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Rank of clergy. Church hierarchy - table of ranks of clergy

One of the main directions in Christianity is Orthodoxy. It is professed by millions of people around the world: in Russia, Greece, Armenia, Georgia and other countries. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is considered the custodian of the main shrines in Palestine. exist even in Alaska and Japan. In the homes of Orthodox believers hang icons that are picturesque images of Jesus Christ and all the saints. In the 11th century christian church split into Orthodox and Catholic. Today, the majority of Orthodox people live in Russia, since one of the oldest churches is the Russian Orthodox Church, headed by the patriarch.

Priest - who is this?

There are three degrees of priesthood: deacon, priest and bishop. Then the priest - who is this? This is the name given to a priest of the lowest rank of the second degree of the Orthodox priesthood, who, with the blessing of the bishop, is allowed to independently administer six church sacraments, except for the sacrament of ordination.

Many are interested in the origin of the title priest. Who is this and how does he differ from a hieromonk? It is worth noting that the word itself Greek language translated as “priest”, in the Russian Church it is a priest, who in the monastic rank is called a hieromonk. In official or solemn speech It is customary to address priests as “Your Reverence.” Priests and hieromonks have the right to lead church life in urban and rural parishes and they are called rectors.

The exploits of the priests

During the era of great upheavals, priests and hieromonks sacrificed themselves and everything they had for the sake of faith. This is how true Christians held onto saving faith in Christ. The church never forgets their true ascetic deed and honors them with all honors. Not everyone knows how many priests died during the years of terrible trials. Their feat was so great that it is impossible to even imagine.

Hieromartyr Sergius

Priest Sergius Mechev was born on September 17, 1892 in Moscow into the family of priest Alexei Mechev. After graduating from high school with silver medal, he went to study at Moscow University at Faculty of Medicine, but then transferred to the Faculty of History and Philology and graduated in 1917. During his student years, he attended the theological circle named after John Chrysostom. During the war of 1914, Mechev worked as a brother of mercy on an ambulance train. In 1917, he often visited Patriarch Tikhon, who special attention treated him. In 1918, he received the blessing to accept the priesthood from After this, being already Father Sergius, he never abandoned his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the most difficult times, having gone through camps and exile, he did not renounce it even under torture, for which he was shot December 24, 1941 within the walls of the Yaroslavl NKVD. Sergius Mechev was canonized as a holy new martyr in 2000 by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Confessor Alexey

Priest Alexey Usenko was born into the family of psalm-reader Dmitry Usenko on March 15, 1873. Having received a seminary education, he was ordained a priest and began to serve in one of the villages of Zaporozhye. So he would have worked in his humble prayers if not for the revolution of 1917. In the 1920-1930s he was not particularly affected by persecution Soviet power. But in 1936, in the village of Timoshovka, Mikhailovsky district, where he lived with his family, local authorities closed the church. He was already 64 years old then. Then Priest Alexey went to work on a collective farm, but as a priest he continued his sermons, and everywhere there were people who were ready to listen to him. The authorities did not accept this and sent him to distant exile and prison. Priest Alexey Usenko resignedly endured all the hardships and bullying and until the end of his days he was faithful to Christ and the Holy Church. He probably died in BAMLAG (Baikal-Amur camp) - the day and place of his death are not known for certain; most likely, he was buried in a camp mass grave. The Zaporozhye diocese appealed to the Holy Synod of the UOC to consider the issue of canonizing Priest Alexey Usenko as a locally revered saint.

Hieromartyr Andrew

Priest Andrei Benediktov was born on October 29, 1885 in the village of Voronino in the Nizhny Novgorod province in the family of priest Nikolai Benediktov.

He, along with other clergy of Orthodox churches and laymen, was arrested on August 6, 1937 and accused of anti-Soviet conversations and participation in counter-revolutionary church conspiracies. Priest Andrei did not admit his guilt and did not testify against others. This was a real priestly feat; he died for his unshakable faith in Christ. He was canonized as a saint by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000.

