The sticharion is used by all three degrees of the priesthood, as the same purity of life is required of them. At the beginning of the service, the archbishop blesses his unsewn sticharion and the subdeacons place this sticharion over the archbishop’s cassock and fasten the buttons on its sides. The priest also blesses his sticharion and puts it on over his cassock. In both cases, the sticharion is then considerably covered by other sacred garments. Both versions of the sticharion are made from white lightweight fabric (usually silk), with long thin ties on the sleeves.

For the archbishop and priests, the sticharion is made wider and more spacious than that of the deacon and is referred to in Russian as the “podriznik”, as it is worn beneath other vestments known as “riza”. Sometimes ribbons are sewn onto the sides and sleeves of the sticharion, symbolizing the bonds with which Jesus Christ was bound before Caiaphas and Pilate, and the blood that flowed from His side. The slits under the sleeves of the sticharion remind us of Christ’s pierced side, while the shoulder pieces made of different materials or colors represent the wounds from His scourging.

On the left shoulder, there is a long fabric ribbon made of colored brocade, called the orarion, which translates from Greek as “to pray” or “the time of prayer.” The orarion symbolizes angelic wings, and the deacon himself is likened to an angel, ready to fulfill God’s will. Additionally, the orarion is a symbolic representation of the gracious gifts of the deacon as a minister.