lled plaques of gold or silver. Texts in Greek or Sclavonic
often border the whole of the edges of the garment. These are
elaborately worked in gold or silver, or the letters formed completely
of seed-pearls. The _saccos_ of the Metropolitan Peter (made in
1322), of Alexis (1364), of Photius (1414), and of Dionysius (made
in 1583), are remarkable vestments of this character, to be found
in the patriarchal sacristy at Moscow. The stoles, which usually
correspond, are long, narrow, and nearly straight-sided to the
bottom. A peculiar episcopal ornament is the _epigonation_. It is
a large lozenge-shaped ornament embroidered and worked in a similar
manner to the other vestments, and by bishops is worn hanging from
the right side.

The usual form of mitre of a pope of the Russian church is well-known.
The earlier kind was a sort of low cap with a border of fur, something
like the cap of a royal crown, and probably not different in type
from the head-dresses of bishops of the west. Some are sewn thick
with pearls bordering and heightening the lines of the figures of
saints, and forming the outlines of the Sclavonic inscriptions.
Such is that of Joassof, first patriarch of the Russian church
(1558). Those of later times are often of metal richly set with
precious stones. Sometimes they assume a more conical form, surmounted
by a cross, like an imperial crown, as that which is termed the
Constantinople mitre, said to have been made in the time of Ivan
the Terrible. The mitre of the celebrated Nikon (1655), who aspired
to papal prerogatives, is diadem-shaped and remarkable for the
richness of the precious stones with which it is set. The most
usual shape recalls to some extent the favourite cupola, spreading
out from the base to the top.

The form of the chalice used in the Russian church varies considerably,
as it does also in that of the Latin church. In general characteristics
the two have much in common. In early times the chalice was made of
wood or crystal as well as of gold and silver. An ancient chalice
of crystal is preserved in the Cathedral of the Assumption at Moscow,
and the wooden ones of SS. Sergius and Nikon are in the sacristy
at Troitsa. On some old icons our Lord is represented as giving
the holy communion to the apostles out of narrow-necked vessels
which appear to be made of alabaster.

The Greek rite for the celebration of the holy eucharist requires
three things which are not used in the western church.