Otitis

Church titles of the Orthodox Church. Church ranks

Russian Orthodox Church as part Universal Church has a three-level hierarchy, which arose at the dawn of Christianity. The clergy are divided into deacons, elders And bishops. Persons on the first two levels can belong to both the monastic (black) and the white (married) clergy. Since the 19th century, the Russian Orthodox Church has had the institution of celibacy.

In Latin celibacy(celibatus) - an unmarried (single) person; in classical Latin, the word caelebs meant “one without a spouse” (and virgin, divorced, and widower). In late antiquity, folk etymology linked it to caelum (heaven), and this is how it came to be understood in medieval Christian writing, where it was used to refer to angels, embodying an analogy between the virginal life and the angelic life. According to the Gospel, in heaven they do not marry or be given in marriage ( Matt. 22, 30; OK. 20.35).

In practice, celibacy is rare. In this case, the clergyman remains celibate, but does not take monastic vows and does not take monastic vows. Priests can only marry before being ordained. For the clergy of the Orthodox Church, monogamy is mandatory; divorces and remarriages are not allowed (including for widowers).
The priestly hierarchy is presented schematically in the table and figure below.

stage	White clergy (married priests and non-monastic celibate priests)	Black clergy (monks)
1st: Diaconate	Deacon	Hierodeacon
	Protodeacon
		Archdeacon (usually the title of chief deacon serving with the Patriarch)
2nd: Priesthood	Priest (priest, presbyter)	Hieromonk
	Archpriest	Abbot
	Protopresbyter	Archimandrite
3rd: Episcopate	A married priest can be a bishop only after becoming a monk. This is possible in the event of the death of a spouse or her simultaneous departure to a monastery in another diocese.	Bishop
		Archbishop
		Metropolitan
		Patriarch

1. Diaconate

Deacon (from Greek – minister) does not have the right to independently perform divine services and church sacraments, he is an assistant priest And bishop. A deacon can be ordained protodeacon or archdeacon. Deacon-monk is called hierodeacon.

San archdeacon is extremely rare. It has a deacon who constantly serves To His Holiness the Patriarch, as well as deacons of some stauropegial monasteries. There are also subdeacons, who are assistants to bishops, but are not among the clergy (they belong to lower degrees clergy together with readers And singers).

2. Priesthood.

Presbyter (from Greek – senior) - a clergyman who has the right to perform church sacraments, with the exception of the sacrament of Priesthood (ordination), i.e., the elevation to the priesthood of another person. In the white clergy - this priest, in monasticism - hieromonk. A priest can be elevated to the rank archpriest And protopresbyter, hieromonk - ordained abbot And archimandrite.

Sanu archimandrite in the white clergy correspond hierarchically mitred archpriest And protopresbyter(senior priest in cathedral).

3. Episcopate.

Bishops, also called bishops (from Greek consoles archi- senior, chief). Bishops are either diocesan or suffragan. Diocesan bishop, by succession of power from the holy Apostles, is the primate of the local Church - dioceses, canonically governing the diocese with the conciliar assistance of the clergy and laity. Diocesan bishop elected Holy Synod. Bishops bear a title that usually includes the name of the two cathedral cities of the diocese. As needed, the Holy Synod appoints to assist the diocesan bishop suffragan bishops, the title of which includes the name of only one of major cities diocese. A bishop can be elevated to the rank of archbishop or metropolitan. After the establishment of the Patriarchate in Rus', only bishops of some ancient and large dioceses could be metropolitans and archbishops. Now the rank of metropolitan, just like the rank of archbishop, is only a reward for the bishop, which makes possible appearance even titular metropolitans.
On diocesan bishop assigned a wide range of responsibilities. He ordains and appoints clergy to their place of service, appoints employees of diocesan institutions and blesses monastic tonsures. Without his consent, not a single decision of the diocesan governing bodies can be implemented. In his activities bishop accountable His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The ruling bishops at the local level are authorized representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church before the bodies of state power and administration.

