![Orthodox Deacon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Orthodox_Deacon.jpg)
The sticharion (also ''stikharion'' or ''stichar''; Greek: στιχάριον; Slavonic: стихарь) is a
liturgical
Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...
vestment
Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially by Eastern Churches, Catholics (of all rites), Anglicans, and Lutherans. Many other groups also make use of liturgical garments; this ...
of the
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...
and
Eastern Catholic Churches
The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (''sui iuris'') particular churches of th ...
, roughly analogous in function to the
alb
The alb (from the Latin ''albus'', meaning ''white''), one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed and Congregational churches, is an ample white garment coming down to the ank ...
of the Western Church. The sticharion is worn by all classes of ordained ministers in the
Constantinopolitan Rite
The Byzantine Rite, also known as the Greek Rite or the Rite of Constantinople, identifies the wide range of cultural, liturgical, and canonical practices that developed in the Eastern Christian Church of Constantinople.
The canonical hours are ...
and comes in two forms: one worn by
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
s and one worn by
deacon
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...
s and other
altar servers.
The sticharion is derived from the ''
chiton'', a long, sleeved garment which reached to the ground and was worn in ancient times by both men and women.
Deacons and Servers
In the form worn by deacons,
subdeacons, altar servers, and sometimes by
readers, the sticharion is a long
robe
A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. Unlike garments described as capes or cloaks, robes usually have sleeves. The English word ''robe'' derives from Middle English ''robe'' ("garment"), borrowed from Old French ''robe'' ("booty, spoil ...
with wide, loose sleeves, fastened at the neck, and often open down the sides but held shut with buttons or ties. Thus in form, it is close to the
dalmatic
The dalmatic is a long, wide-sleeved tunic, which serves as a liturgical vestment in the Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, United Methodist, and some other churches. When used, it is the proper vestment of a deacon at Mass, Holy Communion or other ...
and
tunicle
The tunicle is a liturgical vestment associated with Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, and Lutheranism.
Contemporary use
For a description of the tunicle, see dalmatic, the vestment with which it became identical in form, although earlier editions ...
of Western Christianity. There is usually a
cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...
embroidered
Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on c ...
or
appliqué
Appliqué is ornamental needlework in which pieces or patches of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. It is commonly used as decoration, especially on garments. The technique ...
d to the center of the back, between the
shoulder blades. This type of sticharion is often made from rich
brocade in the various
liturgical colors, and worn as an outer vestment. The sticharion is symbolic of "a pure and tranquil conscience, a spotless life, and the spiritual joy in the Lord which flows therefrom."
Priests
![Slovo4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Slovo4.jpg)
The sticharion used by priests and
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
s is worn as the undermost vestment. In this form, it is often made from a lighter fabric: linen, satin, silk, etc., and is usually white in color, though it may also be made of colored fabric. It is usually far less ornate than the deacon's sticharion. The priest's sticharion has narrow sleeves that tie at the wrists. The white color symbolizes that the
grace
Grace may refer to:
Places United States
* Grace, Idaho, a city
* Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois
* Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office
* Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uninco ...
of the
Holy Spirit
In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...
covers the celebrant with a garment of salvation.
[
In the Russian tradition, a bishop's stikharion can be more elaborately embellished than a priest's and is sometimes called a ''podsakkosnik'' (]Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
:подсаккосник), ''i.e.'', "under-sakkos
The ''sakkos'' ( Greek: σάκκος, " sackcloth") is a vestment worn by Orthodox and Greek Catholic bishops instead of the priest's ''phelonion''. The garment is a tunic with wide sleeves, and a distinctive pattern of trim. It reaches bel ...
".
Coptic
Coptic may refer to:
Afro-Asia
* Copts, an ethnoreligious group mainly in the area of modern Egypt but also in Sudan and Libya
* Coptic language, a Northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century
* Coptic alphabet ...
priests usually wear a plain, white sticharion, often without an over vestment. Chaldean and Assyrian
Assyrian may refer to:
* Assyrian people, the indigenous ethnic group of Mesopotamia.
* Assyria, a major Mesopotamian kingdom and empire.
** Early Assyrian Period
** Old Assyrian Period
** Middle Assyrian Empire
** Neo-Assyrian Empire
* Assyrian ...
priests where a similar alb
The alb (from the Latin ''albus'', meaning ''white''), one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed and Congregational churches, is an ample white garment coming down to the ank ...
-like garment, called a ''kottinâ''. The Syriac Syriac may refer to:
*Syriac language, an ancient dialect of Middle Aramaic
*Sureth, one of the modern dialects of Syriac spoken in the Nineveh Plains region
* Syriac alphabet
** Syriac (Unicode block)
** Syriac Supplement
* Neo-Aramaic languages a ...
''kuttino'' is now almost always white also. The Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
''patmucan'' and Ethiopian
Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...
''qamis'' are similar to the sticharion.
Liturgical use
Deacons, subdeacons and altar servers wear the sticharion at any service at which they are serving. However, in Greek practice, the custom has developed to wear only the orarion
The Orarion (Greek: ; Slavonic: орарь, ''orar'') is the distinguishing vestment of the deacon and subdeacon in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches and Eastern Catholic Churches. It is a narrow stole, usually four to ...
and epimanikia
Epimanikia (singular ''epimanikion'') are liturgical vestments of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches. They are cuffs (Russian: ''porútchi'') made of thickened fabric, usually brocade, that lace onto the wrists of a bishop, ...
without the sticharion during the lesser services.
Before vesting, the deacon or altar servicemen will take his sticharion for the priest (or bishop, if he is present) to bless before he puts it on. Bishops and priests will bless their vestments themselves before vesting. Each minister will kiss the cross on the back of their phelonion
The phelonion (Greek: , plural, , ''phailónia''; Latin: '' paenula'') is a liturgical vestment worn by a priest of the Byzantine Christian tradition. It is worn over the priest's other vestments and is equivalent to the chasuble of Western Chr ...
before putting it on.
When vesting for the Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy ( grc-gre, Θεία Λειτουργία, Theia Leitourgia) or Holy Liturgy is the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine Rite, developed from the Antiochene Rite of Christian liturgy which is that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of C ...
priests and deacons say the following vesting prayer as they put on the garments:
:''My soul shall rejoice in the Lord, for He hath clothed me in the garment of salvation, and with the vesture of gladness has He covered me; He hath placed a crown upon me as on a bridegroom, and He hath adorned me with comeliness.''
When a bishop is vesting before the Divine Liturgy the prayer above is read by the Protodeacon, as the subdeacons place the vestment upon him. Sometimes this prayer is chanted by the choir during the vesting of the bishop.[{{Citation , last = Kovalchuk , first = Archpriest Feodor S. , title = Abridged Typicon , place = South Canaan PA , publisher = St. Tikhon's Seminary Press , year = 1985 , edition = 2nd , page =88 ]
References
Eastern Christian vestments
History of clothing
History of clothing (Western fashion)
History of fashion
Byzantine clothing