Sakkos

The Sakkos (Greek: σάκκος, "sackcloth" [; ).

History

Originally, all bishops wore a phelonion similar to the one worn by priests, but woven or embroidered with a multilayered cross pattern called the "polystavrion" ("many-crosses"). The use of the sakkos was a privilege bestowed by the "Basileus" (Emperor) upon individual patriarchs as a sign of his personal favor. The first literary evidence for the garment is found in the writings of Balsamon, Patriarch of Antioch (ca. 1130–1140). By the 13th century it worn by all the patriarchs and a few high-ranking archbishops—but only on Pascha (Easter) and the Great Feasts of Pentecost and Nativity; other bishops continued to wear the polystavrion. After the fall of Constantinople (1453) it came into general use by bishops. The sakkos is now worn by all Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic bishops, regardless of rank. Unlike Western pontificalia which may be worn by prelates who are not bishops—provided they have the privilege of doing so—the sakkos may only be worn by a bishop.

Use

The bishop wears the sakkos when he vests fully to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, at the Great Doxology at Matins when there is an All-Night Vigil, or on specific other occasions when called for by the rubrics (for instance, at the bringing out of the Epitaphios on Great and Holy Friday, or the cross on the Great Feast of the Exaltation). At other services, he will wear the episcopal "Mantle" ( and says the Prayer of the Sakkos:

Thy high priests shall by clothed in glory, and Thy saints shall rejoice with joy, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

This prayer is identical to that used by a priest when he vests in the phelonion, except that instead of saying "Thy high priests", a priest says simply, "Thy priests".

In some traditions, a bishop may choose to celebrate the Liturgy "as a priest"; meaning he does not vest in full episcopal vestments, nor does he make use of the "dikirion" and "trikirion" (episcopal candlesticks). Instead of the sakkos he wears a priestly phelonion, with only the small omophorion on his shoulders and the epigonation at his side. The bishop will in this instance, as always, wear his Panagia enkolpion, and will stand on the eagle rug. Moreover, certain ceremonial practices are not observed as they would be for a full hierarchal service.

References

External links

* [http://www.metmuseum.org/special/Byzantium/g5_pop_2.R.asp Vatican Sakkos] Byzantine (Constantinople or Thessalonike), 14th century
* [http://textplay.net/pages/0013.htm Saccos (sakkos) of patriarsh Nikon, 1654]