Orders in the Orthodox Church in ascending order: their hierarchy. Jerey - who is this? Great Companions

In order to navigate in more detail who leads the service in the church or who speaks on television from the Russian Orthodox Church, it is necessary to know exactly what ranks are in the Church and the Monastery, as well as their hierarchy. We recommend that you read

In the Orthodox world, Church ranks are divided into ranks of the white clergy (Orders of the Church) and ranks of the black clergy (Monastic ranks).

CHURCH OFFICERS OR WHITE clergy

CHURCH OFFICES - ALTAR

In the worldly understanding, in recent times, the Church rank of Altarnik began to disappear, and instead of it, the rank of Sexton or Novice is increasingly mentioned. The tasks of the altar boy include the duties to follow the instructions of the rector of the temple, as a rule, such duties include maintaining a candle fire in the temple, lighting lamps and other lighting devices in the altar and iconostasis, they also help the priests put on clothes, bring prosphora, incense to the temple and perform other draft work. The altar server can be recognized by the sign that he wears a surplice over worldly clothes. We recommend getting to know

CHURCH OFFICES - READER

This is the lowest rank of the church and the reader is not included in the degree of priesthood. The duties of the reader include reading sacred texts and prayers during worship. In case of advancement in the rank, the reader is ordained a subdeacon.

CHURCH OFFICES - SUBDEACON

It is something of an intermediate rank between the laity and the clergy. Unlike readers and altar servers, the subdeacon is allowed to touch the throne and the altar, and also to enter the altar through the royal gates, although the subdeacon is not a clergyman. It is the duty of this Church rank to assist the Bishop in Divine Services. We recommend that you read

CHURCH OFFICES - DEACON

The lowest level of clergy, as a rule, the duties of deacons include helping priests in worship, although they themselves do not have the right to conduct public worship and be representatives of the church. Since the priest has the opportunity to perform rites without a deacon, the number of deacons is currently being reduced, since they are no longer needed.

CHURCH OFFICES - PROTODEACON OR PROTODEACON

This rank indicates the chief deacon in cathedrals, as a rule, such a rank is assigned to a deacon after at least 15 years of service and is a special award for service.

CHURCH OFFICES - PRIEST

Currently, this rank is worn by priests, and is marked as a junior title of a priest. Priests, receiving power from bishops, have the right to conduct church rites, teach people the Orthodox faith and perform other sacraments, but at the same time, priests are forbidden to conduct ordination to the priesthood.

CHURCH OFFICERS - ARCHPRIEST

CHURCH OFFICES - PROTOPRESBYTER

The highest Church rank in the white clergy is not, as it were, a separate rank and is assigned only as a reward for the most meritorious deeds in the Orthodox faith and is appointed only by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

MONastic ranks or black clergy

CHURCH OFFICES - HIERODEACON: He is a monk in the rank of deacon.
CHURCH OFFICES - ARCHIDEACON: He is a senior hierodeacon.
CHURCH OFFICERS - HIEROMONKH: He is a monastic priest with the right to perform Orthodox sacraments.
CHURCH OFFICES - ABOUT: He is the head of an Orthodox monastery.
CHURCH OFFICES - ARCHIMADRID: The highest degree in the monastic ranks, but occupying a step lower than that of a bishop.
CHURCH OFFICES - BISHOP: This rank is supervising and has a third degree of priesthood and is possible to be called a bishop.
CHURCH OFFICES - METROPOLIT: The highest title of bishop in the church.
CHURCH OFFICES - PATRIARCH: The most senior rank of the Orthodox Church.

(who used this term for the first time), a continuation of the heavenly hierarchy: a three-degree sacred system, whose representatives communicate divine grace to the church people through worship. At present, the hierarchy is a “class” of clergy (clergy) divided into three degrees (“rank”) and in a broad sense corresponds to the concept of clergy.

The structure of the modern hierarchical ladder of the Russian Orthodox Church for greater clarity can be represented by the following table:

Hierarchical degrees

White clergy (married or celibate)

Black clergy

(monastic)

episcopate

(bishopric)

patriarch

metropolitan

archbishop

bishop

Presbytery

(priest)

protopresbyter

archpriest

priest

(presbyter, priest)

archimandrite

hegumen

hieromonk

diaconate

protodeacon

deacon

archdeacon

hierodeacon

The lower clerics (clerks) are outside this three-stage structure: subdeacons, readers, singers, altar servers, sexton, church watchmen and others.

Orthodox, Catholics, as well as representatives of the ancient Eastern (“pre-Chalcedonian”) Churches (Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, etc.) base their hierarchy on the concept of “apostolic succession”. The latter is understood as a retrospective continuous (!) sequence of a long chain of episcopal consecrations, going back to the apostles themselves, who ordained the first bishops as their sovereign successors. Thus, "apostolic succession" is a concrete ("material") succession of episcopal ordination. Therefore, the bearers and custodians of the internal "apostolic grace" and the external hierarchical authority in the Church are the bishops (hierarchs). Based on this criterion, Protestant confessions and sects, as well as our non-priest Old Believers, do not have a hierarchy, since representatives of their “clergy” (leaders of communities and liturgical meetings) are only elected (appointed) for church administrative service, but not possess an inner gift of grace communicated in the sacrament of the priesthood and alone giving the right to perform the sacraments. (A special issue is the legitimacy of the Anglican hierarchy, which has long been debated by theologians.)

