Sakos of Archbishop Theodosius

Among the liturgical robes from the collection of the Chernihiv Historical Museum named after VV. Tarnovsky, a unique vestment is preserved - the sakos of Saint Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernihiv (Інв. No. I-1315).

Do 1688 year, with the blessing of Chernihiv Archbishop Lazar Baranovich, Feodosiy Ughlytskyi moves from Kyiv, where he was the abbot of the St. Michael Vydubyt monastery near Chernihiv, takes under his control the Holy Dormition Yeletsky Monastery and becomes the closest assistant to Archbishop Lazar in the management of diocesan affairs. The latter, understanding the high spiritual qualities of Abbot Theodosius, saw him in the future as his successor at the ancient Chernihiv Cathedral.

After being elected by the clergy and laity in 1692 year Feodosiy Uglytsky succeeded Lazar Baranovych 11 in September of the same year, Archimandrite Theodosius was ordained a bishop. He was ordained as an archbishop with the right to wear the sakos[1]. At that time, not all bishops had such a right, but only patriarchs and metropolitans, and some archbishops as a sign of special honor.

For a long time, sakos from the museum collection remained without correct attribution. This is how this exhibit is listed in the post-war passport, that it is a poem of the 19th century. Styhar and sakos are indeed somewhat similar in cut, but have differences. The reason for the incorrect definition of the church vestment was probably the general ignorance of church issues and subtleties of church art inherent in the then atheistic Soviet period.

Determine that, that the sakos belonged to St. Theodosius Uglytsky was succeeded last year on the eve of the opening of the exhibition "125th anniversary of the canonization of St. Theodosius Uglytsky, Archbishop of Chernihiv". This became possible after comparing it with the photo of the vestment of the saint from the book 1911 roku vidannya "Pictures of the Church Life of the Chernihiv Diocese from the IX century of its history". In the photo, the sakos is covered with a rather wide, large omophorus, but its parts, that can be viewed allow you to see the complete correspondence of the sakos from the museum collection with the sakos in the photo. Completely identical alums, the corresponding proportionality of velvet and brocade on the liturgical vestment.

Sakos was preserved in a fairly good condition despite its respectable age (the end of the 17th century), although it needed restoration work, which were performed by museum restorer Olga Filina.

Researcher of the museum,

Candidate of Theology Miroslav May-Boroda

[1] Sakos is exclusively a priest's liturgical clothing. Sakos entered liturgical use from the 12th century., when the Byzantine emperors began to give the patriarchs of Constantinople some items of royal clothing in honor of their dignity. The spread of this liturgical clothing as characteristic of the episcopal rank did not happen too quickly. The Patriarch of Constantinople himself initially wore sakos only three times a year: on Easter, on the Day of Pentecost and Christmas. Later, other patriarchs and metropolitans began to wear sakos. Sakos appeared on our territory in the 15th century. Metropolitan Photius of Kyiv brought him from Greece, Greek in origin. Only at the beginning of the XVIII century. the sakos became a common liturgical vestment for all bishops.