When our Metropolitan visits our parish, there will be some

additionstotheLiturgy.
HestandsorsitsattheBishopsThrone,whichistotherightof
theiconscreen.
Orthodoxnormallystandwhentheyworship.Westandduring
theLiturgywhenevertheMetropolitanstands,unlesshesignals
ustosit.
DuringtheGreatLitany,wemuststandatleastuntilafterthe
petitionfortheMetropolitanandhisblessing.
EachtimetheMetropolitanblessesus,webowfromthewaist
asasignthatweaccepthisblessing,andwejointhechoirand
chantersingEispollaetiDespota,(Manyyears,Master).

DURINGTHEDIVINELITURGY

HowtoaskfortheMetropolitansblessing.
When greeting the Metropolitan, bend slightly forward, cup
your left hand, place your right hand over your left hand and
thenask,MayIhaveyourblessingyourEminence?
He will make the Sign of the Cross over your hand and lay his
handintoyourcuppedhandsatwhichtimeyoukisshishand.
We kiss the hands of those who touch holy things. A
MetropolitantouchestheEucharist,theChrismandlayshands
onmenduringordination.
How do we address a Metropolitan? Keep in mind that all
hierarchs are bishops. The difference has to do with their
respective responsibility. Metropolitans, Archbishops and
Patriarchseachareresponsibleforlargerterritories.
Bishop YourGrace
MetropolitanorArchbishop YourEminence
Patriarch YourAllHoliness
Timeswhenwestand
We honor the Metropolitan by standing when the he enters a
roomjustaswewouldforthePresidentoftheUnitedStates.
Wealsostandandwhenherisestoleave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EPISCOPALETIQUETTE

Prepared by Phyllis Meshel Onest, M.Div., Director,

Office of Religious Education, Metropolis of Pittsburgh, 2010

Orthodox throughout the world sing this response in Greek

sinceGreekwasthelanguageoftheearlyChurch.
Nearly all the blessings of the Liturgy are offered by the
Metropolitan
Eachblessingcomesattheendofaprayer.Ifwearesitting
during those prayers, we need to stand before they end,
readyfortheblessing.(Thisistrueanytimeweworship.)

DuringthehymnHolyGodavarietyofthingsoccur.
Itissungmorethanthreetimes.
Theclergy,peopleandtheMetropolitanalternateitssinging.
TheMetropolitanexitsthealtarcarryingthetrikirianddikiri.
(Trikiri3 candles bound together representing the Holy
Trinity & held in his right hand. Dikiri2 candles bound
together representing the two natures of Christ, both God
andman&heldinhislefthand.)
Hethenlooksuptoheavenandsaysthreetimes,Lord,Lord
lookdownfromHeavenuponthisvineyardwhichyouhave
planted.(Psalm79:15,16)
WerespondEisPollaetiDespotaandtheHolyGodhymn
continues.

Every Bishop has a FIMI a theme song a hymn that

identifieshimandthecityofhisepiscopalseat.
WhenMetropolitanMaximosserves,heintonesthenameof
theEcumenicalPatriarchBartholomewandthenheandthe
clergysingthePatriarchsFimi.
Next, the clergy intone the Metropolitans name and lead
thechoirandthepeopleinsinginghisFimi.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, as well as after the
Metropolitans benediction at any social gathering, it is
customaryforthedeaconorapriesttointonethehymn,Ton
Despotitowhichotherclergypresentandthelaityjoininthe
singing.

BishopsVestments

TRIPLECANDLE/TRIKIRI
representsthethreepersonsoftheHolyTrinity.
DOUBLECANDLE/DIKIRI
representsChristasfullyGodandfullyman.

MITRE Crown. The sign of

the bishops authority in the
Church.
OMOPHORION

wraps
around his shoulders; symbol
of
episcopal
authority;
represents the lost sheep
Jesus,theGoodShepherdtook
uponHisshoulderstobringto
theFather.
PANAGIA an icon of Jesus
and His mother Mary, the
Theotokos,remindsthebishop
tokeephisheartpure.
EPIGONATIONRectangular
stiffclothsuspendedfromthe
belt;reachestheknee;
signifiesthepoweroffighting
theenemiesoftheChurch.
SAKKOS reminds us of the
seamless robe the soldiers
took from Jesus; signifies the
humblenessofashepherd.
STOLE or EPITRACHELION
signifies the Grace of the
priesthood; worn by priests &
bishop at all ceremonies and
sacraments.
STAFFsignofhisspiritual authority; like the staff of a shepherd; the
shepherdwhoguardsus.

WhenMetropolitanMaximosVisits

Maximos,theMostReverendandGodChosenMetropolitanof
the Holy Metropolis of Pittsburgh, our Spiritual Father and
Shepherd,manyyears.

EisPollaManyYears
Eis/polla/eti/Despota/Manyyearstoyou,Master.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TonDespotiTheBishop/Archbishop/Metropolitan
TonDespoti/ke/Arhierea/imon/Kyrie/filatte/
Eis/polla/eti/Despota/(3x)
Lord,protectourmaster&hierarch./Manyyearstoyou,
Master.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FimiMetropolitanMaximos
Maximou/tu/sevasmiotatu
Ke/Theoprovlitu/Mitropolitu
Tis/ayiotatis/Mitropoleos/Pittsburgh
imon/dhe/Patros/ke/pimenarhu/pola/ta/eti

HYMNSRELATEDTOTHEMETROPOLITAN

TheBishopisalsotheShepherdofhisDiocese,justasChristwas
the Good Shepherd. The Omophorion represents the sheep that
theGoodShepherdhasoverhisshoulders,andintimespast,was
wovenfromlambswooltomaintainthemetaphor.

OrthodoxBishopscantracetheirordinationstothe
ApostlesApostolicSuccession.Theirtaskoverthe
centuries has been to preserve the purity of the
faith and guard against false teaching. It was the
Bishops who attended the Ecumenical Councils,
who,withtheguidanceoftheHolySpirit,clarifiedandcodifiedthe
teachingsofwhoisChrist,theHolySpiritandtheHolyTrinity.As
oneChurchFathersaid,Wherethebishopis,thereisthechurch.
Nothingistobedonewithoutthebishopsblessing.