Vasily Gundyaev

He was the grandfather of the Russian Patriarch Kirill and also became one of the brightest examples of true service Orthodox Church. Vasily was born on January 18, 1907 in Astrakhan. A little later, his family moved to the Nizhny Novgorod province, to the city of Lukyanov. Vasily worked at the railway depot as a machinist. He was a very religious man and raised his children in the fear of God. The family lived very modestly. Patriarch Kirill once said that, while still a child, he asked his grandfather where he put the money and why he didn’t save anything either before or after the revolution. He replied that he sent all the funds to Athos. And so, when the patriarch found himself on Athos, he decided to check this fact, and, which, in principle, is not surprising, it turned out pure truth. In the Simonometra Monastery there are old archival records from the beginning of the twentieth century for the eternal remembrance of Priest Vasily Gundyaev.

During the years of revolution and cruel trials, the priest defended and preserved his faith to the end. He spent about 30 years in persecution and imprisonment, during which time he spent time in 46 prisons and 7 camps. But these years did not break Vasily’s faith; he died as an eighty-year-old man on October 31, 1969 in the village of Obrochny, Mordovian region. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, while a student at the Leningrad Academy, participated in the funeral service for his grandfather along with his father and relatives, who also became priests.

"Priest-san"

Very interesting feature film filmed by Russian filmmakers in 2014. His name is "Priest-san". The audience immediately had many questions. Priest - who is this? Who will the film be about? The idea for the film was suggested by Ivan Okhlobystin, who once saw a real Japanese among the priests in a temple. This fact plunged him into deep thought and study.

It turns out that in 1861, during the persecution of foreigners from the islands, Hieromonk Nikolai Kasatkin (Japanese) came to Japan with the mission of spreading Orthodoxy, risking his life. He devoted several years to studying Japanese, culture and philosophy in order to translate the Bible into this language. And then a few years later, or rather in 1868, the priest was waylaid by the samurai Takuma Sawabe, who wanted to kill him for preaching things alien to the Japanese. But the priest did not flinch and said: “How can you kill me if you don’t know why?” He suggested telling about the life of Christ. And imbued with the priest’s story, Takuma, being Japanese samurai, became Orthodox priest- Father Pavel. He went through many trials, lost his family, his estate and became right hand Nikolai's father.

In 1906, Nicholas of Japan was elevated to the rank of archbishop. The same year saw the founding of the Kyoto Vicariate by the Orthodox Church in Japan. He died on February 16, 1912. Equal to the Apostles Nicholas Japanese canonized as a saint.

In conclusion, I would like to note that all the people discussed in the article kept their faith like a spark from a big fire and spread it around the world so that people would know that there is no greater truth than Christian Orthodoxy.

In the Orthodox Church there are the people of God, and they are divided into three types: laity, clergy and clergy. With the laity (i.e., ordinary parishioners), everything is usually clear to everyone, but in reality this is not the case. For many (unfortunately, for the laity themselves), the idea of ​​lack of rights and servility has long become familiar common man, But the role of the laity is the most important in the life of the church. The Lord did not come to be served, but He Himself served to save sinners. (Matthew 20:28), and he commanded the apostles to do the same, but he also showed the simple believer the path of selfless, sacrificial love for one’s neighbor. So that everyone is united.

Lay people

Laymen are all parishioners of the temple who are not called to priestly service. It is from the laity that the Church, by the Holy Spirit, puts into service at all the necessary levels.

Clergymen

Usually this type of employee is rarely distinguished from the laity, but he exists and plays huge role in the life of the Church. TO this type include readers, singers, workers, elders, altar boys, catechists, watchmen and many other positions. Clergymen may have obvious differences in their clothes, but they may not stand out in appearance.

Clergy

Priests are usually called clergy or clergy and are divided into whites and blacks. White is the married clergy, black is the monastics. Only black clergy, unencumbered by family concerns, can manage the Church. Clergy also has a hierarchical degree, which indicates involvement in worship and spiritual care of the flock (i.e., the laity). For example, deacons only participate in divine services, but do not perform the Sacraments in the Church.

Clothes of the clergy are divided into everyday and liturgical. However, after the 1917 coup, wearing any church clothes It became unsafe and, to maintain peace, it was allowed to wear secular clothing, which is still practiced today. Types of clothing and their symbolic meaning will be described in a separate article.

