baptismal, but referred to as pectoral. A priest’s pectoral cross is also hidden under his clothes just like a layperson’s.

Orthodox clergy does not recommend removing the cross without a special need. Our ancestors knew about this. In Russia, there were even special wooden crossed made for bath houses, so that one would never be without a cross. They would put them on instead of the metal crosses, when they went into the steam rooms. If for some reason you had to take off your cross, a person would then have to read a prayer before putting it back on again.

Also,one should not wear any amulets or zodiac sign pendants on the chain with a cross(or at all for that matter), as this is nothing more than superstition. And, therefore, also a sin.

Priests advise against carrying their Baptismal Crosses in a handbag, in their ears as a type of an earring or a bracelet. This is simply considered blasphemy.

What to do with a broken cross?

If your cross is damaged or for some reason has become defective, it should never be thrown out together with ordinary garbage. In fact it is important to remember that none of the consecrated and sacred objects should ever be disposed of in a regular manner, whether it is a bottle of Holy Water or a church calendar. Therefore, if the cross can still be repaired, it is entirely fine to take it to a regular repair shop. But if this is no longer possible, it is better to just give the cross to the church.

Translated by The Catalog of Good Deeds

“For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”. (Romans 8:36-37)

The Holy and Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul had a full of dangers, adventures, sorrows and persecutions life in Christ. On this path, they faced many misfortunes; they were beaten up and imprisoned many times. More than once Apostle Paul was in the dungeons of various cities all over the Roman Empire. In spite of that he was constantly taking care of the churches he had established and to which he sent his famous letters. But still, their difficult but blessed apostolic ministry, full of grace and love, brought them a lot of joy, too.

However, as Apostle Paul writes in his second letter to Timothy, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand” (2 timothy 4:6), the apostles reached the moment of their martyrdom. Our Lord Jesus Christ blessed them with the martyrdom crown on the same year, the same day and in the same city – Rome.

At that time, Apostle Peter was the head of the Christian community in Rome, while Paul was imprisoned in Rome for the second time. The death of the supreme apostles is not described in the Holy Scripture. The story of Apostle Luke ends at Apostle Paul’s first coming to Rome. But there is still some knowledge of what was going on at that time, preserved by the Roman community of Christians, who strived to keep the memory of their martyrs.

According to the information that came to our time, most likely Apostles Peter and Paul suffered in the year 67 AD in Rome, during the last years of the reign of cruel emperor Nero who began the persecutions of Christians all over the empire.

The story tells us that perhaps the apostles met each other on the day of their death. Apostle Paul was a Roman citizen and according to the Roman rule, Romans could not be executed inside the city walls for it was considered a sacred place. That is why the apostle was being brought to the place of his executions outside the city. It seems that somewhere on that way the meeting of Apostles Peter and Paul occurred. Apostle Peter decided to escape from Rome by the demand of Roman Christians, who wanted to save their teacher’s life, and met his brother on the apostolic ministry on his way from the city.

In Church iconography, there is an icon of the meeting of Apostles Peter and Paul, on which they are depicted hugging each other: “All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss” (1 Corinthians 16:20). We do not know how that event happened, neither we know what the holy apostles were talking about. Probably, that meeting was predestined for Apostle Peter, who might need spiritual strengthening before his martyrdom.

There is also another story about Apostle Peter. According to it, when the apostle was leaving Rome, he saw Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who answered the well known question of Apostle Peter, “Where are you going, Lord?” with the following words: “I am going to Rome to be crucified again”. Those words put Peter to shame and he came back to Rome to be crucified for the Name of Christ. We do not know whether that happened for real or it is just a pious story explaining why Peter decided to came back for his execution. However, we can assume that the words of Paul influenced Peter, and the Lord Himself was talking through Paul.

