Define: Diptych

A diptych is a tablet made of wood or metal that is folded like a book with two leaves. In the past, diptychs were used for sending letters and recording important information. The church also used diptychs to keep track of people who made supplication and to remember those who died in the faith. Being mentioned in the diptychs was a sign of orthodoxy, while being omitted was the opposite. In liturgics, there were two types of diptychs: the diptychs of the living and the diptychs of the dead, which also included the commemoration of saints. The use of diptychs declined in the Western Church between the ninth and twelfth century, but it is still practiced in the Eastern Church.

A diptych is a pair of tablets made of wood or metal that are connected by string through holes at the edges, allowing them to fold like a book. The term “diptych” originates from the Greek word “diptycha,” meaning “two-leaved.” In Roman law, diptychs were commonly used for sending letters. The text would be written with a stylus on the waxed leaves inside and outside the tablets, enabling it to be read without opening them. In Ecclesiastical law, diptychs were utilised by the church to record the names of individuals making supplication, as well as to document births, marriages, and deaths. This record of names was also referred to as a diptych. Including the name of any religious or civil leader in the diptychs indicated recognition of their orthodoxy, while omitting their name indicated the opposite. Mentioning a person’s name after their death acknowledged their affiliation with the church, and adding their name to the list of saints or martyrs constituted canonization. For instance, in the early Christian church, diptychs were used during divine worship. They were placed on pulpits or reading desks, which can still be found in ancient basilicas at the western end of the choir or presbytery. The names of the priests leading the celebration, as well as those in higher positions within the Christian hierarchy, saints, martyrs, confessors, and eventually those who had passed away in the faith, would be read to the congregation. The use of diptychs declined in the Western Church between the ninth and twelfth centuries, but it continues to be practiced in the Eastern Church.

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This glossary post was last updated: 17th April 2024.