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Can anyone enlighten me according to the proper vestments for a subdeacon, with especial reference to Ukrainian Catholic usage?

I am having an orar, stichar, and black skufia specially made, but what is one to wear underneath? I have a very simple black cotton cassock (which looks Jesuitical, I must say!), but what would be the normal and appropriate underwear(!)? Does a subdeacon wear a riassa?

Adam, you should have a podriasnik (under-cassock with narrower sleeves) under the sticharion. The orarion is to be worn cross-wise across the shoulders and unlike the deacon is left in that position for the entire Liturgy or whatever service you are assisting at.

The riassa with wide sleeves is to be worn over the podriasnik when you are serving and the wearing of the sticharion and orarion is not specifically prescribed. For example, when I do not serve at the altar, which calls for being vested in sticharion and orarion, and I am cantoring or reading, etc., I wear the riassa over a podriasnik.

The vestment sets are virtually the same between subdeacon and deacon with the exception that the subdeacon does not wear the epimanikia (cuffs). Since I am preparing for the diaconate I went ahead and bought full diaconate vestment sets, and will (God willing) get the epimanikia blessed before my diaconal ordination. You'll find quickly that nice brocade vestment sets are not cheap.

The priest should bless your wearing of the sticharion and orarion before serving. I generally wear a black collarless short-sleeved shirt underneath the podriasnik since I am a rather large guy and in Midwest summers here it all gets pretty hot, with a podriasnik under brocade sticharion and orarion with metallic thread. In Canada in the winter, on the other hand, it's a different story.

You can e-mail me privately if you need some resources for riassa and podriasniki, diaconal vestments, etc. And don't wear those snap button-front Latin altar boy cassocks, please!

I would recommend a black velvet skufya, I have tried several and these seem to fit, feel and look the best. The skufyas with the quilted inner linings would be great for Canadian winters. Speaking of Canada we're hoping to be in Canada in September, God bless.
Subdeacon Randolph, a sinner

Dear Adam,

I would certainly hope that you do have underwear .

White is fine, but not always practical . . .

Alex

Assuming that we're all traditionalists, would a subdeacon be permitted to wear a riassa at other times as well, outside of the temple?

In Christ,

anastasios

CIX!

Dear Tasos,

Why should anyone NOT be a traditionalist?

The tonsure enables anyone from the rank of Reader upwards to wear the riassa at all times. Of course, strictly speaking, it also means cutting the hair and beard is forbidden...

Just my two cents!

in Domino,

Edward

As long as we are adding our $.02, let me say that while good brocade is certainly not inexpensive, it shouldn't be terribly expensive to have a set of nice vestments made. Deacon's vestments are a relatively simple garment to construct. If anyone you know regularly sews cloting, that person would certainly have the skills to turn out a nice set, given the appropriate material. I have been horrified by the prices that the commercial vestment folk charge.

Cheers,

Sharon

Sharon Mech, SFO
Cantor & sinner
sharon@cmhc.com

That leads me to another question. I have seen priests, deacons, and readers at various times wearing only a cassock outside the temple, and I have at other times seen priests and deacons (never a reader) wearing a riassa outside the temple. So when is it appropriate to just wear a cassock, and when the riassa, too? Or is it preference?

In Christ,

anastasios

Dear Tasos,

The pectoral cross on top of the riassa - that is reserved only to priests and upwards correct?

Where does the rank of Reader fit into the pre-deacon hierarchy of the Byzantine Church?

Why is the Reader a member of the clergy? But surely he could marry unless he became a Subdeacon, correct?

How is a Reader different from a Cantor?

Don't mean to overwhelm you, Tasos, but you are a Seminarian which means you are fair game for ignoramuses like me!

God bless, Tasos!

Alex

To my knowledge, the Russian emperor Nicholas gave pectoral crosses to all Russian priests so that they might be distinguished from deacons.

The Greek recension only allows Archpriests the pectoral cross.

I am not yet a seminarian--only 2 months away, though!

Readers are minor clergy--which is why they are not granted a riassa (but some do wear them). Edward, you said Readers were granted a riassa--is this correct?

In Christ,

anastasios

Dear Tasos,

Thank you very much - I have a copy of that particular pectoral Cross you mention that I wear under my clothes (so as not to confuse anyone ).

How many years is your program and what is the degree?

If we can be of any help to you, let us know and we'll all do what we can for our beloved Anastasios the Seminarian!!

Alex

Do Ukrainian Catholic Subdeacons normally wear a skufia? Since no mention of monsastic profession is made here I am presuming Adam is not a monastic.

Bob

[ 07-03-2002: Message edited by: Bob King ]

In Ukrainian Catholic usage the subdeacon wears:
- a cassock (and by this I mean the narrow sleeved pid-riassa)
- Stykhar
- Orar

Apparently, anyone who can wear a riassa can wear a skufia since it is a non-liturgical hat. Also, subdeacons (or maybe they were deacons posing as subdeacons) that served with Sergei Izvekov (the Sergianist Patriarch Poemen) wore skufias or kamilavkas, including cuffs. They were probably monks from (at that time) Zagorsk, so...

Also, accoring to some Russian sources, the riassa (the one with wide sleeves) is not automatic to everyone, and is a distinction given by the bishop. According to this practice, you could be an archpriest without the right to wear a wide sleeved riassa. The same goes for the kamilavka -- even for protodeacons (the purple kamilavka is extra) -- accoring to this odd source.

But then, why would you want to wear the wide sleeved riassa. It's a Turkish development.

While on the topic, according to the Sknyliv Typicon of Metropolitan Andrei, monks of the Great Schema are permitted to wear a pectoral cross, regardless of priestly ordination.

The Minor Orders are: candle bearer, reader, hypodeacon/subdeacon.

Daniil

CIX!

Dear Tasos,



Another distinction I remember here is that while ordinary rank and file priests wear the eight-point cross, only an archpriest or an archmandrite may wear a four-point cross - in the Russian Tradition at least.



Ah yes, the confusing terminology. I get so confused with riassa=exorasson and Podriasnik=Rasson. Or have I mixed them up again? I'll use Inner Cassock and Outer Cassock to make my life easier. I believe while all who are performing a liturgical function in church (including Chanters) should be wearing inner and outer cassocks, the wearing of the outer cassock is not proper to ranks below Subdeacon. It appears that the outer cassock functions rather like a surplice - as "choir dress", as the Latins would call it.



Yes, that's what I was given to believe, and that all who are reading or chanting may wear the outer cassock.

I trust I make myself obscure?

In Domino,

Edward

Good points, Daniil.

Generally in Ukrainian Catholic practice I am familiar with the riassa (wide-sleeved) is only worn in the temple by the subdeacon or when there is an outdoors liturgical service (procession, etc.) that does not require vesting in sticharion and orarion.

The riassa is generally not worn outside of the temple or services, but rather the podriasnik (under-cassock with narrower sleeves) is worn outside of the temple and services.

The particular law for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the U.S.A. states that lectors (readers), subdeacons, deacons, and priests are to wear the riassa (with wide sleeves) over the cassock (podriasnik) during services whenever liturgical prescription does not specifically require the individual to be vested in sticharion and orarion (or epitrachil/phelon in case of priest).

Anyone ordained to minor orders, monastic or otherwise, may wear the skufya, but only a black one. Purple skufyas are reserved for archpriests/protodeacons.

Daniil, there are actually four minor orders: candle-bearer, cantor, reader, and subdeacon. In the Great Church (Hagia Sophia) there was also a minor order of doorkeeper which has since fallen into disuse.