As I’ve been working on translating a few articles about liturgical and medieval embroidery, I’ve encountered a number of words from Orthodox Christian belief, names of saints, Russian names for embroidery stitches, etc. which I hadn’t known or which may have required a bit of digging online to find a proper translation for. I figured my readers also might not be familiar with these terms, and I wanted one place to be able to find the research I’ve already done in the past. Thus, I put together this handy table of vocabulary. Terms in Russian (and, for Eastern Orthodox liturgical items, also sometimes Greek) are shown in their native alphabet and transliterated. I included the Greek terms, as they sometimes come in useful when interpreting inscriptions on liturgical items.
| English Term | Russian Term | Greek Term | Class | Description | Link to more info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Bare-neck" collar (similar to a "key-hole" decoration on a tunic) | голошейка / goloshejka | Clothing term | |||
| Bran' or Branina | брань / bran' or бранина / branina | Clothing term | A patterned fabric in which the warp threads are lifted by a special means to create a desired pattern. It is used for trimmings, tablecloths, curtains, etc. | ||
| Branyj - adj., sewn from or woven as bran' | браный / branyj | Clothing term | |||
| Drobnitsa | дробница | Jewelry term | "Drobnitsy: metal plaques or plates - flat, convex, round, oblong, polygonal, in the form of brilliants, paws, tiles, moon-shapes, icon cases, etc. Small drobnitsy were usually used in lace weaving, embroidery with gold and silver thread, and in decoration with pearls and beads" Savvaitov, P. Starinnykh russkikh utvarej, odezhd, oruzhija, ratnykh dospekhov i konskogo pribora, v azbuchnom porjadke raspolozhennoe. St. Petersburg, 1896, p. 33. (translation mine) | ||
| Acts of the Moscow State | Акты Московского государства (АМГ) / Akty Moskovskogo gosudarstva (AMG) | Journal and Abbreviation | |||
| Aër, Veil | Воздух, Покровцы (Vozdukh, Pokrovtsy) | Αέρας (Aéras) | Liturgical Embroidery | Veils used to cover the chalice and diskos during the Rites | Wikipedia: Aër |
| Agnus Dei, Lamb of God | Се агнец (Se agnets) | Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ (Amnós toú Theoú) | Iconography | An image depicting Christ as a lamb, as a symbol of His sacrifice as the savior of mankind. | Wikipedia: Lamb of God |
| Alternating Couching Stitches | Двойной сложный шов (Dvojnoj slozhnij shov) | Embroidery Stitch | A laid-and-couched stitch used almost solely in the workshop of Elena Voloshanka, wife of Ivan III, in the late 15th century. To make a double complex seam, first long stitches of non-twisted silk are laid down vertically. A long horizontal stitch of twisted silk yarn is laid over them, and then the horizontal stitch is couched down with small couching stitches in staggered order between the split lower yarns. | Russian embroidery page with images | |
| Anastasis (Harrowing of Hell), the | Сошествие Христа в ад (Soshestvie Khrista v ad) | Κατελθόντα εἰς τὰ κατώτατα (Katelthónta eis tá katótata) | Iconography | A depiction of the Resurrection, as Christ ascends triumphantly, breaking the gates of Hell and bringing salvation to the damned. Commonly, He is shown bringing Adam and Eve with him, representing all of the saved. | Wikipedia: Harrowing of Hell |
| Annunciation [to the Blessed Lady], the | Благовещение [Пресвятой Богородицы] (Blagoveschenie [Presvjatoj Bogoroditsy]) | Ευαγγελισμός της θεοτόκου (Evangelismós tis theotókou) | Iconography | The church holiday celebrating when the Archangel Gabriel informed the Blessed Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the son of God (or, a depiction of the event itself). | Wikipedia: Annunciation |
| Archaeological Commission Report | Отчет Археологической комиссии (ОАК) / Otchet Arkheologicheskoj komissii (OAK) | Journal and Abbreviation | |||
| Archaeology of the Urals | Вопросы археологии Урала (ВАУ) / Voprosy arkheologii Urala (VAU) | Journal and Abbrevation | |||
| Archeological Collection of the State Hermitage | Археологический сборник Государственного Эрмитажа (АСГЭ) / Arkheologicheskij sbornik Gosudarstvennogo Ermitazha (ASGE) | Journal and Abbreviation | |||
