On the Sacred Rite of the Holy Chrism

CHAPTER LXX. That it is the duty of the priest to safely guard the water of baptism and other holy things.

Furthermore, one must attend, beloved, to those things which by some are overlooked, and which to them seem small. Let neither the hierarch nor the priest use the remnants of the holy oil of gladness in random fashion—for this is a prefiguration of the divine chrism—but let him guard it, contained in a proper and consecrated vessel, and let him consume it in the lamp of the altar; and far be it that he should use these as food. And the divine water of baptism, in which sin was swallowed up, and Christ came, and the Holy Spirit descended, and man was re-formed, let him guard it, and pour it out in a holy place, so that it may not, if poured out at random, be trodden underfoot by those who do not know the mystery. ^A This water is in no way less than that of the holy Theophany; and it even contains more prayers for the re-formation of the one being baptized, ^B along with the oil of gladness. Therefore it is worthy of veneration and honor. I would wish this to be said for the sake of the ignorant. For I myself have seen many who are negligent in these matters, and who hold them as almost nothing; and as I had to know nothing of these things, I groaned from the depths.

ON THE HOLY RITE OF THE HOLY CHRISM.

It would follow, after the most holy baptism, to speak also of the divine chrism, how it is performed. But we have already spoken sufficiently about this before: that the Savior used it, and that the apostles handed it down, and that their successor, the holy Dionysius, speaks of it; and that it was in the Law, ^C although it was still of lesser holiness, by which kings and high priests were anointed. But now we all, the faithful, are anointed, and for this reason we are called Christians; for it provides us the anointing of the divine Spirit, that is, His grace itself. And indeed, Christ our Savior received all charisms even bodily, possessing them in Himself by nature, since He is the Word of God. ^D "And of His fullness we have all received grace," as the Gospel writes; and this is the seal of Christ, and it is the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. And this is what the apostles received through the laying on of hands. And through the hands of the apostles, those who were baptized by Philip received it; and those upon whom Paul laid hands after baptism received the Holy Spirit. For in place of the laying on of hands, this oil was given by the apostles to those who were baptized in Christ. The laying on of hands, and the invocation of grace, for the [...]

^A ordination of those who are being ordained to the priesthood, is preserved. And indeed, they receive this chrism beforehand in baptism, and they already possess it as a chrism of Christ, and a seal, and a gift of the Spirit—yet they receive also by the laying on of the episcopal hands the ordination, according to the coming of the Spirit in the form of fiery tongues; for it says, "It sat upon each one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit."

CHAPTER LXXI. Concerning the preparation and boiling of the holy myron.

The all-holy myron is prepared thus: the most holy patriarch, with the clergy standing around him, since he is the fountain of the priesthood, and those who are with him received and receive the priesthood from him, goes to the place appointed for the boiling of the myron; and being vested in the sacred stole, which signifies the grace of the Spirit received from above, and in the sacred omophorion, which shows the Incarnation of Christ, he praises God in three persons. And ^B thus prayers are offered: the "Heavenly King," and the Trisagion: "All-Holy Trinity," and "Our Father." For it is necessary that in divine works the invocation of the Holy Spirit be the beginning, and that the Holy Spirit be invoked before all things. "For in the Holy Spirit," says Paul, "we pray." And after the patriarch has said, "For Thine is the kingdom," the troparion is said, "Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God," and certain others with it. While these are being said, the patriarch pours the oil into the vessel in which the myron is to be boiled. And he blesses it with his hand, showing that he himself begins the work and that he himself serves the divine things. The remaining oil is then brought in by the ministers. And so the patriarch again, having first lit the fire, as one serving the mystery of the Spirit, performs the dismissal and withdraws. That oil of the myron is ^C boiled by some pious man who knows the skill associated with it, and with great care. This he performs especially on that great and holy Wednesday, when the harlot anointed the Lord with the precious myron—and at that time the Gospel which records this is read. Now, the oil is boiled in this way, signifying the immeasurable mercy of God. The various species of aromatics are then also ground and prepared at that time. And when the boiling of the oil has reached its end, the patriarch again arrives, and the aromatics, having been blessed by him, are introduced into the boiling oil, which signifies the varied gifts of the Holy Spirit. And so, having been compounded and boiled, it becomes the myron. The patriarch then dismisses all and withdraws; but the myron, having cooled through the prayers and the blessing of the patriarch, is holy, yet not yet consecrated by the sacred rite.

