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CHAPTER V.
THE VESTMENTS OF THE EASTERN CHURCHES.

The proverbial conservatism of the unchanging East, which is felt in all ecclesiastical as well as in social matters, will make our task in the present chapter much lighter. The action of evolution, which makes the history of the Western vestments so complex, is hardly felt in the East. The mediaevalism, or, rather, primaevalism, which shuts out instrumental aid from the musical portions of the Eastern service acts upon vestments in minimizing the profusion of ornamentation which plays such an important part in the externals of Western ritual.

One of our earliest authorities on the subject of Eastern vesture is St Germanus of Constantinople (circa 715 A.D.). In his treatise Μυστικὴ Θεορία he enters at considerable length into a discussion of Ecclesiastical Vestments and also of Monastic Costume, giving details, which are curious, but of little or no value, concerning the alleged symbolic meanings which they bear.

In the present chapter we have to discuss the vestments of the principal Eastern Churches—the Orthodox 'Greek' Church, so called, the Armenian Church, and the remote body of Christians on the coast of Malabar. The general appearance and style of the vestments of these churches is similar; there are, however, minor differences, which will appear as we proceed.

The vestments and personal ornaments of the Orthodox Greek Church are as follows:

  1. The στοιχάριον.
  2. The ἐπιμανίκια.
  3. The ἐπιτραχήλιον.
  4. The ὠράριον.
  5. The ζώνη.
  6. The φαινόλιον.
  7. The ἐπιγονάτιον.
  8. The ὠμοφόριον.
  9. The μάνδυας.
  10. The χαμαλαύχη.
  11. The ἐξωχαμαλαύχη.
  12. The πατέρεσσα.
  13. The ἐγκόλπιον.
  14. The σάκκος.

The Armenian vestments are as follows:

  1. The Vakass.
  2. The Shapich.
  3. The Poor-ourar.
  4. The Kodi.
  5. The Pasbans.
  6. The Shoochar.
  7. The Sagavard.
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Fig. 23.—Armenian Priest.

The Malabar vestments are:

  1. The Cuthino.
  2. The Orro.
  3. The Zunro.
  4. The Zando.
  5. The Phaino.
  6. The Cap and Shoes.
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Fig. 24.—Malabar Priest.

I. The στοιχάριον was, and is, identical with the Roman alba. The word is of uncertain etymology, and none of the guesses which have been made are at all satisfactory. Like the alba, it was originally a garment of secular use; this we infer from the Apologia contra Arianos,[88] where we read that one charge (among others) which was brought against Athanasius was that he had required the Egyptians to furnish linen στοιχάρια. Germanus says of the vestment, 'being white, the στοιχάριον signifies the glory of the Godhead and the bright citizenship of priests. The stripes of the στοιχάριον on the sleeve signify the bonds of Christ; the stripes which run across signify the blood which flowed from Christ's side on the cross.' Setting aside the symbolism, we learn that the vestment in the time of Germanus was white, ornamented with stripes, probably red, upon the sleeves and across the body. At present, while the vestment is still white on ordinary occasions, on certain days coloured στοιχάρια are worn, as will be shown in the chapter on Ritual Use. The λωρία, or stripes, are now confined to the στοιχάρια of bishops. In Russia, and elsewhere to some extent, the στοιχάρια are often made of silk or velvet, though linen remains the proper material; here we see a notable correspondence with Western usage.