| Ascension, the | Вознесение (Voznesenie) | Ανάληψη (Analipsi) | Iconography | Holiday commemorating when the Resurrected Christ departed Earth and returned to Heaven, celebrated 40 days after Easter, or an iconographic image depicting this event. | Wikipedia: Ascension |
| Baptism, the | Креще́ние (Kreschenie) | βάπτισμα (Baptsima) | Iconography | Holiday commemorating the start of Christ's ministry, when he was baptised by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. | Wikipedia: The Baptism |
| Barmy | Бармы / Barmy | Medieval Clothing | A wide, circular, ornate collar, worn over clothing, typically elaborately decorated with embroidery, pearls and/or precious stones. Evolved from the Byzantine lorum. Part of princely/royal regalia in medieval Rus'. | https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Бармы | |
| Basil of Caesarea, St. | Василий Великий (Vasilij Velikij) | Βασίλειος Καισαρείας (Vasíleios Kaisareías) | Holy Figure | 4th-century Bishop of Caesarea and influential theologian, who famously cared for the poor and was an advocate of the Nicene creed. | Wikipedia: Basil of Caesarea |
| Bast awl | кочедык / kochedyk | Tool (used in making items from bast, e.g., bast shoes) | |||
| Bog shoes | поршни / porshni | Type of Footwear | |||
| Brief Reports of the Institute of Archaeology | Краткие сообщения Института археологии (КСИА) / Kratkie soobschenija Instituta arkheologii (KSIA) | Journal and Abbreviation | [online archive] | ||
| Brief reports of the Institute of the History of Material Culture | Краткие сообщения Института истории материальной культуры (КСИИМК) / Kratkie soobschenija Instituta istorii material'noj kul'tury (KSIIMK) | Journal and Abbreviation | [online archive] | ||
| Bulletin of Ancient History | Вестник древней истории (ВДИ) / Vestnik drevnej istorii (VDI) | Journal and Abbreviation | [online archive] | ||
| Bulletin of the USSR Academy of Sciences | Известия Академии наук СССР (ИАН СССР) / Izvestija Akademii nauk SSSR (IAN SSSR) | Journal and Abbreviation | |||
| Butt seam | тачный шов / tachnyj shov | Leather stitch | |||
| Cape / Cloak | Плащ / Plasch | Medieval Clothing | |||
| Central State Archive of Ancient Acts of the USSR | Центральный государственный архив древних актов СССР. (ЦГАДА) / Tsentral'nyj gosudarstvennyj arkhiv drevnikh aktov SSSR (TsGADA) | Scholarly Institution and Abbreviation | |||
| Checkerboard stitch | Шов «в шашку» / Shov "v shashku" | Embroidery Stitch | |||
| Christ Pantocrator | Спас Вседержи́тель (Spas Vsederzhitel') | Χριστὸς Παντοκράτωρ (Khristos Pantokrator) | Iconography | A common icon image depicting Christ as the "ruler of all", with his right hand raised in a blessing and his left hand holding a copy of the Gospels. | Wikipedia: Christ Pantocrator |
| Collar (flat) | Оплечье / Oplech'e | Medieval Clothing | A flat circular collar around the neckline of a shirt or tunic. See also, barmy | ||
| Collection of State Charters and Treaties | Собрание государственных грамот и договоров (СГГД) / Sobranie gosudarstvennykh gramot i dogovorov (SGGD) | Journal and Abbreviation | |||
| Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles, the | Полное собрание русских летописей [ПСРЛ] (Polnoe sobranie russkikh letopisej [PSRL]) | Journal and Abbreviation | A series of published volumes of medieval Russian and Slavic chronicles. The project was started in 1837 and continues to this day. Commonly abbreviated as "PSRL" in Russian bibliographic entries. | Wikipedia: Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles | |
| Couching goldwork (over or underside couching) | Шов «на прокол» (Shov "na prokol") | Embroidery Stitch | A goldwork embroidery stitch where gold threads are placed atop the fabric ground, and are affixed to the fabric using silk stitches, often in patterns. | ||
| Couching stitch | Шов «в прикреп» (Shov "na prikrep") | Embroidery Stitch | An embroidery stitch where threads are placed atop the fabric ground, and are affixed to the fabric using couching stitches. | Russian embroidery site | |