CHAPTER LXXII. Concerning the sacred rite of the holy myron.

^DOn the following day, which is the holy and great Thursday, this myron is poured into its own vessel, which is called an alabaster jar, in the form of what

was poured upon the head of Jesus by the sinner or by Mary, the sister of Lazarus; and having been covered with a sacred veil, it is placed in the sacristy after the prothesis has taken place. ^A And the divine liturgy having begun, with the great entrance being performed, first of all the one who oversees the order proceeds; then the readers who carry lamps, depicting the divine illumination of the Spirit; then the first of the priests, holding the alabaster jar of myron in his hands, manifesting the very grace of the Spirit. For this reason, the first holds it, as being more perfect. Before him, and at his side, and behind him, are six deacons carrying twelve wings, as the great Dionysius says, that is, ripidia (fans). ^B These signify the divine and angelic powers, and their intellectual and incorporeal nature; since the Seraphim and Cherubim also appeared to the prophets with wings; and just as they contract themselves upon receiving grace, so we too ought to grasp grace, and this we show through the aforementioned wings. And just as in the tabernacle, upon that ark which was a shadow, there were Cherubim, sculpted and carved, covering it with their own wings for the sake of honor, since it contained within itself the divine oracles inscribed on stone tablets, so also are these [wings] above the myron and the holy things, and further above the holy table, as if possessing things higher than these, and being the truth itself rather than the shadow. For those were all symbols: unleavened bread in place of this living Bread; ^C the blood of irrational creatures and their offerings in place of the blood of the Word of God; and the oil of anointing in place of the gift of the Holy Spirit. But here is the Bread of life, the very body and blood of Christ, offered for us ceaselessly, and the anointing of the gift of the life-giving Spirit. After the twelve wings, that is to say the ripidia, the remaining deacons come in pairs, as is the custom, preceding the holy things; and the rest of the order follows the entrance. The twelve wings are also [there] because of the twelve disciples, whom the grace of the Holy Spirit sanctified from the beginning, and because of the two Cherubim standing before the tabernacle and having twelve wings. "For six wings for the one, and six wings for the other," he says; which is indeed written concerning the Seraphim. ^D Some, however, describe the Cherubim as having four wings, and the Seraphim as having six; and these they say are of a higher order than the Cherubim. Wherefore, because the Church is above the Law, it makes for itself the figure of those six wings, and carries twelve ripidia for the number of the wings of the two Seraphim. When, therefore, the readers have entered, the deacons who hold the wings stand on either side of the priest who carries the myron, paying him honor and, as it were, overshadowing him. After he has arrived at the holy doors, the patriarch descends from the sacred steps, and takes the myron from the hands of the priest, and places it upon the holy table, giving the myron greater honor than the Gifts, since they are not yet perfected, or because it has received a greater sanctification. For although the Gifts are already sanctified and offered to God, they are still imperfect and merely representative. But the oil, even if it is not yet consecrated, has nevertheless received prayers twice from the pontiff and has been blessed by him. Or, as seems more likely, because the oil has communion

^A with the prayers; for although the gifts are sanctified and dedicated to God, they are still unfinished and are types. The myron, however, even if it is not yet finished, has nevertheless received the prayers twice from the high priest and has been blessed by him, or—as seems to me more necessary—because of the priority of the myron in communion; for first we are anointed with the myron, and then we communicate in the mysteries. And the altar is first sanctified with the myron; then the things of the liturgy are performed upon it. For it is necessary first that we be sanctified, and then that we receive the Holy One. Placing the myron, then, on the divine table to the left of the disk, the patriarch, while performing the things of the liturgy, after finishing the Holy Things and saying, “And let the mercies of the great God be,” before the deacon says, “Having remembered all the saints,” goes up to the base of the holy table. And having uncovered the myron, he signs it three times. For the myron is already receiving the rite. And it must not be covered, but must receive the rite purely and directly.