For a new parishioner you need be able to distinguish a priest from a deacon. In most cases, the difference can be considered the presence pectoral cross, which is worn on top of vestments (liturgical garments). This part of the vestment differs in color (material) and decoration. The simplest pectoral cross is silver (for the priest and hieromonk), then gold (for the archpriest and abbot) and sometimes there is a pectoral cross with decorations ( precious stones), as a reward for many years of good service.

Some simple rules for every Christian

  • Anyone who misses many days of worship cannot be considered a Christian. Which is natural, for just as it is natural for someone who wants to live in a warm house to pay for heat and a house, so it is natural for someone who wants spiritual well-being to do spiritual work. The question of why you need to go to church will be considered separately.
  • In addition to attending services, there is a tradition of wearing modest and non-provocative clothing (at least in church). For now we will omit the reason for this establishment.
  • Keeping fasts and prayer rules has natural causes, since sin is driven out, as the Savior said, only by prayer and fasting. The question of how to fast and pray is solved not in articles, but in church.
  • It is natural for a believer to abstain from excesses in speech, food, wine, fun, etc. For even the ancient Greeks noticed that for a quality life there must be a measure in everything. Not extreme, but deanery, i.e. order.

Believers must remember that the Church reminds us of order not only internally, but also externally, and this applies to everyone. But you also shouldn’t forget that order is a voluntary matter, not a mechanical one.

In Orthodoxy there are secular clergy(priests who did not take monastic vows) and black clergy(monasticism)

The ranks of the white clergy:

Altar boy- the name given to a male layman who helps the clergy at the altar. The term is not used in canonical and liturgical texts, but became generally accepted in this meaning by the end of the 20th century. in many European dioceses in the Russian Orthodox Church the name “altar boy” is not generally accepted. In the Siberian dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church it is not used; instead of it in given value the more traditional term sexton is usually used, as well as novice. The sacrament of priesthood is not performed over the altar boy; he only receives a blessing from the rector of the temple to serve at the altar.
the duties of the altar server include monitoring the timely and correct lighting of candles, lamps and other lamps in the altar and in front of the iconostasis; preparation of vestments for priests and deacons; bringing prosphora, wine, water, incense to the altar; lighting the coal and preparing the censer; giving a fee for wiping the lips during Communion; assistance to the priest in performing the sacraments and requirements; cleaning the altar; if necessary, reading during the service and performing the duties of a bell ringer. The altar boy is prohibited from touching the altar and its accessories, as well as from moving from one side of the altar to the other between the altar and the Royal Doors. The altar boy wears a surplice over secular clothing.

Reader (acolyte; earlier, before late XIX - sexton, lat. lecturer) - in Christianity - the lowest rank of clergy, not elevated to the degree of priesthood, reading texts during public worship Holy Scripture and prayers. In addition, according to ancient tradition, the readers not only read in Christian churches, but also explained the meaning of difficult-to-understand texts, translated them into the languages ​​of their area, preached sermons, taught converts and children, sang various hymns (chants), engaged in charity work, and had other church obediences. In the Orthodox Church, readers are ordained by bishops through a special rite - hirothesia, otherwise called “ordaining”. This is the first initiation of a layman, only after which can he be ordained as a subdeacon, and then ordained as a deacon, then as a priest and, higher, as a bishop (bishop). The reader has the right to wear a cassock, belt and skufia. During tonsure, a small veil is first put on him, which is then removed and a surplice is put on.

Subdeacon(Greek; colloquially (obsolete) subdeacon from Greek ??? - “under”, “below” + Greek. - minister) - a clergyman in the Orthodox Church, serving mainly with the bishop during his sacred rites, wearing in front of him in the indicated cases the trikiri, dikiri and ripids, laying the eagle, washing his hands, vesting him and performing some other actions. IN modern Church the subdeacon does not have a sacred degree, although he wears a surplice and has one of the accessories of the deaconate - an orarion, which is worn crosswise over both shoulders and symbolizes angelic wings. Being the most senior clergyman, the subdeacon is an intermediate link between clergy and clergy. Therefore, the subdeacon, with the blessing of the serving bishop, can touch the throne and the altar during divine services and at certain moments enter the altar through the Royal Doors.