| Crucifixion, the | Распятие [Иисуса Христа] (Raspjatie [Iisusa Khrista]) | Σταύρωση [του Ιησού Χριστού] (Stávrosi [tou Iisoú Christoú]) | Iconography | A depiction of the crucifixion of Christ, showing him on the cross, usually with attendants on either side: often the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, and sometimes Cherubs or Seraphim. | Wikipedia: The Crucifixion |
| Dormition [of the Virgin], the | Успение [Пресвятой Богородицы] (Uspenie [Presvjatoj Boroditsy]) | Κοίμησις Θεοτόκου (Koímēsis Theotokou) | Iconography | A common icon image depicting the "falling asleep" or death of the Virgin Mary before her resurrection and assumption into Heaven. | Wikipedia: The Dormition |
| Ecclesiastic Embroidery | «Лицевое» шитье (Litsevoe shit'jo) | Terminology | The Russian term litsevoe literally refers to the use of embroidery to depict the faces, hands, and feet (the uncovered parts) of figures on liturgical embroidered items. As a general term, it is also used to refer to ecclesiastical embroidery in general, so I have chosen to translate it as such. | Russian WIkipedia: Medieval Liturgical Embroidery | |
| Embroidered chest applique | вошва / voshva | Embroidery / Clothing term | |||
| Embroidered chest piece | воротник-карэ / vorotnik-kare | Clothing term | |||
| Embroidering following the shape of the design | Шов «по форме» (Shov "po forme") | Terminology | An embroidery style where the stitches follow the shape or outline of the design being filled. | ||
| Enthroned Virgin and Child, the | Похвала Пресвято́й Богоро́дицы (Pokhvala Presvjatoj Boroditsy) | Ακάθιστος της Θεοτόκος (Akáthistos tis Theotókos) | Iconography | A common icon image showing the Virgin seated upon a throne, holding the infant Christ in her lap. Saints and angels typically surround her. | Wikipedia: Akathist to the Theotokos |
| Entombment of Christ, the | Положение во гроб ( Polozhenie vo grob ) | Iconography | A common icon image showing the body of Christ being placed in his tomb by Mary and his disciples. | Wikipedia: Burial of Jesus | |
| Epancha | Епанча / Epancha plural: epanchi | Medieval Clothing | A wide, round, sleeveless cloak with a hood. The word comes from Turkish yapyndzha, and the garment was borrowed from the Arabian East. | https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Епанча | |
| Epigonation | Набедренник / Палица (nabedrennik / palitsa) | ἐπιγονάτιον (epigonation) | Liturgical Embroidery | A lozenge or diamond shaped embroidered item worn by bishops and some priests in the Orthodox church. The item is hung from the belt on the right side and hangs about knee height. | Wikipedia: Epigonation |
| Epimanikia | Поручи (poruchi) | ἐπιμανίκια (Epimanikia) | Liturgical Embroidery | A pair of embroidered liturgical cuffs, worn on the wrist by a bishop, priest or deacon, attached to the end of the sleeve of their sticharion. | Wikipedia: Epimanikia |
| Epitaphios, Shroud | Плащаница (plaschanitsa) | Ἐπιτάφιος (epitáphios) | Liturgical Embroidery | A large cloth embroidered with the image of the body of Christ immediately after it has been removed from the Cross, typically surrounded by the Holy Virgin and other figures. It is placed on the Holy Table (altar) during services on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. | Wikipedia: Epitaphios |
| Epitrachelion, Stole | Епитрахиль (epitrakhil') | ἐπιτραχήλιον (epitrachelion) | Liturgical Embroidery | A long liturgical vestment similar to a stole, worn around the neck and down the front by Orthodox priests and bishops. | Wikipedia: Epitrachelion |
| Eucharist, Lord's Supper | Евхаристия (Evkharistija) | Ευχαριστία (Efcharistia) | Iconography | An image depicting the Communion given during the Last Supper, or the modern rite of Communion performed during the rite. | Wikipedia: Eucharist |
| Flabellum | Рипида (Ripida) | Terminology | A decorated liturgical fan used during Church services, originally to keep flies off the host, and later as a symbol of honor. | Wikipedia: Flabellum | |
| Flat-felled seam | запошивочный шов / zaposhivochnyj shov | Sewing stitch | |||
| Gimp | Сканная нить / Skannaja nit' | Terminology | Gold wire twisted or braided together with gold thread. |
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