www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Photo: "Unique" Vestment Fabric in Ukraine

This is for all those liturgical geeks out there (you know who you are!). I came across this pic on the Kyivan Patriarchate site. Check out the vestments of the bishop on the left: talk about busy and, ehem, unique! It looks like the maker of the fabric Googled some icons and printed them on the fabric (including the Pantocrator from Monastery icons).

http://www.my-foto.org.ua/albums/userpics/10001/13~4.JPG

Anyway, I thought it was worth sharing.

Dave

*shudder*

Dave,

I have actually seem this type of vestments in Greece. They are lightweight and screen printed and easily transportable.

Personally, they are not my taste, but I do have two sets of chalice covers in this style that I use during Holy Week and Pascha. One set has the icon of the Pantacrator with the four evangelists in the corners on Red/Maroon silk. The other is a set with the icon of the Resurrection on each of the veils on white silk.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

I like it! It's not as busy as the other bishops' vestments it seems to me, and you can clearly see Christ and the Saints, whereas on the other vestments all you see is a lot of embroidered busywork!

Sometimes simple things are refreshing.

Anyway, how come I never see Catholic bishops all lined up and vested for liturgical celebrations like I do Eastern Orthodox ones?

Is it because EO priests and bishops can wear all their vestments for any liturgical celebration, whereas RC priests' and bishops' full use of vestments is normally restricted to the Sacrifice of the Mass?

Or is it just my imagination?

Logos Teen

Dear LT,

Orthodox hierarchs don't always wear "all" of their liturgical vestments for all services. Their is a protocol for when they are fully vested. When they are serving for Vespers, Matins, and the Divine Liturgy they are normally fully vested. For most other services it depends on the service, i.e. baptisms, weddings, and funerals.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

LOL!

Bill, Who has done this in the past from Dave's website.

Father Anthony is correct - and my first thought on seeing the photograph was of a specific ecclesiastical tailor in Athens (we might call him Mr. Cucumber), who rather specializes in such inappropriate cloths.

It is one thing to have icons on the Mitre - since the Mitre is worn on the crown of the head, the icons are therefore in a position of honour. The same applies to the pectoral Cross and Engolpia, which have their own history and tradition. But this sort of cloth is in deplorable taste. The traditional pattern of embroidery and/or galoon may seem "busy" to those who don't know its history but it is inoffensive (and does not involve pseudo-icons from "Christian" Hindus).

Funnily enough, the Kyiv Patriarchate includes an operation in Greece, so I'm inclined to wonder if the wearer of these vestments is not perhaps Greek.

Incognitus

Dave ,

Thanks for the photo -- it's ....err.....umm..

breathtaking

The requirements to be properly vested is the same for Bishops of the Catholic Byantine tradition, as it is for the Orthodox Bishops. Those vestments would cost a bit as one would expect from vestments made with that quality of fabric.

A very interesting photo.

A bishop can preside or be present without being fully vested if he is not to go into the Altar. The Mantiya can be worn, or the Mantiya with the Small Omophorion if he is to give a blessing of some sort (such as an outdoor event).

I have seen this style of vestments in use by the Romanians as well as the Greeks.

It seems Mr. Cucumber's work gets around...
DD

Mr. Cucumber's work does indeed get around - he's quite popular. Sometimes he does very nice things. And sometimes . . .

Incognitus

For some incredible embroidered vestments, including some with icons, I suggest visiting the site of the Novo-Tikhvin women\'s monastery [sestry.ru] . The link will take you directly to the Russian version of the page displaying their work - just click on the pictures. There is an English version of the site, but it has considerably fewer pictures.

Oυτις ημιν φιλει ου φροντιδα | Nemo Nos Diliget Non Curamus

Incognitus:

what is the history behind the embroidery on the vestments?

Thank you!

Here is a picture of Bishop Michael Kovtun of the UGCC wearing an all embroidered sakkos and small omophorion. It's pretty interesting.

The majority of the embroidery seems to be of famous churches in Kyiv, mainly that of the Percheska Lavra and St. Sofia's.

http://vi06n140.members.eunet.at/ugcc/Inns/pages/DSCN6215.htm

An English version of the Novo-Tikhvin convent's work can be found at

http://www.sestry.ru/eng/content/bip/04/057

They have made some beautiful vestments, some in use by patriarchal clergy as well as Archbishop Vikenty of Yekaterinburg.

Of course, for those in the US, it is hard to beat Nikita Borisov's work: http://nikitatailor.com/index.htm
I have been very satisfied with everything that Nikita has made for me.
DD

Diak,

I have sent you a PM

-uc

Boris has sent some of his work down under. Top quality work.