Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Not quite a cappa...

I always liked the mandya or mantya of the Orthodox Churches.

As a Glossary of Common Terms in the Orthodox Church explains, the mandya is a "long, capelike episcopal vesture, usually purple in colour with ribbons and tablets which represent the law and the flowing streams of the Holy Spirit."

I find the cappa to be more 'elegant' and 'baroque' with exactly the right amount of unnecessary fabric rustling around the prelate's arms. But as far as the variety of in-your-face colors goes, it is hard to beat the mandya. Here are some great photos that a kind reader sent in:


Watered silk,...

... trains,...

... (and then some)...

... and color! Here's some purple.

I love this blue-turquoise-ish color! Green... hmm... well, alright...

More purple/violet/rose-ish

And even...

... black!

I wonder if there are any red mantyas?

Everybody wave, smile and say "Thanks!" to sender-inner Kevin!

8 comments:

Bob said...

Thanks for the great pics.

Are the colours relevant, or can one wear what ones pleases.

Kim Andrew D'Souza said...

Although you may have been hoping for something more like the a cardinal's scarlet, the Patriarch of Constantinople does wears a red mandyas, but it's a very deep red - almost maroon. You can see some pictures here: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2008/06/solemn-vespers-for-inauguration-of.html
I choose that particular post because the comments contain more information on the customs regarding the use of various colours.

leo said...

Thanks, Kim!
Nice photos and good information from NLM!

Anonymous said...

Gregory III Laham: Patriarch of Antioch of the Melkite Catholic Church: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Gregiii2.jpg


at left: Lubomyr Husar, major Archbishop of Kiev of the Ukrainian Catholic Church:
http://www.brama.com/news/press/thumbs/021116husar-losten400.jpg

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I
29/6/2004: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/photogallery/2004/popup/20040629_5.html

27/11/2004: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/photogallery/2004/popup/20041127_5.html


Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras:
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=Partiarch+Athenagoras+source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPartiarch%2BAthenagoras%2Bsource:life%26hl%3Dit%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&imgurl=dc1be3195575bfd4


His Beatitude Teoctist,
Patriarch of the Romenian Orthodox Church 13/10/2002:
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2002/img/20021013_n3.jpg

Kim Andrew D'Souza said...

Whoops... I just noticed all the typos in my previous comment. Anyhow, that last picture of the late Teoctist reminded me that the Romanian patriarch wears red, so, here are some more red mandyas courtesy of current Patriarch Daniel of Romania:

http://02varvara.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/patriarch-daniel-of-romania.jpg

http://www.patriarhia.ro/_layouts/images/Image/AlbumPFDANIEL/Vizita%20MMB%2009/12%20citire%20tomos.JPG

http://www.patriarhia.ro/_layouts/images/Image/AlbumPFDANIEL/Vizita%20MMB%2009/14%20inmanare%20carja.JPG

http://www.patriarhia.ro/_layouts/images/Image/AlbumPFDANIEL/Vizita%20MMB%2009/11%20binecuvantare%20ps%20iochim.JPG

http://www.patriarhia.ro/_layouts/images/Image/AlbumPFDANIEL/IPS%20Teofan/da%20engolpion.jpg

http://www.patriarhia.ro/_layouts/images/Image/AlbumPFDANIEL/IPS%20Teofan/da%20crucea.jpg

http://www.patriarhia.ro/_layouts/images/Image/AlbumPFDANIEL/IPS%20Teofan/da%20camilafca.jpg

http://www.patriarhia.ro/_layouts/images/Image/AlbumPFDANIEL/IPS%20Teofan/arhierei%20mitropolia.jpg

http://www.patriarhia.ro/_layouts/images/Image/AlbumPFDANIEL/Inscaunarea%20IPS%20Irineu%20%20-%20Mitropolitul%20Olteniei%20%2827%20iulie%202008%29/Picture%20524.jpg

http://www.patriarhia.ro/_layouts/images/Image/AlbumPFDANIEL/Inscaunarea%20IPS%20Irineu%20%20-%20Mitropolitul%20Olteniei%20%2827%20iulie%202008%29/Picture%20908.jpg

Many more to be found at http://www.patriarhia.ro/en/patriarch/events_photos.html

Anonymous said...

Russian Orthodox priests gather during the congress to elect a new patriarch:

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0a6J86y4EA8xv/340x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/07pe1DIciufjp/610x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/06uO2fF48u97r/340x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0cv76pX2kt1l8/610x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0cZg24LfMddip/610x.jpg

Anonymous said...

mons. Giovanni Stamati Catholic Bishop of Lungro degli Italo-Albanesi (Italy):
http://www.arbitalia.it/news/mazziotti/2009/VESCOVO_STAMATI.gif

Don Jon said...

What I do recall is that, among the Russians, green is for the patriarch, turquoise is for metropolitans.

For those who have had the chance to view the enthronement liturgy for the current patriarch, Kiril I, you would have seen him change from his blue/turquoise into his green, together with a change of kamilafka.