Ever Heard of This?

[CatholiCommit]

**
I was reading a Catholic Article online that a Priest was able to apply his Stole one the Penitents shoulders, however it did not explain the circumstances that a Priest would do this.

If the Priest were to apply his Stole on my shoulders for instance, what would be some explanations or reason be, or what would the circumstance be. **

 

[FrDavid96]

Applying the tip of the stole to a person is one of the forms of “blessing.” It’s done often in the Eastern Churches (in confession for example).

In the Roman rite of betrothal, the priest places the crossed-ends of his stole over the joined hands of the betrothed couple.

Those are the only 2 examples I can think of offhand, but no doubt there are more out there.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I once had occasion, at a conference, to confess to a priest of one of the Eastern Catholic churches. He explained to me that it was the custom of his church to place the ends of the stole on the penitent’s head as a sign of God’s mercy. I thought it rather a good practice.

 

[wynd]

I once had occasion, at a conference, to confess to a priest of one of the Eastern Catholic churches. He explained to me that it was the custom of his church to place the ends of the stole on the penitent’s head as a sign of God’s mercy. I thought it rather a good practice.

Yes, this is very common in the East.

Antiochian Orthodox Church

This is the Website of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland.

www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk

 

[Aramis]

In the east, the ends of the Epitrachelion (Priest’s stole) being placed over someone’s head indicates both their submission to the priest’s authority, but also the protection of the individual by the priest.

Likewise, with the bishop’s Omophorion. So much so, that one uses “under the Omophor of” instead of “In the diocese of” or “in the eparchy of” without confusion.