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

The first bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church is its Primate, who bears the title - His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The Patriarch is accountable to the Local and Bishops' Councils. His name is exalted during divine services in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church according to the following formula: “ About the Great Lord and Our Father (name), His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' " A candidate for Patriarch must be a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, have a higher theological education, sufficient experience in diocesan administration, be distinguished by his commitment to canonical law and order, enjoy a good reputation and trust of the hierarchs, clergy and people, “have a good testimony from outsiders” ( 1 Tim. 3.7), be at least 40 years old. San Patriarch islifelong. The Patriarch is entrusted with a wide range of responsibilities related to the care of the internal and external welfare of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Patriarch and diocesan bishops have a stamp and a round seal with their name and title.
According to clause IV.9 of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia is the diocesan bishop of the Moscow diocese, consisting of the city of Moscow and the Moscow region. In the administration of this diocese, His Holiness the Patriarch is assisted by the Patriarchal Vicar, with the rights of a diocesan bishop, with the title Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna. The territorial boundaries of the administration carried out by the Patriarchal Viceroy are determined by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (currently the Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna manages the churches and monasteries of the Moscow region, minus the stauropegial ones). The Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' is also the Holy Archimandrite of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, a number of other monasteries with special historical significance, and governs all church stauropegies ( word stauropegy derived from Greek. -cross and – erect: a cross installed by the Patriarch at the founding of a church or monastery in any diocese means their inclusion in the Patriarchal jurisdiction).
His Holiness the Patriarch, in accordance with worldly ideas, is often called the head of the Church. However, according to Orthodox doctrine, the Head of the Church is our Lord Jesus Christ; The Patriarch is the Primate of the Church, that is, a bishop who stands before God in prayer for his entire flock. Often the Patriarch is also called First Hierarch or High Priest, since he is first in honor among other hierarchs equal to him in grace.
His Holiness Patriarch is called the Higumen of stauropegial monasteries (for example, Valaam). Ruling bishops, in relation to their diocesan monasteries, can also be called Holy Archimandrites and Holy Abbots.

Robes of bishops.

Bishops have as a distinctive sign of their dignity mantle- a long cape fastened at the neck, reminiscent of a monastic robe. In front, on its two front sides, top and bottom, tablets are sewn - rectangular boards made of fabric. The upper tablets usually contain images of evangelists, crosses, and seraphim; on the lower tablet with right side- letters: e, A, m or n, meaning the rank of bishop - e piskop, A archbishop, m Metropolitan, n atriarch; on the left is the first letter of his name. Only in the Russian Church does the Patriarch wear a robe green, Metropolitan - blue, archbishops, bishops - lilac or dark red. IN Lent members of the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church wear a robe black.
The tradition of using colored bishop's robes in Russia is quite ancient; an image of the first Russian Patriarch Job in a blue metropolitan robe has been preserved.
Archimandrites have a black mantle with tablets, but without sacred images and letters denoting rank and name. The tablets of archimandrite's robes usually have a smooth red field surrounded by gold braid.

During divine services, all bishops use richly decorated staff, called a rod, which is a symbol of spiritual authority over the flock. Only the Patriarch has the right to enter the altar of the temple with a rod. The remaining bishops in front of the royal doors give the rod to the subdeacon-co-worker standing behind the service to the right of the royal doors.

Election of bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.

According to the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church, adopted by the Jubilee Council of Bishops in 2000, a man of the Orthodox confession at the age of at least 30 years old from among the monastics or unmarried members of the white clergy with mandatory tonsure as a monk can become a bishop.
The tradition of electing bishops from among the monastic ranks developed in Rus' already in the pre-Mongol period. This canonical norm is preserved in the Russian Orthodox Church to this day, although in a number of Local Orthodox Churches, for example in the Georgian Church, monasticism is not considered prerequisite appointment to bishop's service. In the Church of Constantinople, on the contrary, a person who has accepted monasticism cannot become a bishop: there is a provision according to which a person who has renounced the world and taken a vow of obedience cannot lead other people. All hierarchs of the Church of Constantinople are not robed, but robed monks. Widowed or divorced persons who have become monastics can also become bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church. The elected candidate must correspond to the high rank of bishop according to moral qualities and have a theological education.

