www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology use of Roman vestments by Ruthenians

Christ is risen!

The use of the Neplochnyk (in imitation of the Latin amice) and the replacement of the priest's sticharion with an alb of linen, often decorated with lace, were practices common in the Ruthenian churches. Those practices were carried over into the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Diocese of Johnstown. When I lived in Johnstown in the mid-1980's, it was still customary for priests to use albs instead of sticharia (though that was certainly NOT true of Metropolitan--then Bishop--Nicholas or of some of his clergy. The neplochnyk was also still in use by some clergy, though by many fewer---Msgr. John Yurcisin at Christ the Saviour Cathedral, for example.

These practices, like those of wearing Latin-style house cassocks, etc., while they have not disappeared, have certainly dwindled in the Johnstown diocese, just as they have in the Byzantine Catholic Metropolia of Pittsburgh.

Suggestion to all using the board:

PLEASE CHANGE THE SUBJECT LINE IF YOU WANT TO BRING UP A POINT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AN ALREADY EXTANT THREAD.

Thank you.

(Prof.) J. Michael Thompson
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA

"neplochnyk" is a mis-spelling of "naplechnyk" - the word means, literally, something that lies or sits on the shoulders. Ruthenian service-books prior to the reform of the 1940s gave a prayer for use when putting on this dubious vestment.
the house cassock is not a vestment at all, strictly speaking, though I can well understand why Professor Thompson would mention it in this context.
Christ is Risen!
Incognitus

Indeed, He is Risen!

As far as I can tell, the subject line cannot be changed in a reply on this board. It would be good if it were so. If I am wrong perhaps others are too, please tell me how to do it.

I remember a priest of the Archeparchy who, when I was assisting him, had me wear an alb underneath a sticharion, which he called a 'tunicle' (as if I were a Roman sub-deacon). It's too bad. Then again, does two baptismal robes make me holier? :p

When going through old photographs to prepare the commemorative book for our parish's centennial, we came across photos from a liturgy and baptism in the 50's where the priest had on a phelonion, which from the back, was cut very similar to the Roman chasubles that were coming into vogue at the time replacing the old "fiddlebacks." It even had the same full length cross that started on the shoulders and reached to the bottom of the vestment. From the front however, it looked like our phelonions. He was also wearing a lace alb.

It was not a Roman vestment, but certainly made in imitation of one.

jbosl,

The only problem with this, of course, is that the tunicle is an outer garment like the dalmatic (in fact, it's sometimes hard to tell the two apart). While a Latin bishop does wear an episcopal dalmatic which is a light undergarment, but there is no equivalent for the tunicle.

Edward, deacon and sinner

Dear Incognitus,

(All right, I was wrong about who I THOUGHT you were, O.K.? Are we happy? ).

Is not the "naplechnyk" the Ukrainian for the Latin "scapular" or what is "placed on the shoulders?"

And this can refer, in Ukrainian parlance, to the Bishop's omophorion as well as to the analavos of the Schema-monk.

It can also mean "back-pack" as in the case of scouts.

Alex

Dear Alex,
Now you do have me curious. What poor soul were you blaming my misdeeds on?
I've never heard "naplechnyk" used except to mean an amice -but there's no reason why it could not mean a back-pack.
Christ is Risen!

Incognitus

Fr. Deacon Edward,

I once wanted so bad to ask him if, since he advocated wearing an alb and a sticharion, if he was going to start wearing a chausible underneath he phelon. Thank God I refrained!

Incognitus,

I was looking for a birthday card for you today, thought I should get it off to you within the next week, to be sure it arrives on time. Then I realized, you forgot to send me your address . Big one this year, huh?

Many years,

Neil

This seems appropriate to this thread: I recall having read somewhere that a particular bishop of the Greek Catholic Church in the Kingdom of Hungary was the first to adopt Latin-style clericals (not liturgical vestments). But I can't find the reference anywhere. Can anyone identify it? And does anyone have information on clerical garb in Galicia or Bukovyna?

Stephen R.

Dear Irish Melkite - greeting cards are always welcome, especially the kind with money enclosed. In this instance, the simplest thing is to send the greeting card (and the money) in care of the Administrator, in whose honesty I have complete confidence.
the age which, if God wills, I shall reach sometime this year is not denoted by a number of any particular signifance - at least of any significance known to me. Then again, I'm not into numerology (except the numbers on money, where I know the zeroes are important!).
Christ is Risen!
Incognitus

I have always wondered about the history of non-liturgical clergical vesture in Carpatho-Rus, Galicia, etc. I've read some things about the kolpak, but nothing about what was worn prior to Roman style clericals.

Dave