ii8 ANDREW J. SHIPMAN MEMORIAL 



tering and cutting away this vestment until it has lost its origi- 

 nal form, and each has cut it in a different way. Undoubtedly 

 it hampered the arms ; so the Roman church authorities cut it 

 away at the sides, until all of it covering the arms was gone, 

 and so produced their modern chasuble, while the Greeks of 

 the East and of Russia cut it away in front, until only a small 

 portion was left, thus making the Russo-Greek chasuble of 

 to-day totally different from the Roman one. But in Italy 

 and Sicily the ancient form has been preserved, and a Greek 

 Italian priest, when vested, has a flowing chasuble, or felonio, 

 which comes down equally on all sides, just as it did in the 

 beginning. 



The Greek bishops, however, wear other and different Mass 

 vestments from the priests. Instead of the felonio, they wear 

 the sc£co, a sort of chasuble with sleeves, which was origi- 

 nally a court dress, conferred on bishops in the Emperor Con- 

 stantine's time, but which has become the chief episcopal vest- 

 ment. Over this is the omoforio, or pallium, which is a broad 

 band, knotted in front with one end thrown over the shoulder. 

 It was originally a scarf of wool. On the right side is the 

 epigonazio, or thigh shield. This is a curious vestment worn 

 by bishops and high prelates. It dates from early times, when 

 the bishops of the Eastern Church were placed on a rank with 

 princes and generals, who always were required to appear in 

 public wearing their swords, and who wore a piece of cloth to 

 prevent their swords from rubbing their vestments. Being 

 men of peace, the churchmen contented themselves with wear- 

 ing only the piece of cloth, usually with a sword embroidered 

 on it, and to indicate their peaceful mission also wore it on the 

 right side. It was a symbol that they must guard their flock 

 from evil. The Greek mitre is a round head-dress, containing 

 a picture or embroidery of the four evangelists, and usually 

 surmounted by a cross. The present Roman mitre was derived 

 from the habit of folding this head-dress, or cap — a thing 

 which the Greeks did not do. The crozier is a staff with two 

 curving serpents' heads, in allusion to our Saviour's command, 

 "Be ye wise as serpents." ^ 



Their sacred vessels consist of the chalice, the patena, the 

 lance, the star, and the spoon, besides certain veils and corpo- 

 rals not used in the Roman rite. 



1 Matthew, X, 16. 