It would be correct to say that those people who work in churches and benefit the Church perform a service that is quite difficult, but very pleasing to God.

For many people, the Church remains hidden in darkness, and this is why some people often have a distorted understanding of it, an incorrect attitude to what is happening. Some expect holiness from employees in temples, others asceticism.

So, who serves in the temple?

Perhaps I’ll start with the ministers to make it easier to perceive further information.

Those serving in churches are called clergy and clergy, all clergy in a particular church are called clergy, and together clergy and clergy are called the clergy of a particular parish.

Clergy

Thus, clergy are people who are consecrated in a special way by the head of a metropolitan or diocese, with the laying on of hands (ordination) and acceptance of holy clergy. These are people who have taken the oath and also have spiritual education.

Careful selection of candidates before ordination (ordination)

As a rule, candidates are ordained as clergy after lengthy testing and preparation (often 5 - 10 years). Previously, this person underwent obedience at the altar and has a reference from the priest from whom he obeyed in the church; then he undergoes a prostitute confession from the confessor of the diocese, after which the metropolitan or bishop makes a decision about whether a particular candidate is worthy of being ordained.

Married or Monk...But married to the Church!

Before ordination, the protege is determined whether he will be a married minister or a monk. If he is married, he must marry in advance and after checking the relationship for strength, ordination is performed (priests are prohibited from being foreigners).

So, the clergy received the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ, namely: performing divine services, teaching people Christian faith, good life, piety, manage church affairs.

There are three degrees of priesthood: bishops (metropolitans, archbishops), priests, and deacons.

Bishops, Archbishops

Bishop - highest rank in the Church, they receive the highest degree of Grace, they are also called bishops (the most honored) or metropolitans (who are the head of the metropolis, i.e. the main ones in the region). Bishops can perform all seven of the seven sacraments of the Church and all Church services and rites. This means that only bishops have the right not only to perform ordinary divine services, but also to ordain (ordain) clergy, as well as to consecrate chrism, antimensions, temples and altars. Bishops govern priests. And bishops submit to the Patriarch.

Priests, Archpriests

A priest is a clergyman, the second sacred rank after the bishop, who has the right to independently perform six sacraments of the Church out of seven possible, i.e. With the blessing of the bishop, the priest can perform sacraments and church services, except for those that are supposed to be performed only by the bishop. More worthy and honored priests are given the title of archpriest, i.e. senior priest, and the main one among the archpriests is given the title of protopresbyter. If the priest is a monk, then he is called hieromonk, i.e. priest, for their length of service they can be awarded the title of hegumen, and then the even higher title of archimandrite. Particularly worthy archimandrites can become bishops.

Deacons, Protodeacons

A deacon is a clergyman of the third, lowest priestly order who assists a priest or bishop during worship or the performance of the sacraments. He serves during the celebration of the sacraments, but cannot perform the sacraments on his own; therefore, the participation of a deacon in the divine service is not necessary. In addition to helping the priest, the deacon's task is to call the worshipers to prayer. His distinctive feature in vestments: He dresses in a surplice, on his hands there are guards, on his shoulder there is a long ribbon (orarion), if the deacon’s ribbon is wide and sewn overlapping, then the deacon has an award or is a protodeacon (senior deacon). If the deacon is a monk, then he is called a hierodeacon (and the senior hierodeacon will be called an archdeacon).

Church ministers who do not have holy orders and help in ministry.

Hippodiacons

Hippodiacons are those who help in the bishop's service; they vest the bishop, hold the lamps, move the orlets, offer certain time An official prepares everything necessary for the service.

Psalmists (readers), singers

Psalmists and singers (choir) - read and sing on the choir in the temple.

