Terminology -

PHANAR, THE – The part of Constantinople in which is situated the official residence of the Ecumenical Patriarch at Constantinople. It is the Greek quarter of the city.

PHELONION (CHASUBLE) – The topmost and chief vestment of a priest. It is of brocade or other material, reaching nearly to the ground at the back and sides, and short, just to cover the breast in the front. The bishop wears the sakkos instead.

PILGRIMAGES – Journeys to holy places undertaken from motives of devotion to obtain divine help or as acts of penance or thanksgiving.

POLYCHRONION – (Sl. Mnogaya Lyeta) “For many years.” A congratulatory chant.

POLYEILEON– (Gr. much mercy and much oil). The second part of Matins on Sunday eve glorifies Christ’s resurrection, or the particular Feast or Saint whose day it is. It is the most solemn, joyful and bright part of the service. We praise God’s mercies and in the old days all the oil lamps were lit… Read More

PRESANCTIFIED, LITURGY OF – A Liturgy at which there is no consecration, the Bread being consecrated at a previous Liturgy is used for Communion. The Liturgy of the Presanctified is used on Wednesdays and Fridays during Great Lent. It begins with a Vesper service; there is no Epistle or Gospel unless it is a feast… Read More

PRESTOL – (Sl. throne) The Altar table in the Sanctuary representing the throne of God.

PRIEST – 1) (presbyter) One who has been properly (canonically) ordained to administer the Holy Sacraments and to preach the Word of God. A candidate for priesthood must meet the requirements of education and moral character. 2)  (an appellation or Title of Jesus)  “For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order… Read More

PRIMATE – The title of the ruling archbishop. He exercises jurisdiction over the bishops of a district or country.  Usually, primate refers to the first hierarch of an autocephalous or autonomous Orthodox Church. Less often, it is used to refer to the ruling bishop of an archdiocese or diocese. The primate of an autocephalous church… Read More

PRO-CATHEDRAL – A church used temporarily by a bishop as a cathedral.

PROKIMENON – (Gradual) (Prokimenon) (pl. Prokeimena) A verse and refrain which is read and sung before the reading of the Epistle.- On most Sundays, the prokeimenon of the resurrection, for the tone of the week (from the Octoechos), is chanted. A form of responsorial singing consisting of a psalm-verse refrain and, by extension — the… Read More

PROSPHORA – The Altar Breads. Bread made from pure wheat flour, round, in 2 “layers,” signifying the two natures in Jesus Christ, stamped on the top with a four-pointed cross, thus dividing it into four parts, each part is marked with the following letters: 1C, XC, NI, KA (NIKA are first letters of words meaning… Read More

PROSTRATION – A posture of humility or adoration when in prayer one kneels and bows the head to the floor.

PROTHESIS – The Greek word used (1) for the table (zhertvennik) on which the preparation of the elements for Divine Liturgy is made; (2) for the Proskomidiya itself.

PROTOMARTYR – One of the various customary saint titles used in commemoration at divine services when remembering saints on the Church Calendar. – The first martyr in a given region (in the case of St. Stephen ( ACTS 7:60) , the first martyr of the whole Church).

PROTOPRESBYTER – A title of honor given by the Council of Bishops to an archpriest for long or outstanding service to the Church.

PSALTER – 1. The Psalter is the book of David, the King and Prophet. It is so termed because the majority of the psalms in it were written by the holy Prophet David. In these psalms, the holy Prophet opens his soul to God, with grief in repenting for the sins he has committed, and… Read More

PSALOMSCHIK (Sl.) – A psalm reader or lector. A layman who reads or sings the responses.

PYX – The box or vessel in which the Reserved Sacraments are kept in the Tabernacle, and also the box which is used for carrying the Reserved Sacraments to give communion to the sick.

OBLATION – a) Proskomedia. A service of preparation of the elements of bread and wine before the beginning of Divine Liturgy, (b) Table of Oblation (Zhertvennik) The table on the left side of the Sanctuary where the preparation of the elements is made.

OCTAVE – The commemoration of a feast over a period of eight days from the day of the feast to the Apodosis (Otdaniye).

ODE – (Sl. Irmos) Biblical Odes (also called canticles) One of the nine canticles of the canon sung at Matins. They are nine hymns that are taken directly from Scripture.? The (First) Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-19), The (Second) Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:1-43), The Prayer of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10), The Prayer of Habakkuk… Read More

OKTOECHOS – (Octoechos, or Book of the Eight Tones) Service book containing the Canons and hymns of the eight Tones, used at Vespers and Matins services. It contains poetic hymns, in the form of troparia, kontakia, canons, and so forth. They are divided into eight groups of melodies, or tones. Each tone contains the hymnody… Read More

OLD TESTAMENT – The first part of the Bible, the books written before the coming of Christ. They are divided into four groups: 1. Books of the Law; 2. Historical Books; 3. Doctrinal and 4. Prophetical. The Old Testament scripture begins with the five books of the Law called the Pentateuch, which means the five… Read More