Epigonation, Christ Anapeson (Recumbent)

The epigonation originated from the hand cloth (encheirion) that hanged from the priest’s girdle, like the kerchief that hanged from the girdle of the Byzantine aristocracy. Later, on the same cloth was added a diamond-shaped piece of cardboard, embroidered with gold. It hung from the girdle to the knee. Until the 12th century it was exclusively the vestment of bishops, but later its use was extended to other prelates.
This piece is the most ancient item of its kind and the finest of all the gold embroidery kept in the Monastery, in artistic terms. The epigonation is decorated with the scene of Christ Anapeson, which is set on the vertical and horizontal axes, instead of the usual diagonals of the cloth. This irregularity of the setting of the scene is explained by the fact that the priests often wore the epigonation not hanging from the waste, but crosswise by the shoulder. The entire cloth is covered in silver thread in a diamond stitch. The scroll around the border forms crosses and medallions containing stars. The child Jesus is depicted sleeping in a cradle, with his head resting in his right hand. The Virgin, on the right of the cradle, is fanning the infant, while Archangel Gabriel stands by the left, holding a vase that contains the instruments of the Passion. The theme of Anapeson derives from the prophecy of Jacob (Genesis 49.9) and symbolizes the incarnation of the Word and the redemption of the world through the death and resurrection of the Lord.