Deacon(lit. form; colloquial) deacon; Old Greek - minister) - a person serving in church service at the first, lowest degree of priesthood.
In the Orthodox East and in Russia, deacons still occupy the same hierarchical position as in ancient times. Their job and significance is to be assistants during worship. They themselves cannot perform public worship and be representatives of the Christian community. Due to the fact that a priest can perform all services and services without a deacon, deacons cannot be considered absolutely necessary. On this basis, it is possible to reduce the number of deacons in churches and parishes. We resorted to such reductions to increase the salary of priests.

Protodeacon or protodeacon- title white clergy, chief deacon in the diocese under cathedral. Title protodeacon complained in the form of a reward for special merits, as well as to the deacons of the court department. Protodeacon's insignia - protodeacon's orarion with the words " Holy, holy, holy“Currently, the title of protodeacon is usually given to deacons after 20 years of service in the priesthood. Protodeacons are often famous for their voice, being one of the main decorations of the divine service.

Priest- a term that passed from the Greek language, where it originally meant “priest,” into Christian church usage; V literal translation in Russian - priest. In the Russian Church it is used as a junior title for a white priest. He receives from the bishop the authority to teach people the faith of Christ, to perform all the Sacraments, except the Sacrament of Ordination of the Priesthood, and all church services, except for the consecration of antimensions.

Archpriest(Greek - “high priest”, from “first” + “priest”) - a title given to a person white clergy as a reward in the Orthodox Church. The archpriest is usually the rector of the temple. Ordination to the archpriest occurs through consecration. During divine services (except for the liturgy), priests (priests, archpriests, hieromonks) wear a phelonion (chasuble) and stole over their cassock and cassock.

Protopresbyter- the highest rank for a member of the white clergy in the Russian Church and in some other local churches. After 1917, it is assigned in isolated cases to priests of the priesthood as a reward; is not a separate degree. In the modern Russian Orthodox Church, the award of the rank of protopresbyter is carried out “in exceptional cases, for special church services, on the initiative and decision His Holiness Patriarch Moscow and All Rus'.

Black clergy:

Hierodeacon(hierodeacon) (from Greek - - sacred and - minister; Old Russian “black deacon”) - a monk in the rank of deacon. The senior hierodeacon is called the archdeacon.

Hieromonk- in the Orthodox Church, a monk who has the rank of priest (that is, the right to perform the sacraments). Monks become hieromonks through ordination or white priests through monastic tonsure.

Abbot(Greek - “leading”, feminine) abbess) - abbot Orthodox monastery.

Archimandrite(from Greek - chief, senior+ Greek - corral, sheepfold, fence in meaning monastery) - one of the highest monastic ranks in the Orthodox Church (below the bishop), corresponds to the mitered (mitred) archpriest and protopresbyter in the white clergy.

Bishop(Greek - “supervisor”, “supervisor”) in the modern Church - a person who has a third, highest degree priesthood, otherwise bishop.

Metropolitan- the first episcopal title in the Church in antiquity.

Patriarch(from Greek - “father” and - “domination, beginning, power”) - the title of the representative of the autocephalous Orthodox Church in a number of Local Churches; also the title of senior bishop; historically, before the Great Schism, it was assigned to the five bishops of the Universal Church (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem), who had the rights of the highest church-governmental jurisdiction. The Patriarch is elected by the Local Council.

Church titles

Orthodox Church

The following hierarchy is observed:

Bishops:

1. Patriarchs, Archbishops, Metropolitans - Heads of Local Churches.

The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople should be called Your Holiness. To others To the Eastern Patriarchs should be addressed either Your Holiness or Your Beatitude in the third person

2. Metropolitans who are a) heads of Autocephalous Churches, b) members of the Patriarchate. In the latter case, they are members of the Synod or head one or more archiepiscopal dioceses.

3. Archbishops (same as point 2).

Metropolitans and archbishops should be addressed with the words Your Eminence

4. Bishops – administrators of the diocese – 2 dioceses.

5. Bishops – vicars – one diocese.

To the bishops, Your Eminence, Your Grace and Your Lordship. If the Head of the Local Orthodox Church is a metropolitan and archbishop, then it is appropriate to address him, Your Beatitude.

