Mantle (monastic vesture)

A mantle (Koinē Greek: μανδύας, romanized: mandyas; Church Slavonic: мантия, romanized: mantiya) is an ecclesiastical garment in the form of a very full cape that extends to the floor, joined at the neck, that is worn over the outer garments.

The mantle was first mentioned in the Old Testament, as a garment worn by several prophets including Elijah and Elisha.

The original monastic mantle was of simple material: black, brown or grey, depending on what was at hand.

In the contemporary practice of the Eastern Orthodox Church, monks and nuns wear solid black mantles.

In common practice, monks wear a black veil that covers a Kalimavkion, a cylindrical hat.

The folds of the Mantle are symbolical of the all-embracing power of God; and also of the strictness, piety and meekness of the monastic life; and that the hands and other members of a monk do not live, and are not fitted for worldly activity, but are all dead.

"[2] "[The mantle] is called 'the garment of incorruption and purity' [in the text of the Tonsure ceremony], and the absence of sleeves is to remind the monk that he is debarred from worldly pursuits.

A strip of cloth is torn from the bottom of their mantle and is used to bind their body three times: around the chest, around the waist, and around the feet.

The mantle worn by an archimandrite will be joined in front at the bottom as well as at the neck, and will have "tablets" or "pectorals" (Greek: πόματα, pómata; Slavonic: skrizhali)—rectangular pieces of red or green cloth sewn onto the corners of the mantle (i.e., two at the neck and two at the feet).

Among the Greeks, it is common for all bishops regardless of rank, to wear a red mantle; however, many also use purple during Great Lent.

In the Russian tradition, the episcopal mantiya is characteristically decorated with red and white horizontal ribbons, called "rivers" or "streams" (Greek: ποταμοί, potamoí; Slavonic: Istochniki), symbolizing the word of God going out into the entire world (Ezekiel 47:1–12, John 7:38, Revelation 22:1).