Charterers

The Ustanovnik is a psalm-reader who knows the liturgical Rule very well and promptly gives the singing singers the necessary book (during worship, quite a lot of liturgical books are used and they all have their own name and meaning) and, if necessary, independently reads or proclaims (performs the function of a canonarch).

Sextons or altar boys

Sextons (altar servers) - help priests (priests, archpriests, hieromonks, etc.) during divine services.

Novices and workers

Novices, laborers - mostly only visit monasteries, where they perform various obediences

Inoki

A monk is a resident of a monastery who has not taken vows, but has the right to wear monastic robes.

Monks

A monk is a resident of a monastery who has taken monastic vows before God.

A schemamonk is a monk who has made even more serious vows before God compared to an ordinary monk.

In addition, in temples you can find:

Abbot

The rector is the chief priest, rarely a deacon, at a particular parish

Treasurer

A treasurer is a kind of chief accountant, usually an ordinary woman from the world who is appointed by the abbot to perform a specific job.

Headman

The headman is the same caretaker, a housekeeping assistant; as a rule, he is a pious layman who has a desire to help and manage the household of the church.

Economy

Economy is one of the housekeeping employees where it is required.

Registrar

Registrar - these functions are performed by an ordinary parishioner (from the world), who serves in the church with the blessing of the rector; she prepares the requirements and custom prayers.

Cleaning woman

The temple servant (for cleaning, maintaining order in the candlesticks) is an ordinary parishioner (from the world), who serves in the temple with the blessing of the abbot.

Servant in the Church Shop

A servant in a church shop is an ordinary parishioner (from the world), who serves in the church with the blessing of the rector, performs the functions of consulting and selling literature, candles and everything that is sold in church shops.

Janitor, security guard

An ordinary man from the world who serves in the Temple with the blessing of the abbot.

Dear friends, I draw your attention to the fact that the author of the project asks for the help of each of you. I serve in a poor village Temple, I really need it various help, including funds for the maintenance of the Temple! Website of the parish Church: hramtrifona.ru

Every Orthodox man meets with clergy who speak publicly or conduct church services. At first glance, you can understand that each of them wears some special rank, because it’s not for nothing that they have differences in clothing: different colors robes, headdresses, some have jewelry made of precious stones, while others are more ascetic. But not everyone is given the ability to understand ranks. To find out the main ranks of clergy and monks, let's look at the ranks of the Orthodox Church in ascending order.

It should immediately be said that all ranks are divided into two categories:

Secular clergy. These include ministers who may have a family, wife and children.
Black clergy. These are those who accepted monasticism and renounced worldly life.

Secular clergy

The description of people who serve the Church and the Lord comes from the Old Testament. The scripture says that before the birth of Christ, the prophet Moses appointed people who were supposed to communicate with God. It is with these people that today's hierarchy of ranks is associated.

Altar server (novice)

This person is a lay assistant to the clergy. His responsibilities include:

If necessary, a novice can ring bells and read prayers, but he is strictly forbidden to touch the throne and walk between the altar and the Royal Doors. The altar server wears the most ordinary clothes, with a surplice thrown over the top.

This person is not elevated to the rank of clergy. He must read prayers and words from scripture, interpret them ordinary people and explain to children the basic rules of Christian life. For special zeal, the clergyman can ordain the psalmist as a subdeacon. As for church clothes, he is allowed to wear a cassock and a skufia (velvet cap).

This person also does not have holy orders. But he can wear a surplice and an orarion. If the bishop blesses him, then the subdeacon can touch the throne and enter through the Royal Doors into the altar. Most often, the subdeacon helps the priest perform the service. He washes his hands during services and gives him the necessary items (tricirium, ripids).

Church ranks of the Orthodox Church

All of the church ministers listed above are not clergy. These are simple peaceful people who want to get closer to the church and the Lord God. They are accepted into their positions only with the blessing of the priest. Consider church ranks Orthodox Church let's start from the lowest.