Priests:

1. Archimandrites (usually head monasteries, then they are called abbots of the monastery or governors).

2. Archpriests (usually deans and rectors of churches in this rank) major cities), protopresbyter - rector of the Patriarchal Cathedral.

3. Abbots.

To the archimandrites, archpriests, abbots - Your Reverence

4. Hieromonks.

To the hieromonks, priests - Your Reverence.

1. Archdeacons.

2. Protodeacons.

3. Hierodeacons.

4. Deacons.

Deacons are named according to their rank.

Roman Catholic Church

The order of precedence is as follows:

1. Pope (Roman pontiff (lat. Pontifex Romanus), or supreme sovereign pontiff (Pontifex Maximus)). Simultaneously possesses three inseparable functions of power. Monarch and Sovereign of the Holy See, as the successor of St. Peter (the first Roman bishop) is the head of the Roman Catholic Church and its supreme hierarch, sovereign of the Vatican City State.

The Pope should be addressed as "Holy Father" or "Your Holiness" in the third person.

2. Legates - cardinals representing the Pope, who are entitled to royal honors;

3. Cardinals, equal in rank to princes of the blood; Cardinals are appointed by the Pope. They, like bishops, govern dioceses or hold positions in the Roman Curia. From the 11th century Cardinals elect the Pope.

The cardinal should be addressed as "Your Eminence" or "Your Lordship" in the third person

4. Patriarch. In Catholicism, the rank of patriarch is mainly held by the hierarchs who head the Eastern Catholic Churches with the status of patriarchy. In the West, the title is rarely used, with the exception of the heads of the Venetian and Lisbon Metropolises, who historically bear the title of patriarch, the Jerusalem Patriarch of the Latin Rite, as well as the titular Patriarchs of the Eastern and Western Indies (the latter has been vacant since 1963).

Patriarchs - the heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches - are elected by the synod of bishops of a given Church. After the election, the Patriarch is immediately enthroned, after which he asks for communion (church communion) from the Pope (this is the only difference between the patriarch and the supreme archbishop, whose candidacy is approved by the Pope). In the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, the patriarchs of the Eastern Churches are equated to cardinal bishops.

During the official introduction, the Patriarch must be introduced as “His Beatitude, (Name and Surname) Patriarch (Location).” In person he should be addressed as "Your Beatitude" (except in Lisbon, where he is addressed as "His Eminence"), or on paper as "His Beatitude, the Most Reverend (Name and Surname) Patriarch of (Location)".

5. The Supreme Archbishop (lat. archiepiscopus maior) is the metropolitan who heads the Eastern Catholic Church with the status of the supreme archbishopric. Supreme Archbishop, although he is of lower rank than the Patriarch of the East catholic church, in all respects equal to him in rights. The supreme archbishop elected by his Church is confirmed by the Pope. If the Pope does not approve the candidacy of the Supreme Archbishop, new elections are held.
The Supreme Archbishops are members of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

6. Archbishop - senior (commanding) bishop. In the Roman Catholic Church, archbishops are divided into:

Archbishops heading archdioceses that are not provincial centers;

Personal archbishops, to whom this title is assigned by the Pope personally;

Titular archbishops occupying the see of now-defunct ancient cities and serving in the Roman Curia or being nuncios.

Primates. In the Roman Catholic Church, a primate is an archbishop (less commonly a suffragan or vacate bishop) who is awarded primacy over other bishops. the whole country or historical field (in political or cultural terms). This primacy under canon law does not confer any additional powers or authority in relation to other archbishops or bishops. The title is used in Catholic countries as honorary. The title of primate can be given to the hierarch of one of the oldest metropolises in the country. Primates are often elevated to the rank of cardinal and are often given the presidency of the national conference of bishops. At the same time, the main city of the diocese may no longer have such important, as when it was created, or its boundaries may no longer correspond to national ones. Primates rank below the supreme archbishop and patriarch, and within the College of Cardinals do not enjoy seniority.

