Stephanos

What is the Stephanos? The Stephanos, or the Mitre, is a liturgical head covering worn by bishops. The bishop's cap typically takes on a round shape and resembles a magnificent crown with its noble embellishments. It is often adorned with gemstones and crossed by four decorative strips, each typically adorned with an icon at its end. The bishop's crown is usually made of silk fabric. Besides the typical pure gold colour, the bishop's head covering can also be found in fabrics of different colours.

In form and design, the Stephanos is modelled after the imperial crown of the late Byzantine Empire and was introduced in the Eastern Church only after the fall of Constantinople (1453) - formerly Byzantium, now Istanbul. While in the Greek tradition, there is an upright cross at the top, in Russia, this privilege is reserved only for archbishops; all other bishops have a lying cross.