The position of deacon has remained unchanged since ancient times. He, as before, must help in worship, but he is prohibited from performing independently church service and represent the Church in society. His main responsibility is reading the Gospel. Currently, the need for the services of a deacon is no longer required, so their number in churches is steadily decreasing.

This is the most important deacon at a cathedral or church. Previously, this rank was received by a protodeacon, who was distinguished by his special zeal for service. To determine that this is a protodeacon, you should look at his vestments. If he wears an orarion with the words “Holy! Holy! Holy,” that means he’s the one in front of you. But at present, this rank is given only after a deacon has served in the church for at least 15–20 years.

It is these people who have a beautiful singing voice, know many psalms and prayers, and sing at various church services.

This word came to us from the Greek language and translated means “priest.” In the Orthodox Church this is the lowest rank of priest. The bishop gives him the following powers:

perform divine services and other sacraments;
bring teaching to people;
conduct communion.

The priest is prohibited from consecrating antimensions and performing the sacrament of ordination of the priesthood. Instead of a hood, his head is covered with a kamilavka.

This rank is given as a reward for some merit. The archpriest is the most important among the priests and also the rector of the temple. During the performance of the sacraments, archpriests put on a chasuble and stole. Several archpriests can serve in one liturgical institution at once.

This rank is given only by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' as a reward for the kindest and most useful deeds that a person has done in favor of the Russian Orthodox Church. This is the highest rank in the white clergy. It will no longer be possible to earn a higher rank, since then there are ranks that are prohibited from starting a family.

However, many people quit in order to get a promotion. worldly life, family, children and forever go to monastic life. In such families, the wife most often supports her husband and also goes to the monastery to take monastic vows.

Black clergy

It includes only those who have taken monastic vows. This hierarchy of ranks is more detailed than that of those who preferred family life monastic.

This is a monk who is a deacon. He helps clergy conduct sacraments and perform services. For example, he carries out the vessels necessary for rituals or makes prayer requests. The most senior hierodeacon is called "archdeacon."

This is a man who is a priest. He is allowed to perform various sacred sacraments. This rank can be received by priests from the white clergy who decided to become monks, and by those who have undergone consecration (giving a person the right to perform the sacraments).

This is the abbot or abbess of a Russian Orthodox monastery or temple. Previously, most often, this rank was given as a reward for services to the Russian Orthodox Church. But since 2011, the patriarch decided to grant this rank to any abbot of the monastery. During initiation, the abbot is given a staff with which he must walk around his domain.

This is one of the highest ranks in Orthodoxy. Upon receiving it, the clergyman is also awarded a miter. The archimandrite wears a black monastic robe, which distinguishes him from other monks by the fact that he has red tablets on him. If, in addition, the archimandrite is the rector of any temple or monastery, he has the right to carry a rod - a staff. He is supposed to be addressed as “Your Reverence.”

This rank belongs to the category of bishops. At their ordination, they received the highest grace of the Lord and therefore can perform any sacred rites, even ordain deacons. According to church laws they have equal rights, the most senior is the archbishop. By ancient tradition only the bishop can bless the service with the antimis. This is a quadrangular scarf in which part of the relics of a saint is sewn.

This clergyman also controls and guards all monasteries and churches that are located on the territory of his diocese. The generally accepted address to a bishop is “Vladyka” or “Your Eminence.”

This is a high-ranking clergy or the highest title of bishop, the oldest on earth. He obeys only the patriarch. Differs from other dignitaries in the following details in clothing:

has a blue robe (bishops have red ones);
hood white with a cross trimmed precious stones(the rest have a black hood).

This rank is given for very high merits and is a badge of distinction.

The highest rank in the Orthodox Church, the main priest of the country. The word itself combines two roots: “father” and “power”. He is elected at the Council of Bishops. This rank is for life, only in the most in rare cases his deposition and excommunication is possible. When the place of the patriarch is empty, a locum tenens is appointed as a temporary executor, who does everything that the patriarch should do.

