Our St. Luke Church community received two hexapterygon, ripidion, or seraphic fans, which were blessed in our chapel before Sunday’s Divine Liturgy by Ver. Rev. Fr. Roman Bobesiuk, February 11, 2024. At the conclusion of the blessing, Fr. Roman thanked a benefactor for this gift.
St. Luke Church is blessed to have several pre-teens who serve at the altar weekly.
History, Meaning, Usage
The ripidions clearly have a practical function in their origin – to keep insects away from the Holy Gifts. Moreover, the two seraphim of the ripidions signify the union between the earthly divine Liturgy and the heavenly Liturgy celebrated by the Eternal Priest, Jesus Christ.
They bring honour to the Gospel when it is carried and read. They are also used to honour the Gifts when they are transferred from the Oblation Table to the Holy Table. The ripidion can be used at other times. Certainly, they can be used at any entrance (little/great). They can also used at the the plashchanitsa (epitaphios, holy shroud), both at the tomb and during processions. They are also used at the bier over the relics of a bishop or priest.
Since the ripidions represent the angelic presence in the heavenly Kingdom, they are not used when the deacon is reading the Gospel. The deacon himself, with the orarion, represents the angelic presence.
Ripidion is generally made of metal, round, having the iconographic likeness of an angel with six wings, and is set on the end of a pole. Hexapteryga of carved, gilded, or painted wood are also found. They are usually made in pairs. In the West, the liturgical fan goes by the name flabellum, which is simply the Latin word for fan. In the Ukrainian Church, it is called the ripida, from the Greek word ripidion, again meaning fan.
When not in use, the ripida are usually kept in stands behind the Holy Table.
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Also, we started our new project for our children.
Here is more detailed information: Help us build a space where our children can learn and build a strong faith foundation that will stay with them throughout their lives.
God bless you!