CHAPTER LXXIII. Consideration of the prayer for the ointment.

^B When he has signed it, the high priest comes down and bows his head and says the first prayer: “Lord of mercy, and Father of lights.” Do you see that oil is a symbol of God’s mercy? And the remaining things regarding the myron are an impression of the divine gifts. But behold, it also purely receives the grace of the Spirit. For the high priest continues, “From whom comes every good gift and every perfect endowment.” And, “You are He who gave it in the Law and in the prophets and to your apostles. Send forth into it your Holy Spirit. And finish it as a royal anointing, a spiritual gift, sanctifying souls and bodies.” Behold, the myron being sanctified! He provides the sanctification of the Spirit. ^C “Oil of gladness.” He calls it oil specifically, as a gift of divine mercy. “Which went before in the Law.” Behold, the oil that was used in the Law was a prefiguration. “But it shone forth in the New Testament.” Do you see how the myron is given more clearly in grace, with the gift of the Holy Spirit being abundantly granted to us? “In which priests and high priests, prophets and kings were anointed.” And they themselves received the firstfruits of the Spirit; as Moses and the seventy men who received of the Spirit that was on him; as Aaron and Samuel; and after Saul was anointed and sinned, David through the anointing, and those who followed them. “Through which you also (anointed) your holy apostles, he says.” Do you see that the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them was also a holy anointing? And all who have been regenerated through the ^D laver of regeneration by bishops and presbyters to this very day. Behold, not only have high priests, priests, prophets, and kings received the divine myron, but all who have been baptized in Christ have become anointed of the Lord; therefore, the faithful also have the power—if only they keep themselves in holiness—from this anointing, both to prophesy and to work healings, and to be enriched with ten thousand other divine gifts of the Spirit. Thus, Almighty God, consecrate it by the advent of your adorable and holy Spirit. Again he begs for the advent of the most holy Spirit. For from the Father through the Word in the Holy

Spirit everything in us comes to be. And as by the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of his mouth all their power; for by this same Spirit they are perfected; so also [is it] in every gift, which is bestowed from the Father through the Word in the Holy Spirit, and especially after the economy of the Word of God for our sake. For the Father approves, the Son performs, but the Holy Spirit perfects. “A garment of incorruption and a seal that makes perfect, imprinting upon those who receive your divine bath your holy name, and [that] of your only-begotten Son, and of your Holy Spirit.” A garment of incorruption, because the Spirit is life-giving and provides immortality. A seal that makes perfect, as it grants to us the grace of the holy Trinity and the name; since we are also perfected in the Trinity. “So that they may be known before you,” ^B that is, known to you, the God. O, the gift of the divine myron! O, the greatest grace! How great a gift, then, does he lack who has not obtained this charism! “Your familiars,” he says, “and citizens, your servants and handmaids.” So that by the myron it comes to be that the pious are [the Lord's] familiars and genuine servants to God. The gift is truly the greatest! “But also sanctified,” he says, “in soul and body.” Behold, he makes them holy and clean. For he continues: “Freed from all malice and cleansed from every sin, encompassed by the garment of incorruption.” Which indeed is the myron after the bath. And behold another great gift. “To be known, he says, by this holy marking of yours, by the holy angels and archangels, and by all the heavenly power.” So that we become like the angels through the myron, and by it we are made known to them. Consequently, those who have not been anointed with the myron are neither known to God nor to the angels, and these are unsealed and unmarked for Christ. See also another great gift. And he says they exist as terrifying to all evil and unclean demons. So that those marked with the divine myron are also fearful to the demons. O, the greatest grace of God! See also what else we faithful become through the divine myron. “That they may be to you,” he says, “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, sealed by this your immaculate myron.” Consequently, through this we carry about in ourselves the seal of the holy Trinity. He, therefore, who is not anointed with this divine myron is unsealed. But what other greatest gift does the prayer provide? For this reason I have set it all forth, so that we might know what graces we receive through the myron. “And having,” he says, “your Christ in their hearts, for a dwelling place of you, the God and Father, in the Holy Spirit.” ^C Behold, through it Christ is also in our hearts; and we are made dwellings and temples of God, and of the Father, and of his Son Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. That myron, therefore, completes baptism and makes us temples of the Trinity. For this reason it is also given after baptism. And it provides for the advent of the Holy Spirit within us, whom the Savior showed when baptized in the Jordan. And through that myron we are made spiritual, and are armed by grace, and marked by the divine Trinity; we are indeed sanctified and cleansed and regenerated in the holy water through the invocation of the Trinity. By this myron, however, they receive the gifts of Him. And just as one who is not baptized, [is not...] ^D