Metropolitans. In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, a metropolitan is the head of an ecclesiastical province consisting of dioceses and archdioceses. The metropolitan must be an archbishop, and the center of the metropolis must coincide with the center of the archdiocese. On the contrary, there are archbishops who are not metropolitans - these are suffragan archbishops, as well as titular archbishops. Suffragan bishops and archbishops head their dioceses, which are part of the metropolitanate. Each of them has direct and complete jurisdiction over his diocese, but the metropolitan may exercise limited supervision over it in accordance with canon law.
The metropolitan usually presides over any services in the metropolitan area in which he participates, and also consecrates new bishops. The Metropolitan is the first instance to which diocesan courts can appeal. The metropolitan has the right to appoint an administrator of the diocese in cases where, after the death of the ruling bishop, the church is not able to legally elect an administrator.

7. Bishop (Greek - “supervisor”, “supervisor”) - a person who has the third, highest degree of priesthood, otherwise a bishop. Episcopal consecration (ordination) must be performed by several bishops, at least two, except special occasions. As the high priest, the bishop can perform all sacred rites in his diocese: exclusively he has the right to ordain priests, deacons, and lower clergy, and consecrate antimensions. The name of the bishop is exalted during divine services in all churches of his diocese.

Every priest has the right to perform divine services only with the blessing of his ruling bishop. All monasteries located on the territory of his diocese are also subordinate to the bishop. According to canon law, the bishop disposes of all church property independently or through proxies. In Catholicism, the bishop has the prerogative to perform not only the sacrament of the priesthood, but also anointing (confirmation).

Archbishops and bishops are addressed as “Your Excellency” or “Your Grace” in the second person. In some parts of Canada, especially in the West, the Archbishop is usually addressed as "His Eminence".

8. Priest - a minister of a religious cult. In the Catholic Church, priests are considered to be the second degree of priesthood. The priest has the right to perform five of the seven sacraments, with the exception of the sacrament of priesthood (ordination) and the sacrament of confirmation (which the priest has the right to perform only in exceptional circumstances). Priests are ordained by the bishop. The priests are divided into monastics (black clergy) and diocesan priests (white clergy). In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, celibacy is required for all priests.

During formal introductions, the religious priest must be introduced as "Reverend Father (Name) of (community name)." In person he should be addressed as "Father (Surname)", simply "Father", "padre" or "prete", and on paper as "Reverend Father (First Name Patronymic Last Name), (the initials of his community).

9. Deacon (Greek - “minister”) - a person serving in the church at the first, lowest degree of the priesthood. Deacons assist priests and bishops in performing divine services, and independently perform some sacraments. The service of a deacon adorns the service, but is not obligatory - the priest can serve alone.

Among bishops, priests and deacons in the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, seniority is also determined depending on the date of their ordination.

10. Accolyte (Latin acolythus - accompanying, serving) - a layman performing a certain liturgical service. His duties include lighting and carrying candles, preparing bread and wine for the Eucharistic consecration, and a number of other liturgical functions.
To denote the service of an acolyte, as well as the state itself and the corresponding rank, the concept of acolyte is used.
11. Reader (Lecturer) - a person who reads the word of God during the liturgy. As a rule, lecturers are third-year seminarians or ordinary laymen appointed by the bishop.
12. Ministerate (Latin “ministrans” - “serving”) - a layman who serves the priest during Mass and other services.

ORGANIST
CHORISTS
MONSKS
FAITHFUL

Lutheran Church

1. Archbishop;

2. land bishop;

3. bishop;

4. kirchenpresident (church president);

5. general superintendent;

6. superintendent;

7. propst (dean);

8. pastor;

9. vicar (deputy, assistant pastor).

Your Eminence addresses the Archbishop (head of the Church). To the rest - Mister Bishop, etc.

The hierarchical principle and structure must be observed in any organization, including the Russian Orthodox Church, which has its own church hierarchy. Surely every person who attends services or is otherwise involved in the activities of the church paid attention to the fact that each clergyman has a certain rank and status. This is expressed in different colors robes, type of headdress, presence or absence of jewelry, the right to perform certain sacred ceremonies.

Hierarchy of clergy in the Russian Orthodox Church

The clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church can be divided into two large groups:

  • white clergy (those who can marry and have children);
  • black clergy (those who renounced worldly life and accepted monastic orders).

