The epigonation (

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

: , literally meaning "over the knee"), or pálitsa (

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

: , "

club Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises * ...

"), is a

vestment Vestments are Liturgy, liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christianity, Christian religion, especially by Eastern Christianity, Eastern Churches, Catholic Church, Catholics (of all rites), Lutherans, and Anglicans. ...

used in some

Eastern Christian Eastern Christianity comprises Christianity, Christian traditions and Christian denomination, church families that originally developed during Classical antiquity, classical and late antiquity in the Eastern Mediterranean region or locations fu ...

churches.

Description and usage

Eastern Orthodoxy Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...

and

Eastern Catholic Churches The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also known as the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (''sui iuris'') particular churches of ...

which follow the

Byzantine Rite The Byzantine Rite, also known as the Greek Rite or the Rite of Constantinople, is a liturgical rite that is identified with the wide range of cultural, devotional, and canonical practices that developed in the Eastern Christianity, Eastern Chri ...

the palitza is worn by all

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

s, and as an

ecclesiastical award An Ecclesiastial award is an official award, honor or Privilege (canon law), privilege presented by ecclesiastical authority. Eastern Orthodox Church In the Eastern Orthodox Church certain official awards and honours may be bestowed upon memb ...

for some

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

s. Its origin may be traced to the practice of Byzantine Emperors awarding ceremonial

sword A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...

s to their military commanders in recognition of their valour in defending the empire. Such swords were often accompanied by elaborate thigh-shields which were suspended from the belt and protected the leg from bruising caused by the constant bumping of the sword against the thigh. When the emperors began to give awards to the clergy, the thigh-shield alone was awarded. According to another theory, the garment may be traced to the Roman

mappa is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Nakano, Tokyo (formerly in Suginami, Tokyo). Founded in 2011 by Madhouse co-founder and producer Masao Maruyama, it has produced anime works including '' Terror in Resonance'', '' Yuri!!! on I ...

, an aristocratic handkerchief carried in hand (which is also postulated to be the origin of the Western Christian maniple). Supporting this interpretation are early pictorial depictions which show both bishops and the Virgin Mary holding a decorative piece of fabric in hand or hanging from their girdles. The vestment is a stiff,

lozenge Lozenge or losange may refer to: * Lozenge (shape), a type of rhombus *Throat lozenge A throat lozenge (also known as a cough drop, sore throat sweet, troche, cachou, pastille or cough sweet) is a small, typically medicated tablet intended to ...

-shaped cloth that hangs on the right side of the body below the waist, suspended by one corner from a strap drawn over the left shoulder. In the Russian tradition it is an award for service; in the Greek tradition it is usually a sign that the priest has an advanced academic degree and a

blessing In religion, a blessing (also used to refer to bestowing of such) is the impartation of something with doctrines of grace, grace, Sacred, holiness, spiritual Redemption (theology), redemption, or Will of God, divine will. Etymology and Germani ...

to hear

confession A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of people – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information that ...

s. If a Russian priest has been awarded both the

nabedrennik A nabedrennik (Church Slavonic: набе́дренникъ - nabédrennik, "on the thigh") is a vestment worn by some Russian Orthodox priests. It is a square or rectangular cloth. Like the epigonation, it is worn at the right hip, suspended fr ...

and the ''palitza'', he shifts the former to the left side. It is considered to symbolise the "sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (); that is to say, the wearer's defending of the faith by smiting all that is impure and vicious. Upon donning his palitza, the cleric prays: "''Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O Mighty One, in thy comeliness and thy beauty; and exert, and fare Thee well, and reign in the name of truth, and of meekness, and of justice; and Thy right hand shall guide Thee wondrously. Now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen''".

History

The epigonation's origin is uncertain. According to some authorities it was a decorated ''

tablion The () was a rectangular or trapezoidal panel embroidered on the ceremonial mantle (''chlamys'') of courtiers during the Byzantine Empire. __NOTOC__ The were chosen to contrast with the mantle colour, and sewn pairwise on the front edges of the ...

'' or thigh-shield awarded to officials in the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

, originally military and later civilian. According to others it was originally an ornamental handkerchief, called at that date ''encheirion'', "hand cloth", which received its present form and name in the twelfth century. The ''encheirion'' is first depicted in the Menologion of Basil II. In the former case it has no

Western Christian Western Christianity is one of two subdivisions of Christianity (Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic Ch ...

counterpart; in the latter it would correspond to the

Sub-cinctorium The subcinctorium is an ornamental vestment reserved for the pope, and the Patriarch of Lisbon, which is worn at solemn pontifical Mass. It is very similar to, but somewhat broader than, the maniple in form and nature. The vestment is approxi ...

, used by Roman popes in solemn masses. It is also said that it was used to carry documents relating to one's position in the Church. Papers such as those certifying one's ordination and rank would be most relevant when travelling. Carrying them in the Liturgy would be symbolic of bearing one's authority to conduct the Holy things of the Liturgy. During the

Mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' *Mystery, a seahorse that SpongeBob SquarePants adopts in the episode " My Pre ...

(Sacrament) of

Ordination Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...

, a priest or

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...

is taken in procession three times around the

Holy Table An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in Christian ...

(altar), after each circuit he bows down before the bishop and kisses his epigonation and his right hand. Also, in some liturgical traditions, when a bishop performs a lesser ordination, such as the setting-apart of a

subdeacon Subdeacon is a minor orders, minor order of ministry for men or women in various branches of Christianity. The subdeacon has a specific liturgical role and is placed below the deacon and above the acolyte in the order of precedence. Subdeacons in ...

, he lays his epigonation over the candidate's head as he says the prayer.

Armenian usage

The ''gonker'' (epigonation) is used exclusively by the two Catholicoi of the

Armenian Apostolic Church The Armenian Apostolic Church () is the Autocephaly, autocephalous national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christianity, Christian churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church, like the Armenian Catholic ...

and is granted occasionally with special authorization to patriarchs. The Catholicos of the

Armenian Catholic Church The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic particular church ''sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church. It accepts the papal supremacy, leadership of the bishop of Rome, and is therefore in full communion with ...

also wears it, although it does not appear to be exclusive to him. The recently ordained archbishop for the Armenian Catholic Archeparchy of Constantinople wore a gonker at his ordination. An image of

Saint Blaise Blaise of Sebaste (, ''Hágios Blásios''; martyred 316 AD) was a physician and bishop of Sivas, Sebastea in historical Lesser Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey) who is venerated as a Christian saint and martyr. He is counted as one of the Fourteen ...

of Sebaste in the Armenian Catholic parish of San Nicola da Tolentino in Rome depicts the saint wearing a gonker.

Vesting prayer (the same as
Nabedrennik A nabedrennik (Church Slavonic: набе́дренникъ - nabédrennik, "on the thigh") is a vestment worn by some Russian Orthodox priests. It is a square or rectangular cloth. Like the epigonation, it is worn at the right hip, suspended fr ...
)

Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most Mighty: according to thy worship and renown. Good luck have thou with thine honour: ride on, because of the word of truth , of meekness, and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. (

Psalm 45 Psalm 45 is the 45th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "My heart is inditing a good matter". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of th ...

: 4-5) Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

References

Sources