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Banners
22 itemsOrthodox church banners — khorugvi in the Slavic tradition, labara or gonfaloni in Greek and Romanian use — are carried in processions, displayed near the icon screen during major feasts, and used at funerals. Ours are hand-embroidered with the patronal saint of your parish on one side and a cross or matching icon on the reverse, mounted on solid wooden poles with brass finials.
We make banners for parishes, monasteries, and brotherhoods worldwide. Whether you're commissioning a single banner of your patronal feast or a matched pair for processions, we work from your parish's iconographic tradition to keep the imagery historically and theologically grounded.
The history and use of Orthodox banners
Liturgical banners have a long history in the Orthodox Church, going back at least to the time of Saint Constantine and the labarum — the standard with the Christogram he carried into battle at the Milvian Bridge. By the high Byzantine period, banners were standard equipment in imperial processions and church feasts; in the Slavic lands they took on the cross-shaped form (the khorugv) that became the icon of Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox practice.
Today banners are used at four main moments: in the Pascha procession around the church (the famous krestnyi khod); on the patronal feast of the parish; at the Great Blessing of Waters on Theophany; and in funerals, where they precede the casket from church to graveside. Some parishes also display them in the sanctuary year-round.
Types of banners we make
- Khorugv (Slavic cross-shaped) — the classic Russian/Ukrainian/Belarusian form: a vertically elongated cloth with a curved or cross-shaped lower edge, mounted on a tall wooden pole with a metal cross finial. Typically 60–80 cm wide.
- Greek / Romanian rectangular labara — a tall rectangular banner with a straight lower edge, sometimes with two tassels at the bottom corners. Carried on a pole or hung from a horizontal staff.
- Gonfalon (with horizontal top staff) — a banner that hangs from a short crosspiece at the top, usually with three or four points along the lower edge. Common in monasteries with Italo-Greek tradition.
- Funeral / dark-colour banners — usually black or purple, with simpler iconography (a cross, or the icon of the Resurrection on the dark side).
Iconography
The standard practice is one icon on each side of the banner:
- Front (carried-facing side): the patronal saint of the parish, the Resurrection, or the Mother of God.
- Back (away-facing side): a cross with the instruments of the Passion, the Lamb, or a complementary icon (e.g. patronal saint on the front, Resurrection on the back).
Most parishes order a single primary banner with their patronal feast. Larger parishes often have several: one for the Mother of God, one for the patron saint, and one for the Resurrection, used in different processions through the year.
Materials and construction
The cloth is heavy brocade (the same fabric we use for altar covers and phelonion vestments) with a backing of stiff interlining so the banner holds its shape when carried. Embroidery is mounted onto the cloth as a separate panel so it can be re-mounted onto new fabric if the original ever wears out — particularly important for banners, which are exposed to weather during outdoor processions.
Poles are turned hardwood (maple, oak, or beech depending on availability and the carrier's preference for weight), fitted with a metal cross or three-bar finial at the top, brass or nickel-plated. Banners are attached to the pole with metal grommets and decorative cords; we can supply the cords in matching colours.
Size and weight considerations
A standard Slavic khorugv is around 60×100 cm of cloth on a pole 2.0–2.2 m tall, weighing around 3–4 kg with the metal finial — light enough for a teenage server to carry but substantial enough to handle wind in an outdoor procession. We can scale down for smaller parishes or scale up to monastery scale (we've made banners up to 80×140 cm on 2.5 m poles).
Frequently asked about banners
What's the difference between a khorugv and a labarum?
Both are liturgical banners but with different shapes and traditions. A khorugv (Slavic / Russian / Ukrainian) is a tall banner with a curved or cross-shaped lower edge, mounted on a tall pole with a cross finial — the form most familiar from Pascha processions in Russian parishes. A labarum or labara (Greek / Romanian) is typically a straight-edged rectangular banner, sometimes with tassels at the bottom corners.
Which saint should be embroidered on our parish banner?
The most common choice is the patronal saint or feast of the parish itself — Saint Nicholas, the Annunciation, the Holy Trinity, whoever the church is dedicated to. The reverse side typically carries a cross, the Lamb, or a second icon (often the Resurrection or the Mother of God). Some parishes maintain multiple banners for different feasts.
How tall are your banners with the pole?
A standard banner is around 60×100 cm of cloth on a 2.0–2.2 metre hardwood pole, with a brass cross finial bringing the total height to around 2.5 metres. The pole has a comfortable shaft thickness for the carrier and is balanced to handle wind during outdoor processions. We can adjust scale for smaller chapels or larger monastery churches.
Can banners be carried outdoors in any weather?
Banners are designed to be carried in fair weather and light rain. The brocade and embroidery should not be exposed to heavy rain or stored damp — the metallic threads can tarnish. For Theophany processions to a frozen river, we suggest a transparent banner cover (we can supply one), or a separate lighter banner for outdoor use.
How long does it take to make a custom banner?
A standard fully embroidered banner with one icon takes 6–10 weeks. Banners with two icons (one on each side) take 8–12 weeks. Goldwork embroidery adds 3–4 weeks. Please plan ahead, especially for Pascha — orders placed in January arrive comfortably before Holy Week.
Do you provide the pole and finial, or do we source them locally?
We supply the complete banner including the wooden pole, brass or nickel cross finial, and decorative cords. The pole is shipped separately for safe transit and assembles with the banner in a few minutes — no special tools required. If you prefer to source a pole locally, we can ship the banner alone and provide grommet specifications.
What's the best way to store banners between feasts?
Roll the banner around its pole (or around a soft cardboard tube if the pole is detached) with the embroidery facing inward, in a clean dry place away from sunlight. Cover with a cotton sheet to protect from dust. Never fold a fully embroidered banner — the creases will set permanently. Banners stored well last 25–40 years.
