Epitrachelion

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Epitrachelion

The Epitrachelion (from the Greek

Greek language

Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
, "around the neck"; often called simply a stole in casual English-language usage) is the liturgical vestment

Vestment

Vestments are liturgy garments and articles associated primarily with the Christianity religions, especially the Latin Rite and other Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutheran Churches....
worn by priest

Priest

A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities....
s and bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordination or consecration member of the Clergy#Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight....
s of the Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches as the symbol of their priesthood, corresponding to the Western stole

Stole

The stole is a liturgy vestment of various Christianity religious denomination. It consists of a band of colored cloth, formerly usually of silk, about seven and a half to nine feet long and three to four inches wide, whose ends may be straight or may broaden out....
.

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Encyclopedia

The Epitrachelion (from the Greek

Greek language

Vestment

Priest

A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities....
s and bishop

Bishop

Stole

Orarion

The Orarion is the distinguishing vestment of the deacon in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches. It is a narrow stole, usually four to five inches wide and about ten feet long, made of brocade with seven Christian Cross embroidery or appliqu?d along its length....
adapted for priests and bishops, worn around the neck with the two ends hanging down equally in front (more or less to the ankle) and with the two adjacent sides sewn or buttoned together up the center, leaving enough space through which to place the head. In practice, the epitrachelion is made to be worn only this way, tailored to lie flat around the neck, and is never actually unfastened. The portion hanging down in front is sometimes even a solid piece of fabric. It is usually made of brocade with seven embroidered

Embroidery

File:Kazakh rug chain stitch embroidery.jpgEmbroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating Textile or other materials with sewing needle and yarn....
or appliqué

Applique

In its broadest sense, an applique or appliqu? is a smaller ornament or device applied to another surface. In the context of ceramics, for example, an appliqu? is a separate piece of clay added to the primary work, generally for the purpose of decoration....
d crosses

Christian cross

The Christian cross is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity. It is a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ....
, one at the back of the neck and three down each side.

The priest wears the epitrachelion whenever serving as a priest (as opposed to simply attending a service). For some services, e.g. vespers

Vespers

Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Byzantine Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican, and Lutheran Liturgy of the canonical hours....
or matins

Matins

Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglicanism, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodoxy liturgy of the canonical hours....
, he wears the epitrachelion by itself. When he is fully vested for the Divine Liturgy

Divine Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine church tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches....
, he wears the epitrachelion over the sticharion

Sticharion

The sticharion is a Divine Liturgy vestment of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches, roughly analogous in function to the alb of the Western Church....
and under the zone

Zone (vestment)

The Zone is a liturgical belt worn as a vestment by priests and bishops of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches and Eastern Catholic Churches....
and the phelonion

Phelonion

The phel?nion, in Greek language, is a Liturgy vestment worn by a priest of the Eastern Christianity. It is worn over the priest's other vestments and is the same as the chasuble of Western Christianity....
. If a priest is simply attending a service, he wears no vestments, but will put on his epitrachelion (and often his epimanikia

Epimanikia

Epimanikia are Divine Liturgy vestments of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches. They are cuffs made of thickened fabric, usually brocade, that lace onto the wrists of a bishop, priest, or deacon....
) before receiving the Eucharist

Eucharist

The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names, is a Christianity sacrament commemorating, by consecrating bread and wine, the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his arrest, and eventual crucifixion, when he gave them bread saying, "This is my body", and wine...
.

When the bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordination or consecration member of the Clergy#Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight....
is fully vested he wears the epitrachelion over the sticharion and under the zone, the sakkos

Sakkos

The Sakkos is a vestment worn by Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic Church bishops instead of the priest's phelonion. The garment is a tunic with wide sleeves, and a distinctive pattern of trim....
and the omophorion

Omophorion

In the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches liturgical tradition, the omophorion is the distinguishing vestment of a bishop and the symbol of his spiritual and ecclesiastical authority....
.

The Syriac Orthodox

Syriac Orthodox Church

The Syriac Orthodox Church is an autocephaly Oriental Orthodox church based in the Middle East, with members spread throughout the world. It schism with Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism over the Council of Chalcedon, which the Syriac Orthodox Church rejects....
hamnikho (literally 'necklace') and the Armenian Orthodox urar are worn in a similar fashion.