www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology When must a priest wear a stole?

I was just wondering when a priest must wear a stole?

David

Dear David,

Christ is risen!

In the Orthodox Church, the priest must wear an epitrachelion (stole) for every service or liturgical blessing at which he presides: Vespers, Compline, Midnight Office, Matins, all the Hours, the Divine Liturgy and all the Mysteries (Sacraments), the Great and Lesser Blessings of Water and all the Services of Need.

The priest does not wear the epithrachelion for the Entrance Prayers at the Divine Liturgy or to do a blessing of food before a meal, but those are the only two instances I can think of when he is doing a service or pronouncing a blessing without donning this vestment.

A priest must also wear an epitrachelion when receiving the sacrament of Holy Communion within or outside of the Divine Liturgy. He does not necessarily wear the epitrachelion when making his own Confession, however.

I hope this helps.

Fr David Straut

Thank you Father.

Just to clarify what Fr David said,

a priest wears the epitrachelion during those services, but not necessarily throughout the entire service.

At my last confession, just yesterday, this dear elderly Priest we have with us right now, who was hearing confessions ... after I'd made my confession, while he prayed over me the prayer of absolution, he laid the stole over my head and shoulders. It was very moving.
abby
<*)))><

In some Local Churches there is a custom of the main celebrant wearing an epitrachelion while leading the prayers before the Royal Doors.

I've heard the Confessions of priests and never has such a priest-penitent appeared wearing an Epitrachelion. I've gone to Confession myself with no Epitrachelion (ever) and not once has the priest hearing my Confession suggested that I should put on an Epitrachelion.

Come to think of it, on one occasion in Lebanon many years ago the priest was hearing the Confessions of the students (in Arabic, of course). He then called me up, removed the Epitrachelion he was wearing, handed it to me, and asked me to hear his Confession.

Fr. Serge

Christ is risen!

When I said that a priest "does not necessarily wear the epitrachelion when making his own Confession," I was contrasting it to receiving Holy Communion, where a priest should don at least his epitrachelion. Of course a priest would not ordinarily wear an epitrachelion when he was going to Confession, however I don't think he has to remove it if he is otherwise vested for a service. At least I recall going to Confession to a Russian Bishop once before a Liturgy while I was fully vested. I was not asked to remove my vestments for the Confession.

Fr David Straut

Do any of you here know the Latin practice?

Deacons, Priests, and Bishops wear their stoles when they preside or concelebrate at the mass, sacraments, and sacramentals (e.g. blessing of holy water) in their ordained capacity.

Latins wear the stole when Saying Mass and administering the Sacraments/Sacramentals. The only other time I can think of, is to put it on when they line up to take Holy Communion if they are in the congregation. When not celebrating Mass they take communion like the rest of the congregation and do not help themselves.

Interestingly enough--I was going to bring this up, as yesterday we buried my aunt who has lived in Maine for over thirty years and died there. Her husband and daughter are both buried here and her remains were brought down to be buried with them. The priest from my mother's parish was called to say the prayers at the grave. Even though she was not a parishioner at that church for a very long time, it was the parish she was baptized in and raised at and much of our family still attends. It would have been silly for her priest from Maine to be asked to come and do the internment. The priest showed up to do the prayers in a suit but did not don a stole. Is this usual now? Growing up when I served and attended funerals the priest always had a stole on at the grave. He did have a big "Happy Easter" button on though!

I am surprised he at least did not wear one of those tiny stoles that priests used to keep in their pockets.

They still keep them in case of emergancy