Understand The Important Symbolism of a Bishop’s Staff

A bishop’s staff is a powerful symbol in Orthodox Christianity that has its origins in the earliest days of the faith. Read on to learn about its rich symbolism and find inspiration to purchase a high quality bishop staff for your community.

Symbol of Pastoral Duties

Bishops can be considered to be pastors of the Orthodox Church and a bishop’s position is one of leadership and oversight. A consecrated bishop is a high ranking clergy member whose duty it is to keep watch over his flock, reaffirm unwavering faith, tend to the weak or faltering and bring back into the religious fold those who have drifted. A bishop staff symbolizes these important pastoral duties of a Bishop. However, bishops aren’t the only ones who carry staffs or croziers in Orthodox Christianity. Archimandrites, hegumen and hegumenia who lead monastic communities also carry them.

Centuries Old Designs

The origins of the crosier can be traced back to the Book of Exodus. Jesus Christ is referred to as the Good Shepherd and through ages, there have been many metaphorical allusions to Bishops being shepherds of Orthodox Christians. The design of the bishop staff too has been passed down through ages. In Orthodox Christian communities, you will usually find three common designs. The first is where the top is shaped like two curved dragons or snakes facing each other and there’s a cross in between them. The second common design is where the top is tau-shaped, features curved arms and is topped with a small cross. A simple, straight rod like design is the third common design.

Rich Decoration Makes Them Unique

Crosiers in Orthodox Christian communities are richly decorated. Although high quality wood is typically used for a major portion of the staff, the top portion usually features brass with gold or silver gilding. The brass is hand-cast and typically covered with rich carvings and engravings. Some designs feature images of Evangelists at the base. Bejeweled crosiers feature inlays of pearls, cubic zirconia stones and other dazzling stones that make the staff look magnificent and exquisite. The tip of the crosier may be covered with brass for an added touch of refinement

High Production Values

There’s no better way for a Bishop to command respect among his flock than with an elegant crosier. Along with ornamentation, quality of production process and workmanship is equally important. You don’t want to end up with a crosier that doesn’t have good finishing or is not durable. Istok Church Supplies guarantees quality finishing – for example, the wood receives several layers of varnishing and the gold or silver plating is carried out using a special galvanization process. A non-eroding gasket is provided for the gilded brass tip to ensure unchanging appearance and easy maintenance.

Avail Easy Bespoke Solutions

Istok Church Supplies is equipped to provide bespoke solutions. As such, these products are not mass produced to ensure highest quality results. They are handcrafted by experienced and skilled work smiths who understand Orthodox Christian traditions and customs. Istok Church Supplies offers world-wide delivery services and has solutions in place for safe and easy transportation. For example, the product comes in an attractive manmade leather package with velvet lodgment. A special handle and lock are provided for the packing.

Choose from a wide selection of designs and make savings of up to 24% on market price by purchasing an elegant, hand crafted bishop staff from Istok Church Supplies.