Ranks in the white clergy

Even the Old Testament scripture says that before the Nativity, the prophet Moses appointed people whose task was to become an intermediate link in God’s communication with people. In the modern church system, this function is performed by white priests. Lower representatives The white clergy do not have holy orders; they include: altar boy, psalm-reader, subdeacon.

Altar boy is a person who assists the clergyman in conducting services. Such people are also called sextons. Staying in this rank is a mandatory step before receiving holy orders. The person performing the duties of an altar server is secular, that is, he has the right to leave the church if he changes his mind about connecting his life with serving the Lord.

His responsibilities include:

  • Timely lighting of candles and lamps, monitoring their safe combustion;
  • Preparation of priests' robes;
  • Offer prosphora, Cahors and other attributes of religious rites in a timely manner;
  • Light a fire in the censer;
  • Bring a towel to your lips during communion;
  • Maintenance internal order in church premises.

If necessary, the altar boy can ring bells and read prayers, but he is forbidden to touch the throne and be between the altar and the Royal Doors. The altar boy wears ordinary clothes, with a surplice on top.

Acolyte(otherwise known as a reader) is another representative of the white lower clergy. His main responsibility: reading prayers and words from holy scripture (as a rule, they know 5-6 main chapters from the Gospel), explaining to people the basic tenets of life true Christian. For special merits he may be ordained subdeacon. This procedure is carried out by a cleric of higher rank. The psalm-reader is allowed to wear a cassock and skufia.

Subdeacon- assistant to the priest in conducting services. His attire: surplice and orarion. When blessed by the bishop (he can also elevate the psalmist or altar server to the rank of subdeacon), the subdeacon receives the right to touch the throne, as well as enter the altar through the Royal Doors. His task is to wash the hands of the priest during services and give him the items necessary for the rituals, for example, ripids and trikirium.

Church ranks of the Orthodox Church

The above-mentioned church ministers do not have holy orders, and, therefore, are not clergy. This ordinary people who live in the world, but want to become closer to God and church culture. They are accepted into their positions with the blessing of clergy of higher rank.

Deaconate degree of clergy

Deacon- the lowest rank among all clergy with holy orders. His main task is to be an assistant to the priest during worship; they are mainly engaged in reading the Gospel. Deacons do not have the right to conduct worship services independently. As a rule, they perform their service in parish churches. Gradually, this church rank is losing its significance, and their representation in the church is steadily declining. Deacon ordination (the procedure for elevation to the rank of ecclesiastical rank) is carried out by the bishop.

Protodeacon- chief deacon at a temple or church. In the last century, this rank was received by a deacon for special merits; currently, 20 years of service in a lower church rank are required. The protodeacon has a characteristic robe - an orarion with the words “Holy! Holy! Holy." As a rule, these are people with a beautiful voice (they perform psalms and sing at services).

Presbytery Degree of Ministers

Priest translated from Greek means “priest.” Minor title of the white clergy. The consecration is also carried out by the bishop (bishop). The duties of the priest include:

  • Conducting sacraments, divine services and other religious ceremonies;
  • Conducting communion;
  • To carry the covenants of Orthodoxy to the masses.

The priest does not have the right to consecrate antimensions (plates of material made of silk or linen with a particle of the relics of an Orthodox martyr sewn into it, located in the altar on the throne; a necessary attribute for conducting a full liturgy) and to conduct the sacraments of ordination of the priesthood. Instead of a hood he wears a kamilavka.

Archpriest- a title awarded to representatives of the white clergy for special merits. The archpriest, as a rule, is the rector of the temple. His attire during services and church sacraments is an epitrachelion and chasuble. An archpriest awarded the right to wear a miter is called a miter.

Several archpriests can serve in one cathedral. Ordination to the archpriest is carried out by the bishop with the help of consecration - the laying on of hands with prayer. Unlike consecration, it is carried out in the center of the temple, outside the altar.

Protopresbyter- the highest rank for members of the white clergy. Awarded in exceptional cases as a reward for special services to the church and society.

The highest church ranks belong to the black clergy, that is, such dignitaries are prohibited from having a family. A representative of the white clergy can also take this path if he renounces worldly life, and his wife supports her husband and takes monastic vows.

