www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology attire for cantors/readers

Are there Byzantine Catholic churches where the cantor has specific attire?

In my parish I dress like any other parishioner. Some jurisdictions officially tonsure readers as a minor order, sometimes as a step toward ordination to other positions, sometimes not. Those that do, have the candidate wear a cassock from that day forward when they are in their official capacity. In the OCA it is usually black. However, it is only worn by those who have been officially tonsured by the bishop.

The Byzantine Catholics, on the other hand, do not set aside cantors and readers ceremonially today (except possibly as a step toward the diaconate or priesthood), though they may have historically. Tonsuring aside, is there any traditional attire for cantors/readers within the Metropolia? If not, is it actually forbidden for cantors/readers to wear specific attire? If so, by who?

Ukrainian Catholics in Canada will "set aside" (better: "bless" or "ordain") men into minor orders; I am one such (a subdeacon) and I know several other subdeacons as well as a reader who is not going anywhere soon. We are content to remain in this state as long as God and the Church wish us to do so. This blessing or ordination is done by tonsure, laying-on-of-hands, and clothing by the bishop (although I have heard, in very rare exceptions, that a reader can be set apart as such by an archpriest).

As for attire, the tradition seems quite clear: anyone from the rank of reader up is permitted the use of pidriasnik and riassa as well as the black skoufia (but headgear only outside the temple--or so it seems to me; but this is a disputed point, I found out only yesterday). In addition, the distinctive liturgical vestment of a reader is the stichar. A subdeacon wears that also, together with the orar, worn in the crossed fashion over both shoulders (as a deacon does at Holy Communion). This is, or should be, common practice among all Churches of the Constantinopolitan tradition.

Adam brings up some good points, as usual. The bottom line is that much variation of discipline exists regarding this amongst both Greek Catholics and the Orthodox.

The received tradition generally calls for the wearing of the riassa over the podriasnik for anyone who has been tonsured reader or has received the chierotesia of subdiaconate when they are not serving in a stikhar (with orar if a subdeacon). Readers often do get blessed to read in the stikhar.

Anyone who receives the chierotesia of reader (current practice is to receive acolyte, cantor and reader sequentially in the same service) and is serving at the altar should wear the the stikar.

This is included as particular law of several Greek Catholic churches, and is strongly encouraged in the Instruction for Applying the Liturgical Prescriptions of the Eastern Code of Canons

However even amongst some Orthodox dioceses, only those specifically blessed by the Bishop can wear a riassa and skufya if not a deacon, priest or monastic. In other words, in some dioceses if the Bishop does not bless the reader to wear a riasa, he would only wear "street clothes" unless he were serving at the altar and blessed to wear a stikhar.

It gets even more complex. Some Greek, Antiochian and Romanian Orthodox bishops (perhaps the Albanians also, I will have to ask Andrew) will bless men (and sometimes even teenagers) to vest even as subdeacons (i.e. in the stikhar with crossed orar) to serve in the presence of the bishop even though they have not "formally" received the chierotesia of subdeaconate.

This is generally done only to assist at hierarchal services and does not entail a formal program of study, etc. This is generally not done in Slav churches, where only those tonsured and blessed through cheirotesia take those liturgical roles, especially that of the subdeacon.

Also in some Greek parishes the psaltists will wear a rason even though they have not been formally tonsured. The priest simply blesses them to wear one to sing and read during the services.

Regarding the color of riassa, except for monastics, it is not formally prescribed. I often wear a blue (my favorite) or grey podriasnik. The bishop or pastor may certainly have a personal preference. If your pastor is a monastic, he may actually want you to wear a non-black color.

In the Carpathian mountains and in some Old Believer parishes, the cantors ("diaky") and readers ("chtets") who were singing/reading but not serving at the altar wore special embroidered shirts (called a rubashnik, sorochka, etc. depending on where you were from) which are VERY cool, and did not necessarily wear a riassa or stikhar. I have a couple of these which I have worn on various occasions.

Ultimately, as anything involving liturgical practice, two judges sit on the bench always to make the final call: the pastor and the bishop. You will find exceptions and variations to all of these practices.

Headgear, now that is another Pandora's box of possibilities. There are no "hard and fast" rules which only limit the wearing of the skufya to outdoors, although that certainly is a popular opinion. The wearing of the skufya is yet another practice that has trickled into parish churches from monastic usage.

One will find varying opinions on the outdoor/indoor issue. From what I have gathered, if the reader or subdeacon is not serving at the altar they may wear the skufya indoors. It is common to see monks keep theirs on indoors during some parts of services.

As I also have gathered, the skufya can be worn by "minor clergy" but not at certain times such as if reading an Epistle in front of the church, reading the Gospel during a Reader's Service, etc. Likewise any time the priest removes his headgear for prayers with "uncovered heads", all wearing headgear present should also remove theirs.

Again, the pastor and the bishop ultimately can locally legislate these practices.

As nearly as I can determine, Ruthenian (BCC) parish cantors aren't wearing special attire for services nowadays, unless they happen to be seminarians or religious.

It helps if the congregation knows who the reader is, especially when in procession. Ceremonial attire tends to foster personal piety, and to help emphasize the importance of the reading. I'm asking my priest about wearing a sticharion, but the tradition may not be ready to be restored. Maybe another way to identify cantors and readers exists that I don't know about, besides "those folks standing down front".

Adam,

When I read that line, I seemed to remember you having said something similar once before. Suddenly, I had a mental picture of you standing in a hallway at the Institute, announcing "Ok, I'm about to post this on the Byzantine Forum, anyone with opposing viewpoints, get them in now or forever hold your peace." I doubt it's the case, but I got a chuckle out of it .

Many years,

Neil, who is apparently easily amused this a.m.

Jim, our local BCC pastor allows readers to vest either in a riassa or stikhar to read or to take part in a procession in addition to the altar servers and subdeacon.

I definitely agree, any specific liturgical role should be distinctive visually, just as altar servers are. Besides the objective argument of it being the received tradition, our liturgy is iconic of the heavenly liturgy, and just as there are various ranks of angels around the Throne our various liturgical roles should emulate that beauty in our own (albeit imperfect) earthly way.

I began wearing my riassa once again yesterday for Vespers. I had been tonsured a Reader in the OCA. Though the OCA riassa is black, I'll wear it until I have a light grey one, which is the Eparchy of Van Nuys' standard for married clerics. My wife has agreed to make it, and two more, for a deacon and a seminarian in our parish.

I am glad and relieved that I can wear it once again.