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Glory to Jesus Christ!

I frequently serve as an altar server at my parish. What is the black garment worn under the Stichar called? I can never seem to find one that fits. Where can I go to have one made that fits comfortably?

In Christ,

John

Dear John,

Slava Isusu Christu! Slava na viki!

I think the garment is called a riassa? I ended up finding a McCall's pattern for the overcoat that Keanu Reeves wore in The Matrix that is the pattern for the riassa. I took it and a riassa from church to a very talented local seamstress. She measured me, measured the riassa, and had a custom fit one created for me within two weeks. Pattern, material, and labor = 70.00.

Father Deacon Diak knows of some wonderful tailors and I do hope he posts with that information here for you.

Is it not truly awesome to participate in the Divine Liturgy in the Holy Alter? I am always in constant awe that Our Lord allows me to enter such holy ground!

In Christ,

Michael

Thanks Michael.

It is indeed awesome to serve our Lord in the Holy of Holies!

John - In my opinion Nikita Borisov makes the best pidriasniks and riassas: http://nikitatailor.net I have several of his and they are all great. He has an "Economy line" which are off-the-shelf which he can easily tailor, or he can do one from scratch as well. That is also where I get my clergy shirts.

You can also check with Istok http://www.istok.net and Liturgix http://www.liturgix.com I have one of the lighter Bulgarian pidriasniks from Liturgix that I use in very hot weather.

Dear Friends,

How should an altar-server begin as he comes into Church? Should he approach the Priest for a blessing first? What prayers should he say etc. prior to serving?

Alex

Alex,
Glory to Jesus Christ!

I like the formulation for servers given by St Elias.
http://www.saintelias.com/ca/servers/index.php

Our servers are instructed to wear their cassocks and bring their stichers folded (with cross showing)to the priest for the blessing.

They are to pray as they vest:
Let us pray to the Lord. My soul shall rejoice in the Lord, for He has clothed me with the garment of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of gladness; as a bridegroom He has set a crown on me; and as a bride adorns herself with jewels, so has He adorned me.

May you continue to have a most blessed Great Fast.
Deacon El

Alex, one brings the stikhar with the Cross on top to the priest for the blessing. The Priest blesses and places his hand on the cross. Kiss the priest's hand, make 3 reverences facing east, vest in the stikhar and you are ready. We don't always have the servers wear the pidriasnik, but some priests want them to, and definitely if the stikhar is too short the pidriasnyk looks much better under the stikhar.

How utterly wonderful!!

Just love our Church!

How lucky we are to be in it!

I'll do this in future!

Alex

What is the difference between a pidriasnik and a riassa?

Pidriasnik is a cassock with close fitting sleeves. A riassa has wide sleeves and is worn over top the pidriasnik. Riassa are only worn by deacons and up.

Thanks Father Deacon!

Looks like the podriznik is white. So, is the black garment under the stikhar the riassa? I'm confused ... if the riassa is only for deacons and "above" what do subdeacons and "below" wear under the stikhar?

Actually a simple monk wears a riasa - and is therefore called a "riasophore".

But anyone who attempts to wear a riasa under a sticharion is going to find it uncomfortable. For that purpose one wants what the Slavs call a "podriasnik" (Ukrainian pidriasnyk) and the Greeks call an "anterion". And if you value your vestments you do indeed want to wear one of these under the vestments - vestments cannot be laundered and an anterion, if it is made to be washable, can be laundered, and will protect the vestments.

An anterion can be made of various fabrics, for various climate conditions and so on. I like them to be lined; not everyone shares that preference. It's best to have them made to measure; if they are well made of good cloth, they will last a long time. They can be made of various colors, but we do well to avoid ostentation here. Most of the year black is good; in hot summers a white anterion helps.

A good friend who will here be nameless had a couple of anteria made up for himself out of blue denim - as he points out, it's inexepensive, practical, washable, and wears like iron. But he made the mistake of taking it with him to Russia once. At the time he was already an Archpriest; a senior Metropolitan happened to spot the blue denim podriasnik under the vestments. The Metropolitan's eyes rolled into the back of his head. After that, the good Father Archpriest kept his blue denim for wearing in the USA!

So stick to the tried and true.

Fr. Serge

That story appeals Fr Serge

Do you have any Jericho Benedictines in God's own land ?

Here in civilisation they wear blue denim habits - utterly practical as you point out

John, perhaps the white garment you are talking about is the priest's podriznik, which is quite often white and is worn under the phelon.

A pidriaznik ("undercassock", anterion, etc.) can be variable in color. A pidriaznik is the "black garment" you referred to under what a reader, subdeacon or deacon wears under the stikhar. I don't always wear a black one, but often grey or blue. The riassa is too big and the sleeves to wide to wear under a stikhar or phelon. The riassa (rason) is basically worn as the overgarment when the stikhar or phelon is not worn.

In terms of who can or can't, this is from Article 42 of the UGCC Pastoral Guide:

Thanks Father Deacon.