Also, dignitaries who become widowers take this path, since they do not have the right to remarry.

The ranks of the black clergy

These are people who have taken monastic vows. They are prohibited from marrying and having children. They completely renounce worldly life, taking vows of chastity, obedience and non-covetousness ( voluntary refusal from wealth).

The lower ranks of the black clergy have many similarities with the corresponding ranks of the white clergy. The hierarchy and responsibilities can be compared using the following table:

Corresponding rank of white clergy The rank of the black clergy Comment
Altar Boy/Psalm Reader Novice A lay person who has decided to become a monk. By decision of the abbot, he is enrolled in the brethren of the monastery, given a cassock and appointed probation. Upon completion, the novice can decide whether to become a monk or return to secular life.
Subdeacon Monk (monk) A member of a religious community who has taken three monastic vows and leads an ascetic lifestyle in a monastery or independently in solitude and hermitage. He does not have holy orders, therefore, he cannot perform divine services. Monastic tonsure is performed by the abbot.
Deacon Hierodeacon A monk with the rank of deacon.
Protodeacon Archdeacon Senior deacon in the black clergy. In the Russian Orthodox Church, an archdeacon serving under the patriarch is called a patriarchal archdeacon and belongs to the white clergy. In large monasteries, the chief deacon also has the rank of archdeacon.
Priest Hieromonk A monk who has the rank of priest. You can become a hieromonk after the ordination procedure, and white priests can become a monk through monastic tonsure.
Archpriest Initially, he was the abbot of an Orthodox monastery. In the modern Russian Orthodox Church, the rank of abbot is given as a reward for hieromonk. Often the rank is not related to the management of the monastery. The initiation into abbot is carried out by the bishop.
Protopresbyter Archimandrite One of the highest monastic ranks in the Orthodox Church. The conferment of dignity occurs through hirothesia. The rank of archimandrite is associated with administrative management and monastic leadership.

Episcopal degree of clergy

Bishop belongs to the category of bishops. In the process of ordination, they received the highest grace of God and therefore have the right to carry out any sacred actions, including the ordination of deacons. All bishops have the same rights, the eldest of them is the archbishop (has the same functions as the bishop; elevation to rank is carried out by the patriarch). Only the bishop has the right to bless the service with an antimis.

Wears a red robe and a black hood. The following address to a bishop is accepted: “Vladyka” or “Your Eminence.”

He is the leader of the local church - diocese. Chief priest of the district. Elected by the Holy Synod by order of the Patriarch. If necessary, a person is appointed to assist the diocesan bishop suffragan bishop. Bishops bear a title that includes the name of the cathedral city. A candidate for bishop must be a representative of the black clergy and over 30 years of age.

Metropolitan- the highest title of a bishop. Reports directly to the patriarch. He has a characteristic robe: a blue mantle and a white hood with a cross made of precious stones.

The rank is given for high merits to society and the church; it is the oldest, if you start counting from the formation of Orthodox culture.

Performs the same functions as a bishop, differing from him in the advantage of honor. Before the restoration of the patriarchate in 1917, there were only three episcopal sees in Russia, with which the rank of metropolitan was usually associated: St. Petersburg, Kiev and Moscow. Currently, there are more than 30 metropolitans in the Russian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch- the highest rank of the Orthodox Church, the main priest of the country. Official Representative ROC. Patriarch is translated from Greek as “the power of the father.” He is elected to Bishops' Council, to whom the patriarch reports. This is a lifelong rank, deposition and excommunication of the person who received it, possible only in the most exceptional cases. When the place of the patriarch is not occupied (the period between the death of the previous patriarch and the election of a new one), his duties are temporarily performed by an appointed locum tenens.

Has primacy of honor among all bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church. Carries out the management of the church together with the Holy Synod. Contacts with representatives of the Catholic Church and high dignitaries of other faiths, as well as with authorities state power. Issues decrees on the election and appointment of bishops, manages the institutions of the Synod. Receives complaints against bishops, giving them action, rewards clergy and laity with church awards.

A candidate for the patriarchal throne must be a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, have a higher theological education, be at least 40 years of age, and enjoy a good reputation and the trust of the church and people.