Sticharion

The Sticharion (also Stikharion or Stichar) is a liturgical vestment of the Eastern Orthodox Church, roughly analogous to the dalmatic or tunicle of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a long, narrow robe with loose sleeves, fastened at the neck, and often open down the sides but held shut with buttons. There is usually a cross embroidered or appliquéd to the center of the back, between the shoulder blades.

The sticharion is often made from brocade and worn as an outer vestment by acolytes, subdeacons, and deacons. It is also worn as the undermost vestment by bishops and priests; in this case, it is often made from a simpler fabric, usually white. In the Russian tradition, a bishop's stikharion can be more elaborately embellished than a priest's and is sometimes called a podsakkosnik (i.e., "under-sakkos").

Coptic priests usually wear a plain, white sticharion, often without an over vestment. Chaldean and Assyrian priests where a similar alb-like garment, called a kottinâ. The Syriac kuttino is now almost always white also. The Armenian patmucan and Ethiopian qamis are similar to the sticharion.