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Question 24.

Father your blessing!


 Why do Deacons rearrange their orarion (like that of a subdeacon) when they commune the honourable Body and Blood of Christ during the Divine Liturgy?


With respect,

Evangelos

 

Answer to Question 24.

Dear Evangelos,

 

The Deacon’s Orarion symbolises the wings of angels: that is why they are often decorated with angels of have written on it the first verse of the angelic hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Sabaoth. Also the front end which the Deacon holds symbolises the New Testament and the other end symbolises the Old Testament. During the recital of the Lord’s Prayer the Deacon wraps the Orarion around his back and brings the two ends to the front. This is done for purely practical reasons so that with the Orarion tied he can have freedom of movement during communion without the Orarion just hanging loose which might cause a mishap.
 

With love in Christ
Fr. Christopher