purified and has not been regenerated unto eternal life, so he who has not been anointed after baptism does not possess the seal and mark of the Holy Trinity, nor the grace of the Spirit. For the divine mysteries hold together with one another, and just as the Trinity is indivisible, so too are its gifts.

Having finished this prayer, the patriarch raises his voice, adding: "For You are holy, our God, and rest in the holy places," ^A suitably giving thanks for the completed mystery. For the myron is sanctifying, as it is a provider of the gifts and of the sanctification of the All-Holy Spirit. Then he says, "Peace to all." And this is appropriately done. For the straight and most cheerful Spirit is the provider of peace. And when the deacon says, "Let us bow our heads to the Lord," he bows his head. For it is necessary to humble oneself before such great gifts and to give thanks to God; and he adds a second prayer: "To You, the God of all and King, we bow the neck of our heart with thanksgiving." ^B For this is what thankful servants ought to do. And for what reason? "In that, being unworthy, You have deemed us worthy to become ministers of these Your divine mysteries." And truly it is a very great gift. For He has shown earthly and corruptible men to be ministers of heavenly things. "And proclaiming Your mercy, which You have poured out upon us abundantly." Behold, he again teaches why the oil is sanctified: namely, as a sign of the mercy of God. He said "poured out" on account of the Holy Spirit, whom He promised through Joel that He would pour out upon all flesh. "That through You, we pray, we might receive sanctification, like ointment upon the head." Behold, here is the excellent ^C power of this ointment: sanctification. "Wherefore," he says, "the ointment has been changed in name and has received the name of Your only-begotten Son, Christ our God, in whom the whole world is perfumed, as much as is visible and as much as is invisible." From the Song of Songs the high priest chants the hymn of the prayer to the heavenly, beautiful, and most fragrant Bridegroom of souls. Then, rising, he proclaims aloud: "For to You is due all adoration, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages." That is to say, You alone are to be adored, and no one else, and You sanctify all, and adoration is owed to You by all.

CHAPTER LXXIV

When these things have been done and said, the myron is now consecrated upon the holy table, and by it every baptized person is anointed, and by being signed is sanctified. And holy altars together with temples, being anointed, are consecrated and become full of the glory of God and of sanctification. And kings, moreover, being anointed, ^D are consecrated as Christ’s of the Lord, and of the saints

and princes are shown. But high priests and priests are consecrated only by ordination, which neither king nor monk receives. This grace, however, is singular, and belongs to the power that creates, completes, and sanctifies all things. Nevertheless, if you examine, you will find that ordinations also are completed in the unguent. ^B

Cleric. We have understood, master, accurately concerning what has been said, and we have been filled with joy; and thanks be to God, who performs these things for our sake. But explain to us also the things that follow, and first that which you mentioned, how ordinations take place in the unguent.

CHAPTER LXXV.

