Bedernite

The bedernita, or nebedernita, or the epigonat is a distinctive mark of the bishops, which can be got sometimes even by priests with outstanding achievements. Only the patriarchs and the bishops have the right of offering this distinction. The first two Romanian words for it come from the Slavonic ‘nabedernniki’, which means ‘over the thigh’, while the third word is of Greek origin, epi meaning in this language over and gona - knee. All three words denote thus the way this garment should be worn: suspended by a cord, along the right thigh, down to the knee, so as to brush the knee. This is why this piece of cloth is also known as a kneecap.

The bedernita has been dated as a part of the sacerdotal attire as early as the 6th century, but its origin is not fully clear.

As part of the Episcopal garment, specific to the Christian Orthodox religion, the bedernita is made of high-quality fabrics, of rectangular or rhombus shape, with the sides varying from 0.40 to 0.50 cm. Its background is decorated either with religious scenes or with simple symbolic ones, embroidered in gold, silver and silk thread, sometimes with pearls and precious stones. In the ensemble of the priestly attire, it signifies the ‘sword of the spirit by which all the enemies of the true faith, visible or invisible, are killed’, at the same time reminding the faithful of Jesus’ victory over death. According to other interpretations, the epigonat or the bedernita would be reminescent of the towel that Pillate of Pontus wiped his hands with after the symbolic washing, saying the words: “Innocent am I of the blood of this righteous person”.


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