Touching priest’s vestments

[RileyG]

Hi all,

I saw a random video of Holy Saturday being celebrated, and when the priest was walking by, many of the parishioners were touching his vestments as he walked by.

Is this common? Greek tradition? Russian?

Peace

 

[Lukaris]

Yes, it is a common tradition traceable to situations like the woman touching the Lord’s garment ( Mark 5:25-34). It varies as to where and frequency it will be observed.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I have seen it as more Byzantine tradition and have not seen it as much in more Slavic practices.

 

[RileyG]

I have seen it as more Byzantine tradition and have not seen it as much in more Slavic practices.

Slavic and Byzantine are different? Can you please elaborate? Thank you.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Slavic and Byzantine are different? Can you please elaborate? Thank you.

only that I have seen that practice more commonly in the more Byzantine jurisdictions than the Slavic ones.

 

[RileyG]

only that I have seen that practice more commonly in the more Byzantine jurisdictions than the Slavic ones.

Aren’t all Orthodox Churches Byzantine, and the Slavic are those of the Slavic countries in Europe? I’m just confused by the terminology is all?

 

[ArmyMatt]

Aren’t all Orthodox Churches Byzantine, and the Slavic are those of the Slavic countries in Europe? I’m just confused by the terminology is all?

when I say Byzantine, I mean those historically in the Byzantine empire. so the Greeks, Antiochians, Jerusalem, etc instead of the Russians, OCA, Georgians, etc.

at least here in the States.

 

[RileyG]

when I say Byzantine, I mean those historically in the Byzantine empire. so the Greeks, Antiochians, Jerusalem, etc instead of the Russians, OCA, Georgians, etc.

at least here in the States.

Ahhhh, thanks for clarifying! I appreciate it

 

[ArmyMatt]

Ahhhh, thanks for clarifying! I appreciate it

no problem!

 

[gzt]

From what I've seen, and this is definitely up for correction, it's even more localized than that, as an Antiochian rather than Greek tradition.

 

[prodromos]

From what I've seen, and this is definitely up for correction, it's even more localized than that, as an Antiochian rather than Greek tradition.

It occurs in Greek parishes too, although I think it is more of a spontaneous response than a tradition.

 

[Not David]

Hi all,

I saw a random video of Holy Saturday being celebrated, and when the priest was walking by, many of the parishioners were touching his vestments as he walked by.

Is this common? Greek tradition? Russian?

Peace

We do that in my Antiochian Church.

 

[E.C.]

Slavic and Byzantine are different? Can you please elaborate? Thank you.

Different flavors of ice cream; think of it like Irish vs Italian Catholics

Touching the priest's vestments is very common among Antiochian Arabs who are part of the larger Byzantine tradition. I've seen it among Greek parishes, but not as commonly as Arab ones.

What's funny is when you have a parish where the Arabs are the first ones the priest walks by and then the Slavs start doing it when the priest walks by them and have confused looks on their faces