The People of the Liturgy

There can be no Liturgy without both priests and people.

The Greek word for Church, ecclesia, means assembly. The whole assembly both congregation and clergy are united in one body together with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is this community of persons united in love that manifests the Kingdom of God here and now. Everyone is called to be an active participant in this life of the whole. Within this assembly there is an order of ministries established by God for the orderly life of the body.

Within the clergy there is the hierarchy of Bishop, Presbyter, and Deacon, each of which serve an essential function within the Church. The Bishop is the head of the Church. He shares his priestly duties with the presbyters whose primary function is to help administer and distribute the sacraments. The deacons whose primary function is liturgical rather than sacramental maintain a living unity between the clergy and the people.

The ministry of the clergy perpetuates in the Church the priestly ministry of Christ Himself.

It is sacrificial.

Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God and the High Priest, who is both the sacrificer and the sacrifice for the salvation of all.

It is didactic.

Jesus Christ is the teacher, teaching us how to live the Christian Life.

It is pastoral.

Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, who knows his sheep by name and ministers to all our needs.

The Orthodox Church is neither clerical (the clergy being active and the people being passive) nor egalitarian (both clergy and people having equal rights and responsibilities). The Church operates through a middle way, in which the active cooperation of all under the orderly guidance of the hierarchy truly manifests the fullness of the Kingdom of God.

The order and function of the clergy are expressed in liturgical vestments.

The Priest wears:

The stikharion is a white robe, which symbolizes the priest as the representative of each member of the faithful. It is like the white robe of baptism, the robe of the new creation and the new life in Christ.

The epitrakhilion is the stole that covers the neck and shoulders. It is the sign of the priestly and pastoral function in the body of Christ.

The epimanikia are the cuffs that are the sign that the priest’s hands are the hands of Christ.

The belt is the sign of obedience. Christ has chosen the priest to be His representative. The priest has no power of his own. He acts in Christ’s name.

The phelonion is the outer cape that covers the whole person.

To these basic vestments the bishop adds:

The omophoriaon is the large stole that is the symbol of his role as head of the Church.

The basic vestments of the deacon include the stikharion, the epimanikia, and …

The orarion is the narrow stole that is raised as an invitation to the people to participate in the worship of God.