Symbolism of liturgical vestments

Symbolism of liturgical vestments
Pr. Dr. Vlăduț-Iulian ROȘU
The term „liturgical vestments” means both the vestments of the ministers and other liturgical objects, such as epitaphs, anti-myses, ilitons, the coverings of the sacred vessels or other materials which, by their use, adorn the church or form part of the proper conduct of religious services.
The work is structured in three chapters and aims to expose the symbolic evolution of the vestments of the three priestly ranks: deacon, priest and bishop. Although research on this topic falls within the sphere of liturgical studies, in Western theology the subject of liturgical vestments formally belongs to a science called „paramenticæ”. This discipline analyzes the making of religious textiles and the endowment of churches with them (with the actual study of the „paraments”, i.e. the materials), to which are added notions of the history and symbolism of liturgical vestments and the psychology of colors.