This position carries responsibility not only for itself, but also for the entire Orthodox people countries.

The ranks in the Orthodox Church, in ascending order, have their own clear hierarchy. Despite the fact that we call many clergymen “father,” each Orthodox Christian must know the main differences between dignitaries and positions.

Spiritual orders and ranks in Orthodoxy

What is the hierarchy of clergy in the Church: from reader to Patriarch? From our article you will learn who is who in Orthodoxy, what are the spiritual ranks and how to contact the clergy

Spiritual hierarchy in Orthodoxy

There are many traditions and rituals in the Orthodox Church. One of the establishments of the Church is the hierarchy of clergy: from the reader to the Patriarch. In the structure of the Church, everything is subject to order, which is comparable to the army. Every person in modern society where the Church has influence and where Orthodox tradition- one of the historical ones, interested in its structure. From our article you will learn who is who in Orthodoxy, what are the spiritual ranks in the Church and how to contact the clergy.

Structure of the Church

The original meaning of the word “Church” is a meeting of Christ’s disciples, Christians; translated as “meeting”. The concept of “Church” is quite broad: it is a building (in this sense of the word church and temple are one and the same!), and a meeting of all believers, and a regional meeting Orthodox people- for example, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church.

Also, the Old Russian word “cathedral”, translated as “assembly”, still refers to congresses of the episcopate and lay Christians (for example, Ecumenical Council- a meeting of representatives of all Orthodox regional Churches, the Local Council is a meeting of one Church).

The Orthodox Church consists of three orders of people:

Lay people - ordinary people, not ordained, not working in the church (parish). The laity are often called “the people of God.”

Clergy are laymen who are not ordained to the priesthood, but who work in the parish.

Priests, or clergy and bishops.

First, we need to talk about the clergy. They are playing important role in the life of the Church, but they are not consecrated, they are not ordained through the Sacraments of the Church. This category of people includes professions of different importance:

Watchmen, cleaners at the temple;

The elders of churches (parishes are people like the caretaker);

Employees of the office, accounting and other departments of the Diocesan Administration (this is an analogue of the city administration; even non-believers can work here);

Readers, altar servers, candle bearers, psalm-readers, sextons - men (sometimes nuns) who serve at the altar with the blessing of the priest (once these positions were different, now they are mixed);

Singers and regents (church choir conductors) - for the position of regent you need to receive the appropriate education at a theological school or seminary;

Catechists, diocesan press service employees, youth department employees are people who must have a certain deep knowledge of the Church; they usually complete special theological courses.

Some clergy may have distinctive clothing - for example, in most churches, except for poor parishes, male altar servers, readers and candle bearers are dressed in brocade surplices or cassocks (black clothing is slightly narrower than the cassock); At festive services, choristers and directors of large choirs dress in freeform, custom-made, pious clothing of the same color.

Let us also note that there is such a category of people as seminarians and academicians. These are students of Theological schools - schools, seminaries and academies - where future priests are trained. This gradation educational institutions corresponds to a lay school or college, institute or university and graduate or master's school. Students usually, in addition to studying, perform obediences in the church at the Theological School: they serve at the altar, read, and sing.

There is also the title of subdeacon. This is a person who helps the bishop in worship (taking out the staff, bringing a basin for washing hands, putting on liturgical clothes). A subdeacon can also be a deacon, that is, a clergyman, but most often it is a young man who does not have holy orders and performs only the duties of a subdeacon.

Priests in the Church

In fact, the word “priest” is a short name for all clergy.
They are also called by the words: clergy, clerics, clergy (you can specify - temple, parish, diocese).
The clergy is divided into white and black:

married clergy, priests who have not taken monastic vows;

black - monks, and only they can occupy the highest church positions.

Let's first talk about the degrees of clergy. There are three of them:

Deacons - they can be either married people or monks (then they are called hierodeacons).

