What is this Eastern priest holding?

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PazzoGrande said:
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/04/22/13_540x405.jpg

It looks like a censer with some sort of cloth? What is the cloth called and what is it used for? Is it something like the humeral veil that we Latins use? Or is it something like the veil used on crosiers? Or is it something else entirely?
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It is a hand censer. They are used differently in different churches. The Greeks use them during Holy Week…therefor they are often called Holy Week censers. They are also used in a readers service when there is not a priest present. The cloth is an aere…most comonly used to veil the Holy Gifts during the Divine Liturgy, but also used for other things as holding the hand censer in the photo.

It is common in Athonite practice to receive a blessing and be incensed when leaving the trapeza, as it seems is being done in this photo.

Hope this helps.
 
I absolutely love all these intracacies and little ancient details in Catholicism and the Orthodoxy. I love even more that people remember what these tradition are, and pass down the knowledge to others.

Thanks, both of you. 🙂
 
MonkMoses said:
It is a hand censer. They are used differently in different churches. The Greeks use them during Holy Week…therefor they are often called Holy Week censers. They are also used in a readers service when there is not a priest present. The cloth is an aere…most comonly used to veil the Holy Gifts during the Divine Liturgy, but also used for other things as holding the hand censer in the photo.

It is common in Athonite practice to receive a blessing and be incensed when leaving the trapeza, as it seems is being done in this photo.

Hope this helps.
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Thanks, actually I specifically meant, what is that cloth?
 
5Loaves said:
Fr Moses says it’s an aere.
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Ah, my bad, I speed read and I tend to miss tidbits sometimes. So sorry and red in the face!

I thought the Aer was just for Communion, I didn’t know they use it when holding the censer. Beautiful and fascinating.
 
This scene is at the sacred monastery of Vatopedi, Mount Athos. The hegoumen, Geronta Ephraim, has his hand raised in blessing as the monks and faithfull leave the church (most likely for Trapeza (refectory)). The censer is probably held by a simple monk, not necessarily a priest.
 
The aer is a cloth used for covering the chalice and discos when they are on the altar.

The aer is also waved over the gifts during the creed.
 
rowlands said:
This scene is at the sacred monastery of Vatopedi, Mount Athos. The hegoumen, Geronta Ephraim, has his hand raised in blessing as the monks and faithfull leave the church (most likely for Trapeza (refectory)). The censer is probably held by a simple monk, not necessarily a priest.
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Cool that you can identify the loation just by that snapshot. I got it from CBS, 60 Minutes covered Mount Athos (it also covered Patriarch Bartholomew). They had a story about how the monks live long and without disease (no Alzheimer’s there at all even though a lot of the monks are really old).
 
Another use for the aer. it is placed on the dead priests face right before burial.
 
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