rantistirion

English

WOTD – 14 September 2018

Etymology

Borrowed from Byzantine Greek ῥαντιστήριον (rhantistḗrion), from ῥαντίζω (rhantízō) (a late form of ῥαίνω (rhaínō, “to sprinkle, purify”), from Proto-Indo-European *weri) -ῐον (-ion, “suffix forming diminutive nouns”).

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɹæn.tɪsˈtɪ.ɹi.ɒn/, /-dɪs-/, /-ən/
Audio (Received Pronunciation): (file)
(General American) IPA^(key): /ɹæn.tisˈti.ɹi.ɑn/, /-dis-/, /-ən/
Audio (General American): (file)
Hyphenation: ran‧tis‧tir‧i‧on

Noun

rantistirion (plural not attested)

(Eastern Orthodoxy) A ritual sprinkler used in some Christian rites.
Synonym: aspergillum
- 2001, Aspasia Smith, editor, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, millennium edition, New York, N.Y.: Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, →OCLC, page 72:
  The Kastrinsios was charged with military duties and was responsible for a military unit (similar to that of a captain of the guard). When the Office became ecclesiastical in nature it was charged with the storage and safe keeping of ecclesiastical supplies and assisted in the vesting of the hierarchs. He would also bestow the divine blessing upon the congregation by sprinkling from the randistirion, and proclaim the arrival of His All Holiness the Patriarch with, "Evlogison Thespota" (Master Give The Blessing).
- [2003], Alkiviadis Calivas, “Great and Holy Saturday”, in Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America‎^[1], archived from the original on 23 May 2017:
  The priest stands in front of the Kouvouklion throughout the Encomia. At the Third Stasis when the verse "Eranan ton Tafon ai miroforoi mira lian proi elthousai – early in the morning the myrrh-bearers came to Thee and sprinkled myrrh upon Thy tomb" is sung the priest sprinkles the Epitaphios with rosewater, using the rantistirion (sprinkler).
- 2016 November 29, David W. Dunlap, “Cross takes its place, temporarily, atop shrine at World Trade Center”, in The New York Times‎^[2], archived from the original on 11 July 2017:
  After joining with Archdeacon Panteleimon Papadopoulos and Deacon Eleftherios Constantine in chanting the "Feast of the Cross" – "The cross is the glory of the angels, and the defeat of the demons" – Archbishop Demetrios sanctified the steel cross with water from a golden rantistirion, or sprinkler.
- 2016 November 30, Nathan Glover, “Christian cross tops Saint Nicholas National Shrine at World Trade Center”, in World Religion News‎^[3], archived from the original on 2 December 2016:
  Archbishop Demetrios joined Deacon Eleftherios Constantine and Archdeacon Panteleimon Papadopoulos in chanting "Feast of the Cross." The Archbishop then sanctified this steel cross with water poured from a golden sprinkler or rantistirion.

Usage notes

The etymologically appropriate plural rantistiria is presently unattested.

Alternative forms

randistirion

Translations

ritual sprinkler used in some Christian rites

Greek:
Ancient: ῥαντιστήριον (rhantistḗrion)
Serbo-Croatian: škropilo (sh) n