Komboskini
A Komboskini ( Greek κομποσκοίνι also κομβοσχοίνι komboschini , Russian чётки tschotki or вервица vervitsa , macedonian and Serb бројаница Brojanica , Bulgarian броеница broänitsa , Romanian metanii or metanier ) is a closed rosary where the Jesus prayer of orthodox Christians is performed. A Komboskini usually has 100 knots , but there are also shapes with 25, 30, 33 or 500 knots. The closed cord stands as a symbol for the never-ending monastic prayer (“Pray without ceasing”, 1st Thessalonians 5, 17 EU ).
It is used in the Orthodox tradition when praying for Jesus, not so much to count the prayers, but as an aid to concentration and a steady rhythm. In the Orthodox Church, monks and nuns receive the prayer cord for profession .
A Komboskini is only used as a means of counting when Orthodox monks pray a certain number of Jesus prayers instead of the Liturgy of the Hours , if they are unable to attend it.
The prayer cord has its origin in the tradition of late ancient oriental monasticism of repeating short quotations from the Bible meditatively. The Orthodox Church traces the tradition back to Pachomios , who in this way helped monks who could not read or write to perform a certain number of prayers or prostrations .
In Russia there is the custom of prayer times of the Divine Office or visiting the liturgy by the recitation of a certain number to be replaced by Jesus prayers. In this way, the Liturgy of the Hours can be held even when the books are inaccessible or when someone is unable to offer a time of prayer. The prayer cord helps count the number of prayers in such cases.
As a political symbol
As an expression of a pro-Serbian stance, the Austrian politician Heinz-Christian Strache , former federal party and club chairman of the right-wing populist FPÖ , has been wearing a Brojanica on public appearances and on election posters since the mid-2000s.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Oliver Pink : "Outlaws" among themselves: The serbophile HC Strache. The press , February 19, 2008.
- ↑ Martina Powell: Report: "If I could choose, I would choose Strache". derstandard.at , September 19, 2008.
- ^ Eva Linsinger: Friendship instead of FPÖ. profil.at , June 7, 2010.
- ↑ Clemens Neuhold: Love your Serbs. wienerzeitung.at , September 8, 2013.