Priests - also, a monastic priest is called a hieromonk (a combination of the words “priest” and “monk”).

Bishops - bishops, metropolitans, Exarchs (governors of Local small Churches subordinate to the Patriarchate, for example, the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate), Patriarchs (this is the highest rank in the Church, but this person is also called “bishop” or “Primate of the Church”).

Black clergy, monks

According to church tradition, a monk must live in a monastery, but a monastic priest - hierodeacon or hieromonk - can be sent by the ruling bishop of the diocese to a parish, like an ordinary white priest.

In a monastery, a person who wants to become a monk and priest goes through the following stages:

A laborer is a person who came to the monastery for a while without a firm intention to stay in it.

A novice is a person who has entered a monastery, performs only obediences (hence the name), lives according to the rules of the monastery (that is, living as a novice, you cannot go to see friends for the night, go on dates with us, and so on), but have not made monastic vows.

A monk (cassophore novice) is a person who has the right to wear monastic robes, but has not taken all monastic vows. He only receives a new name, a symbolic hair cut, and the opportunity to wear some symbolic clothes. At this time, a person has the opportunity to refuse tonsure as a monk; this will not be a sin.

A monk is a person who has taken on the mantle (small angelic image), the small schema of the schema. He takes vows of obedience to the abbot of the monastery, renunciation of the world and non-acquisitiveness - that is, the absence of his property, everything from now on belongs to the monastery and the monastery itself takes upon itself the responsibility to provide for a person’s life. This tonsure of monks has been going on since ancient times and continues to the present day.

All these levels exist in both women's and women's monasteries. Monastic rules are the same for everyone, but different monasteries have different traditions and customs, relaxations and tightening of the rules.

Let us note that going to a monastery means choosing a difficult path unusual people who love God with all their hearts and do not see any other way for themselves other than serving Him and dedicating themselves to the Lord. These are true monks. Such people may even be successful in the world, but at the same time they will miss something - just as a lover misses his beloved by his side. And only in prayer does the future monk find peace.

Church hierarchy of clergy

The priesthood of the Church has its foundation back in Old Testament. They go in ascending order and cannot be skipped, that is, the bishop must first be a deacon, then a priest. All degrees of the priesthood are ordained (in other words, consecrated) by the bishop.

Deacon

The lowest level of the priesthood includes deacons. Through ordination as a deacon, a person receives the grace necessary to participate in the Liturgy and other services. The deacon cannot conduct the Sacraments and divine services alone; he is only an assistant to the priest. People who serve well as deacons for a long time, receive the titles:

white priesthood - protodeacons,

black priesthood - archdeacons, who most often accompany the bishop.

Often in poor, rural parishes there is no deacon, and his functions are performed by a priest. Also, if necessary, the duties of a deacon can be performed by a bishop.

Priest

A person in the clergy of a priest is also called a presbyter, a priest, and in monasticism - a hieromonk. Priests perform all the Sacraments of the Church, except for consecration (ordination), the consecration of the world (it is performed by the Patriarch - the world is necessary for the completeness of the Sacrament of Baptism for every person) and the antimension (a scarf with a sewn-in piece of holy relics, which is placed on the altar of each church). The priest who leads the life of the parish is called the rector, and his subordinates, ordinary priests, are full-time clergy. In a village or town the priest usually presides, and in the city - an archpriest.

The abbots of churches and monasteries report directly to the bishop.

The title of archpriest is usually an incentive for long service and good service. The hieromonk is usually awarded the rank of abbot. Also, the rank of hegumen is often given to the abbot of the monastery (hierogumen). The abbot of the Lavra (a large, ancient monastery, of which there are not many in the world) receives an archimandrite. Most often, this award is followed by the rank of bishop.

Bishops: bishops, archbishops, metropolitans, patriarchs.

Bishop, translated from Greek - chief of priests. They perform all the Sacraments without exception. Bishops ordain people as deacons and priests, but only the Patriarch, concelebrated by several bishops, can ordain bishops.

