Orlets

Y’know - those little rug thingies the bishop stands on! You may have noticed during Archbishop Peter’s recent visit to Sts. Joachim & Anna and Holy Mother of God that he was standing, both on the bema (the raised platform in the middle of the nave) and in front of the Holy Table, on a little round rug depicting an eagle flying over a city. This rug is called the orlets (Russian “eagle”) and bishops of all ranks stand on them during services for which they are officiating. The eagle hovering over and overlooking the city represents the bishop who through his episcopal consecration is called to be an overseer of his city (or archdiocese in our case), and we are the flock entrusted to his care. These are used almost exclusively in Russian Orthodoxy, though other Slavic traditions may also use them.