Apostles Peter and Paul hugging each other

So, what did Paul said to Peter, when they hugged each other for the last time? “Now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21)? Or maybe he said, “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14)? Could Apostle Paul remind Apostle Peter about the Lord’s words: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26) or “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:38-39)? Apostle Paul could also refer to the words of Prophet Isaiah: “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3-5).

So, the Church story did not keep the exact words of Apostle Paul, which he addressed to his brother in Christ before his martyrly death. It is unknown whether Apostle Peter met Christ heading to Rome or he met Christ in his living word from the mouth of Apostle Paul.

The crucifixion of Apostle Peter

We do not know about these things. But what we really know is that something happened to Apostle Peter on his way from Rome - something that made him come back and undergo a severe execution for calling Jesus from Nazareth the Messiah and God, Who had become a true human for us people and our salvation. Crucifixion was that execution – the execution that was foretold for the apostle by God Himself: “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish” (John 21:18). Apostle Peter returned to the city, was captured and crucified. Since he did not think he was worthy to die in the same way as his Heavenly Teacher died, Peter asked to crucify himself with his head down, which was done. What concerns Apostle Paul, it is known that he was beheaded with a sword. The day we commemorate them is the day when the main apostles of Christ’s Church gave their lives for Him.

This is how great and holy Apostles Peter and Paul, who spread the Church all over the Roman Empire, preached Crucified Christ for all the peoples, who helped those who were seeking for the truth and supported those who believed, ended their earthly life. Apostles Peter and Paul are the pillars of the One and Holy Apostolic Church, who will support until the end of times with their own examples, their pious lives and prayers all the people believing in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The beheading of Apostle Paul

What St. John Chrysostom says in his works:

I behold heaven and earth in contest today, for this present feast of the memory of the apostles, with the heavenly powers preciously praising their pained voice of teaching, through which was made known to the world the mystery, as Paul cries out: “So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:10)”, while men on earth rush to rightly praise and show honor to the chiefs, through whom they have entered into salvation. For how was Peter great? How was Paul equal? Through their works and words they conquered all creation in the heavens and upon earth. For though the clay of their bodies was covered with wounds, they were found greater than the angels. What, therefore, shall I say towards those teachers of the creation above and below? I will not find a proper word to honor those who honored our people, who passed through the whole earth and sea, and uprooted the roots of sins, and sowed the seeds of piety in the hearts of disobedient men.

Peter, the teacher of the apostles; Paul, who is known to the world, and who partakes with the powers above. Peter, the bridle of the ungrateful Judeans; Paul, the entreaty for the nations. And I see the surpassing wisdom of the Master, for Peter was chosen from among fishermen, while Paul from the maker of tents, and He did this for our benefit. For he drowned the glory of the Judeans. Because of this, to the fisherman, the Lord said: “Go to the shore, and cast out your hook, and the first fish you find, open its mouth, and you will find a coin.” By sea, I take it to mean the lawless judgment of the Judeans. By hook, the crafted word of preaching. By fish, He symbolizes the law. Regarding the opening of its mouth, He speaks of its explanation. To find a coin in it, He means to spiritually examine it. While Paul was used as a tent-maker for the nations, that they who were naked, through the law and grace, might be clothed with the red covering that was dyed in the water and blood of the Master. Therefore, the Master cries to him: “Go forth, therefore, for I send you to the far away nations.”

Reflections in the Holy Church tradition:

O Lord, You have taken up to eternal rest and to the enjoyment of Your blessings the two divinely inspired preachers, the leaders of the Apostles, for You have accepted their labors and deaths as a sweet-smelling sacrifice, for You alone know what lies in the hearts of men.

Click here to see complete infographics.

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )

Search This Blog

featured Slider

5 Curious Facts about the Vestments of Orthodox Clergy

"Don't Mix up What Is Most Important with What Is Secondary!"

Why More Honorable than the Cherubim?

Some Things to Know about Your Baptismal Cross

Final Chapter: The Last Meeting of Peter and Paul before Their Martyrdom

Parable of the Day: The Power of God's Command

Partners