epitrachelion

religious vestment

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Last updated

June 26, 2026

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The epitrachelion is a long, narrow stole worn by bishops and priests in the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is the Orthodox equivalent of the stole worn in Western churches, but it hangs straight down rather than being crossed over the chest.12

In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, liturgical vestments evolved from the garments fashionable in the late Roman Empire. The epitrachelion, along with other vestments like the phelonion (eucharistic garment) and sticharion (undergarment), forms part of the distinctive religious dress of the clergy. While bishops also wear an omophorion and a sakkos, the epitrachelion remains a key vestment for both priests and bishops.2

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stole
…churches and eventually the equivalent epitrachelion was worn by priests. The scarflike vestment was adopted somewhat later in the West, and the Latin term stola came into use in the 9th century.
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…churches and eventually the equivalent epitrachelion was worn by priests. The scarflike vestment was adopted somewhat later in the West, and the Latin term stola came into use in the 9th century.
Read More

religious dress
Eastern Orthodox religious dress
The epitrachelion is the Orthodox equivalent of the stole, but it hangs straight instead of being crossed over the chest, as is the case with the stole in Western churches. On the deacon, the epitrachelion is pinned to the left shoulder and hangs in front and…
Read More
The epitrachelion is the Orthodox equivalent of the stole, but it hangs straight instead of being crossed over the chest, as is the case with the stole in Western churches. On the deacon, the epitrachelion is pinned to the left shoulder and hangs in front and…
Read More