The Orarion is the distinguishing vestment of the deacon in the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is a narrow stole, usually four to five inches wide and about ten feet long, made of brocade with seven crosses embroidered or appliquéd along its length. The deacon wears the orarion over his left shoulder with the front portion draped over his left forearm. He will often take this section in his right hand when leading litanies or drawing attention to a particular liturgical action.

Deacons may be awarded the double orarion, which is worn over the left shoulder, wrapped around the chest and back, and brought back over the left shoulder to the front. In Greek practice, all deacons wear the double orarion. When preparing for Communion, the deacon will tie the orarion around his waist, bringing the ends up over his shoulders (forming a cross in back) and then down in front, tucking them under the section around the waist.

The subdeacon also wears the orarion, but always wrapped around his body in the manner described above. In the Greek tradition, tonsured taper-bearers wear the orarion similarly crossed in back, but with the ends hanging parallel in front.

Eastern Catholics follow the same tradition as do their Orthodox counterparts. In Greek-Catholic practice, the double-orarion is worn only over the left shoulder (folded to make up for length) over a cassock if the deacon in question is preaching but not participating otherwise. Subdeacons wear theirs crossing in front and back, and servers wear theirs crossed in back and hanging like an "H" in the front. Byzantine Catholics of Slavic tradition tend not to have their servers wear an orarion. Latinization is mostly to blame for this according to most Greek tradition clergy.

Orari | Orarion

Eastern Orthodoxy | Orthodox vestments