That sacraments are given through one another, and are perfected through one another.

High Priest. In order that the succession of grace from Christ may always remain with us, the unguent is not consecrated without the unguent, nor is ordination without the unguent. Therefore, also, ordination takes place in the unguent. And you will know this from hence: the oil is placed on the altar and is consecrated, and without the altar it cannot be consecrated. But the altar has previously been anointed with oil and sanctified through it. Therefore, in the oil, the oil is sanctified. And again, the unguent is consecrated through the high priest; and without the high priest it is not possible. Now, he has been anointed with the unguent in baptism, and has ordination by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the charisms are given through one another; since they produce gifts of the same and only God in Trinity. ^C And ordinations also take place in the unguent, as we said; for these are completed on the altar. But the altar is anointed with the unguent, and without an altar no one of the orthodox is ordained. Therefore, the ordination of priests also is in the unguent, having specifically both the imposition of hands and the invocation of the Spirit. But the Latins innovate in ordinations, as was done in the Law, by being anointed with oil, and being ordained without an altar, and thus they are without grace. But the unguent is consecrated by the bishop alone, as it is also inscribed in the rite of the consecration of the unguent: "Because the bishop is more illuminated and has the perfect grace of the Spirit, and therefore possesses also the grace of transmitting the divine lights;" that is, the gift of charisms, imitating God, the Father of lights.

CHAPTER LXXVI.

That the bishop has in himself seven consecrations.

Therefore, he also bears about seven consecrations according to the number of the divine operations of the Spirit. ^D These are: baptism, the unction of the unguent, the character of the reader, the ordination of the subdeacon, of the deacon, of the presbyter, and of the bishop. Being then perfected in these, he alone possesses the grace to transmit. And therefore he alone performs ordinations and the unguent. And through these two [means] he extends himself everywhere, and he himself performs all things, imitating God and possessing the grace of His riches. For indeed, the high priest is he who [performs] all things through priests and

the rest of the clergy, having ordained them, working in the mysteries. And Dionysius says this.

Cleric. And how does this come about, Father?

CHAPTER LXXVII.

Pontiff. Listen. No priest ^B has the power to perform sacred acts in the Spirit, or to work any other thing, unless he has ordination. But this is from the high priest. Therefore the high priesthood works through him. Again, the priest does not perform the mystagogies without an altar. But this is sanctified by the oil. And the oil is perfected by the high priest alone. Therefore, without the high priest there is neither sacrifice, nor priest, nor altar at all. So all these things are through the high priest. Again, no one baptizes ^C unless he has ordination; but this is from the high priest. And again, he cannot baptize without the oil; but this comes from the pontificate. Therefore, the episcopate works in all divine mysteries and in all consecrated things. And without episcopal power, there will be no altar, nor ordination, nor sacred oil, nor baptism, and therefore no Christians. Through it, therefore, is true Christianity, and all the mysteries of Christ [exist] through it. But it is well that those ^D who are ordained are not anointed sensibly, because they do not perform anything material, but everything is spiritual, and because they have approached [the true] ointment, which is Christ, from whom the ointment received its name.

CHAPTER LXXVIII.

From those divine hands and mouth, therefore, receiving the blessing, the inspiration, the ordination, and the grace, we who have been consecrated receive grace through those whom He sanctified by succession. And the fount of grace for us is Christ, who also works all things in all.

Cleric. And how is it that the high priest receives only seven consecrations, while being a monk and often a partaker of communion?

Pontiff. To partake of communion ^A is set before all the faithful, and it is not a consecration for the high priest, but the most holy body and blood of Christ are consecrated and given to all the faithful for communion. And it is, in itself, the consecration of all consecrations, delivered solely for communion. But the state of the monk is a state of repentance; it is a proper state, which purifies the one who has fallen and raises up the one who has stumbled. But it does not consecrate one into a high priest. Therefore, bishops are appointed even without this state. But monks who do not have a ^B fitting life are not able to attain to the priesthood. Do you see the good order of the Church?

