Page:Lesser Eastern Churches.djvu/169

Rh belt, zunârâ. Subdeacon and deacon wear a stole (urârâ, ); the subdeacon winds it from the left shoulder under the right arm, the deacon's stole hangs straight down from the left shoulder. The priest's (and bishop's) stole is made like the Byzantine, hanging down in front like ours, but sewn together (or rather one piece) with a hole through which to put the head. The garment corresponding to our chasuble (ḳafīla, paḳīlâ, painâ, ma‘prâ) is the same as the Byzantine, except that it is not permanently joined in front. It looks then exactly like our cope without a hood. It is worn by priests and bishops, and is used as both cope and chasuble. They have no omophorion. Bishops wear a kind of embroidered amice, called birunâ, over the head; they carry a pastoral staff (ḥuṭrâ) and a small cross with which they bless the people. They have no liturgically fixed colours.

The East Syrian Calendar is based on the Julian reckoning (Old Style), for the months, and on the "Era of the Greeks," namely from 311, for the years. They now know and begin to use the ordinary Christian reckoning for the years. The ecclesiastical year is divided into nine periods of, more or less, seven weeks each. Each of these is called a shabu'd ("seven"). The year begins with Subârâ ("annunciation") on December 1; Subârâ has four Sundays as preparation for Christmas, and so corresponds exactly to our Advent. The second Shabu‘â is of the Epiphany; the third is the Great Fast (Lent) beginning the seventh Monday before Easter; the fourth is the Shabu‘â of the Resurrection (to Pentecost); the fifth that of