Bishops who have distinguished themselves in ministry and served for a long time are called archbishops. Also, for even greater merits, they are elevated to the rank of metropolitans. They have a higher rank for services to the Church; also, only metropolitans can govern metropolitan areas - large dioceses, which include several small ones. An analogy can be drawn: a diocese is a region, a metropolis is a city with a region (St. Petersburg and Leningrad region) or the entire Federal District.

Often, other bishops are appointed to help the metropolitan or archbishop, who are called suffragan bishops or, in short, vicars.

The highest spiritual rank in the Orthodox Church is the Patriarch. This rank is elective, and is chosen by the Council of Bishops (a meeting of bishops of the entire regional Church). Most often, he leads the Church together with the Holy Synod (Kinod, in different transcriptions, in different churches) leads the Church. The rank of Primate (head) of the Church is for life, however, if serious sins are committed, the Bishops' Court can remove the Patriarch from ministry. Also, upon request, the Patriarch can be retired due to illness or old age. Until the convening of the Council of Bishops, a Locum Tenens (temporarily acting as the head of the Church) is appointed.

Appeal to an Orthodox priest, bishop, metropolitan, Patriarch and other clergy

The deacon and priest are addressed - Your Reverence.

To the archpriest, abbot, archimandrite - Your Reverence.

To the bishop - Your Eminence.

To the metropolitan, archbishop - Your Eminence.

To the Patriarch - Your Holiness.

In a more everyday situation, during a conversation, all bishops are addressed as “Vladyka (name),” for example, “Vladyka Pitirim, bless.” The Patriarch is addressed either in the same way or, a little more formally, “The Most Holy Bishop.”

May the Lord protect you with His grace and the prayers of the Church!

In the Orthodox Church there are three degrees of priesthood: deacon, priest, bishop. In addition, all the clergy are divided into “white” - married and “black” - monks.

Deacon (Greek "diakonos" - minister) is a clergyman of the first (junior) degree of the priesthood. He participates in worship, but does not perform the sacraments himself. A deacon in the monastic rank is called a hierodeacon. The senior deacon in the white (married) clergy is called a protodeacon, and in monasticism - an archdeacon.

A priest, or presbyter (Greek "pre-sbyteros" - elder), or priest (Greek "hier-is" - priest), is a clergyman who can perform six of the seven sacraments, with the exception of the sacrament of Ordination, that is, elevation to one of the degrees church hierarchy. Priests are subordinate to the bishop. They are assigned to lead church life in urban and rural parishes. The senior priest in the parish is called the rector.

Only a deacon (married or monastic) can be ordained to the rank of presbyter. A priest holding the monastic rank is called a hieromonk. The senior elders of the white clergy are called archpriests, protopresbyters, and the monastics are called abbots. The abbots of monastic monasteries are called archimandrites. The rank of archimandrite is usually held by the abbot of a large monastery or monastery. Hegumen is the rector of an ordinary monastery or parish church.

Bishop (Greek "episkopos" - overseer) - clergyman highest degree. A bishop is also called a bishop, or hierarch, that is, a priest, sometimes a saint.

A bishop governs the parishes of an entire area, called a diocese. Bishop, Administrator of Parishes big city and the surrounding area is called metropolitan.

Patriarch - "father leader" - primate Local Church, elected and appointed at the Council, is the highest rank of the church hierarchy.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church is His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'. He governs the church with the Holy Synod. In addition to the Patriarch, the Synod constantly includes the Metropolitans of Kiev, St. Petersburg, Krutitsky, and Minsk. Permanent member Holy Synod is the chairman of the Department of External Church Relations. Four more are invited from the rest of the episcopate in rotation as temporary members for six months.

In addition to the three sacred ranks in the Church, there are also lower official positions - subdeacons, psalm-readers and sextons. They are classified as clergy and are appointed to their positions not through Ordination, but by bishop’s or abbot’s blessing.