Cleric. We have learned concerning these things also. Therefore, Master, teach us also what follows. For certain things, upon inquiry, occur to us as necessary for knowledge.

^A Bishop. Thanks be to you, brother; through you, I myself am moved to this, and I learn certain necessary things. And I am not ashamed to confess this. Therefore, for your sake and for my own, I shall speak according to my strength. It would be appropriate, then, that we discuss the terrible and divine consecration. For thus the great Dionysius sets it forth, and after the rite of the most divine ointment, he speaks of this. However, let no one suspect us of being bold, nor reproach us with pride, if we attempt to speak of such great matters, which apostolic and divine men have interpreted; and they were such as to be lifted up to the heavens and initiated into ineffable mysteries. Not that we might say anything beyond what they said—far be such a thought, or rather such blasphemy, from us, Lord—but rather, having our mind sanctified by those things which they have spoken, and being guided as a child and servant of theirs toward the light of divine knowledge, I set forth in charity, insofar as it is permitted, what I have borrowed from them, for myself and for the brethren. This is their counsel and command; and since, through their prayers, we are accounted worthy of their grace, it is necessary that we inquire diligently concerning the divine things which we perform, so that we may be led to greater knowledge according to their instruction; for it is for the sake of this knowledge that they interpreted the divine things. Those things, therefore, which pertain to the sacred Liturgy, that apostolic man, the holy Dionysius, calls Eucharist and Communion. Taking our starting points from him and others like him, we have, according to our strength, already spoken in other places concerning the divine temple, the sacred vestments, and sacred doctrine. Now, however, we shall speak briefly and according to our strength about the Liturgy, both on account of the sequence of the discourse and on account of the order of the mysteries. Communion, therefore, is the union of God with us, our deification, sanctification, fullness of grace, illumination, the overthrowing of every adversary, the granting of every good; and what else is it but an intermingling and communication with God? It is the mystery of mysteries, the sanctification of the holy, the truly holy of holies, and the consecration of all consecrations; it is both the worker of consecration and the consecration that has been effected; for the Word alone is the principle of consecration, who both wrought it and delivered it, and who is himself that which is; and he delivered it to us so that it might remain with us. The great Dionysius, therefore, ^D brings together the rites of this greatest consecration in the greatest phrase and concept, setting everything forth in summary.

^A and contemplates them most brilliantly, just as he does concerning the rest of the mysteries. We, however, being weak and the last of his disciples, how could we penetrate the master's doctrine? Yet, nevertheless, as much as we have been able, for the enlightenment of your souls, we shall speak according to our strength, as you requested, concerning what we have learned from him and also from those who received grace after him, our divine fathers. Therefore, we shall also take pains to discuss everything that takes place at the Prothesis and in the altar, inquiring, as we are able, into what reasons each thing possesses. And so, we speak in Christ.

CHAPTER LXXIX. What the descent of the bishop from the episcopal throne signifies, and what the sacred vestments are, and the putting on of the same.

The pontiff descends from his throne; this is the descent of God. And bowing down three times to God, he requests grace and power to perform the divine rites, ^B showing that he is a servant of God and that he serves in His ministry by His power. Then he puts on the sacred vestments, which are seven in number, on account of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are: the sticharion, the epitrachelion, the zone, the epimanikia, the epigonation, the phelonion or saccos or polystaurion, and finally the omophorion. All of them together signify the incarnation of Christ, and the things pertaining to the incarnation. Each one, however, has its own particular meaning: the sticharion, being white, represents the pure light of God and the fact that God created ^C and assumed our nature pure. If, however, it is red, it is on account of the passion, because the Word made flesh shed His blood for us. The streams that are seen upon it signify the charisms of doctrine, and also the rivers of the blood of our Savior. Therefore, the episcopal sticharion alone possesses them; as does the mandyas, which itself represents the provident, all-encompassing, and protecting grace of God, gathering and containing the whole body. The streams signify the various movements of doctrine, springing perennially from the two Testaments, the Old and the New, which are indicated by the two testaments; and further, that knowledge of the Gospel of Christ which is open in the breast, that is, in the heart, which he who is ordained upon the head ^D also received as opened. Therefore, "He who believes in me," He says, "rivers of living water shall flow from his belly," that is, the energies of the Holy Spirit, as the sacred Gospel itself teaches, saying: "But this he said about the Spirit whom those who believed in him were about to receive." And because we receive grace, and not the nature of the Spirit, he adds: "For the Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified." What is this? Was the Holy Spirit not yet? For He was, and is, and shall be, according to nature and hypostasis; and He is forever the fountain of charisms. But His charisms were not yet given, since the sacrifice had not yet been offered by means of the cross. For this is what it means: "Jesus was not yet glorified," since the glory of Christ is the cross.

