Russian Orthodox Liturgical Resources

Liturgical Handbook
of the Practices of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad
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Handbook of Liturgical Practice of the Russian Church Abroad
Liturgical Question:
What are the occasions on which a Hieromonk serves in his mantia, when white clergy would normally wear a phelon?
Handbook Category: Monastics and Monasteries (index)

While in general a monastic priest (be he an Hieromonk, Abbot or Archimandrite) dons a phelon in the Divine Services served in ‘lesser vestments’ (e.g. a Vigil) at the same points that a white (married) Priest would do so (on such occasions, placing it over his mantia). However, there are a few occasions for which a white Priest is appointed to wear his phelon, but where a monastic priest will serve in his mantia alone (with, of course, his epitrahil and cuffs as always). These are:

  • The great censing at the beginning of the All-night Vigil.
  • When serving services from the ‘Book of Needs’ that do not involve a reading of the Holy Gospel (whenever monastic priest reads the Gospel, he always wears the phelon).
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This is an entry from our Liturgical Handbook of the practices of the Church Abroad. Please see the full handbook for more than 100 entries on other topics.

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