^A

CHAPTER LXXX. On the episcopal pallium, the pectoral chest, and the pastoral staff.

After Christ had been sacrificed, was dead, and had risen and returned into the heavens for our sake, then the Holy Spirit descended and we received grace. And from the hearts of the faithful flow rivers of gifts. The pallium ^B signifies this, as does the sign and confession of faith [the cross or *enkolpion*] hanging upon the breast of the archpriest. For this being on the breast signifies the confession made from the heart. The staff which he holds indicates the power of the Spirit, the duty to strengthen the people and to shepherd them, the authority to guide, to instruct the disobedient, and to gather to himself those who have wandered far away (for this reason it has, in its upper part, certain loops like anchors), and to pursue those who are savage and rabid. Finally, it signifies the cross of Christ and the trophy by which we conquer, and are strengthened, and are guided, and are nurtured, and are sealed, and are led, and are drawn into Christ, mortifying evil desires, pursuing enemies, and being guarded on every side. ^C But also the fact that a lighted lamp is carried before him indicates the splendor of the grace that is in the archpriest, and the transmission of it through him to the priests and to all other believers. For all gifts are in all people through the episcopal grace, and nothing exists without it; for this reason the archpriest is called "light-bearing" by the holy Dionysius, and he imitates the Father of lights, and the true light, Jesus, and possesses the grace of the apostles, who were called the light of the world. And the charismatic gift of teaching signifies light going forth, providing illumination of the knowledge of God and of virtues, and furthermore the angelic and divine and purified and luminous life of holy men, and especially of those teachers about whom it is ^D written: "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. V, 16); and also that the archpriest leads toward the light, imitating Christ the light of the world, as he said; for he is enriched by His grace, and leads to Him those who follow him. These things, then, and things even greater, whatever one might conceive of divine realities, are indicated by these symbols.

CHAPTER LXXXI. That there are seven sacred vestments of the archpriest, and what these are, and what each of them signifies.

The archpriest is vested, as we have said, with the sticharion, as a luminous and holy garment of immortality, manifesting the pure and luminous Jesus, and the purity and radiance of the angels; and the prayer says, from the Psalm: "My soul shall exult in the Lord" (Ps. XXXIV, 9). Then he is vested with the epitrachelion, signifying the grace given from above from heaven, from the head; and the prayer expresses this: "Blessed is God, who pours out His grace upon the priests."

^A Likewise, it signifies the labor of the diaconate, for he who ministers is girded; it further signifies temperance and purity, which are located in the kidneys and the loins. Next he puts on the epigonation, which signifies victory over death and the resurrection of the Savior; it has the shape of a sword. The prayer says of this: "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Mighty One," ^B thereby indicating the power, victory, and resurrection of Christ through purity and sinlessness—for which reason it hangs at the loin—"and in thy majesty and thy beauty, bend thy bow, proceed prosperously, and reign, because of truth and meekness and righteousness." Because of truth, for He Himself is the truth, and "mercy and truth go before thy face, O Lord." Because of meekness, for He patiently endured His sufferings. And because of righteousness, for, having not sinned, He, the mortal One, destroyed death. Then he takes the epimanikia, which indicate the work of God, the creation. The prayer says concerning this: "Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in power," and that other phrase: "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me." ^C Furthermore, they signify that He, who performed His mysteries with His hands, had His hands bound. Then the phelonion—whether it be a sakkos or a polystaurion—which signifies the mantle He wore during the passion. The sakkos in particular, and the polystaurion as well, signify the providential and protective grace of God, which keeps watch over all things, through which He appeared among us and endured the passions.

CHAPTER LXXXII.

The last is the omophorion, which, circling the bishop from his shoulders, represents the salvation and recall of the wandering sheep of mankind; the form of which the Savior took upon Himself, in which He suffered and saved us through the cross. Hence it is made of wool. In front, behind, and upon the breast, it has four crosses, representing the crucifixion. And so the bishop stands clothed and blesses those who minister to him. Now these are ^D the deacons, signifying the angels who rendered their service to the Incarnation. With these deacons, who go two by two because of the good order of the heavens, which those on earth imitate, the bishop proceeds in silence toward the west, coming behind the deacons. This shows how humbly and simply the Savior lived during His first coming, and that He sent out His apostles two by two before His face, to whom the angels were also present, working with them. The bishop, therefore, stands at the western doors with the deacons, representing the descent of Christ to the earth and into Hades itself, through which He delivered both the living and the dead.

Chapter LXXXI. What it signifies that bishops, priests, and clerics who are under the archbishop receive a blessing from him when they wish to put on their holy stoles, and bow their heads and bodies before him.

^A The priest in the altar first prostrates himself before the high priest, showing obedience, and having been deemed worthy of the blessing, he performs the proskomide; for it is necessary that prayer should precede divine works, and that forgiveness should be sought. Therefore, having first received the blessing and kissed the hand of the hierarch, he goes away to perform the liturgy, just as before, when they are about to put on their priestly robes, the deacons do the same—and these, and the priests and archbishops, all do this as a duty, for they have been ordained by the hand of this first archbishop, and they are archbishops and priests and clerics, and they partake of the blessing, and they preserve humility and order; and that they approach God with blessing and forgiveness; and each one comes to fulfill the office of his ministry with obedience and peace.

Having gone away, therefore, after the forgiveness and blessing of the priests, the second [priest]—since he performs the preliminaries of the sacred liturgy, and is, as it were, the second after the first, or rather, declares the typical enigmas and events and proclamations of the prophets: for in the prothesis he says the things pertaining to the slaughter and death of Christ from Isaiah and the rest, and in preparing the gifts [he represents] all [the work] of the Baptist, until the Lord came; for the Baptist, while baptizing, was teaching about Christ, and was proclaiming Him, and was serving Him—and here the second of the priests serves. ^B He goes away, therefore, and with the rest of the priests he is clothed in the priestly vestments. For having prostrated himself three times before the altar, and having prayed the same things which the archbishop prayed, and having kissed the holy table, he shows his love toward God and his union with Him, and that he is sanctified by the altar. He blesses each of the holy vestments just as the archbishop does, and kisses them; and thus he is clothed, showing that they are sanctified, and that they are sanctified in the cross of Christ, and, being put on, they are again givers of sanctification. He is clothed, therefore, with five garments, as he himself is also perfect, and has perfecting grace. For there are five perfect senses of the body, and five powers of the soul, just as the priest also sanctifies, baptizing and sanctifying man.

The garments he puts on are: the sticharion, the epitracheilion, the zone, the epimanikia, and the phainolion. These are white on account of the purity and brightness of grace; but often they are purple in the time of fasting, for the sake of our mourning because we have sinned, and for the sake of Him who was slaughtered for us, so that coming into remembrance of His passion, we might imitate Him, whose passion we are about to celebrate. ^C But some of the first presbyters, namely those who carry the cross, and some of the archimandrites, also have an epigonation. This, however, is a high-priestly gift, as is... ^D