Representatives of each of the three degrees of priesthood differ among themselves "by grace" granted to them during the elevation (consecration) to a specific degree, or "impersonal holiness", which is not related to the subjective qualities of the clergyman. The bishop, as the successor of the apostles, has full liturgical and administrative powers within his diocese. (The head of a local Orthodox Church, whether autonomous or autocephalous, is an archbishop, metropolitan or patriarch, is only "first among equals" within the episcopate of his Church). He has the right to perform all the sacraments, including successively raising to the sacred degrees (ordaining) representatives of his clergy and clergy. Only the consecration of a bishop is performed by a "sobor" or at least two other bishops, as determined by the head of the Church and the synod that is under him. A representative of the second degree of the priesthood (priest) has the right to perform all the sacraments, except for any ordination or ordination (even as a reader). His complete dependence on the bishop, who in the Ancient Church was the predominant performer of all the sacraments, is also expressed in the fact that he performs the sacrament of chrismation when he has the chrism previously consecrated by the patriarch (replacing the laying on of the bishop’s hands on the head of a person), and the Eucharist only when the presence of an antimension received by him from the ruling bishop. The representative of the lowest degree of the hierarchy, the deacon, is only a co-servant and assistant to the bishop or priest, who does not have the right to perform a single sacrament and divine service according to the “priestly order”. In case of emergency, he can only baptize according to the "worldly order"; and he performs his cell (home) prayer rule and divine services of the daily cycle (Hours) according to the Book of Hours or the “worldly” Prayer Book, without priestly exclamations and prayers.

All representatives within the same hierarchical degree are equal to each other “by grace”, which gives them the right to a strictly defined circle of liturgical powers and actions (in this aspect, a newly ordained village priest is no different from a deserving protopresbyter - rector of the main parish church of the Russian Church). The difference is only in administrative seniority and honor. This is emphasized by the ceremony of successive elevation to the ranks of one degree of priesthood (deacon - to protodeacon, hieromonk - to abbot, etc.). It occurs at the Liturgy during the entrance with the Gospel outside the altar, in the middle of the temple, as when rewarding with some element of vestment (gaiter, club, miter), which symbolizes the preservation of the level of “impersonal holiness” given to him during ordination. At the same time, the elevation (consecration) to each of the three degrees of the priesthood takes place only inside the altar, which means the transition of the ordained to a qualitatively new ontological level of liturgical existence.

The history of the development of the hierarchy in the most ancient period of Christianity has not been fully elucidated, only the firm formation of the modern three degrees of priesthood by the 3rd century is indisputable. with the simultaneous disappearance of the early Christian archaic degrees (prophets, didaskalov- "charismatic teachers", etc.). Much longer was the formation of the modern order of "ranks" (ranks, or gradations) within each of the three degrees of the hierarchy. The meaning of their original names, reflecting a specific activity, has changed significantly. So, hegumen (gr. egu?menos- letters. ruling,leading, - of the same root as "hegemon" and "hegemon"!), Initially - the head of a monastic community or monastery, whose power is based on personal authority, a spiritually experienced person, but the same monk as the rest of the "brotherhood", who does not have any sacred degree. At present, the term "abbot" indicates only a representative of the second rank of the second degree of priesthood. At the same time, he can be the rector of a monastery, a parish church (or an ordinary priest of this church), but also just a staff member of a theological educational institution or an economic (or other) department of the Moscow Patriarchate, whose duties are not directly related to his holy dignity. Therefore, in this case, promotion to the next rank (rank) is simply an increase in rank, an official award “for length of service”, for an anniversary or for another reason (similar to the assignment of another military degree not for participation in military campaigns or maneuvers).

3) In scientific and general speech usage, the word "hierarchy" means:
a) the arrangement of parts or elements of the whole (any construction or a logically complete structure) in descending order - from the highest to the lowest (or vice versa);
b) a strict arrangement of service ranks and ranks in the order of their subordination, both civil and military ("hierarchical ladder"). The latter are typologically the closest to the sacred hierarchy and also a three-degree structure (rank and file - officers - generals).

Lit.: The clergy of the ancient universal Church from the time of the apostles to IXav. M., 1905; Zom R. Lebedev A.P. On the Origin of the Early Christian Hierarchy. Sergiev Posad, 1907; Mirkovich L. Orthodox Liturgy. Prvi opshti deo. Another edition. Beograd, 1965 (in Aserb.); Felmi K. H. Introduction to Modern Orthodox Theology. M., 1999. S. 254-271; Afanasiev N., prot. Holy Spirit. K., 2005; The Study of Liturgy: Revised edition / Ed. by C. Jones, G. Wainwright, E. Yarnold S. J., P. Bradshaw. – 2nd ed. London-New York, 1993 (Chap. IV: Ordination. P. 339-398).

BISHOP

ARCHIER (gr. archiereus) - in pagan religions - "high priest" (this is the literal meaning of this term), in Rome - Pontifex maximus; in the Septuagint - the highest representative of the Old Testament priesthood - the high priest (). In the New Testament - the naming of Jesus Christ (), who did not belong to the Aaronic priesthood (see Melchizedek). In the modern Orthodox Greek-Slavic tradition, the generic name for all representatives of the highest degree of hierarchy, or "episcopate" (that is, the bishops proper, archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs). See Episcopate, Clergy, Hierarchy, Clergy.

DEACON

DEACON, DEACON (gr. diakonos- "servant", "servant") - in the ancient Christian communities - an assistant to the bishop heading the Eucharistic meeting. The first mention of D. - in the messages of St. Paul (and). His closeness to a representative of the highest degree of priesthood was expressed in the fact that the administrative powers of D. (actually - the archdeacon) often placed him above the priest (especially in the West). The church tradition, genetically elevating the modern diaconate to the "seven men" of the book of the Acts of the Apostles (6:2-6, - not named at all here by D.!), is very vulnerable in scientific terms.

At present, D. is a representative of the lower, first degree of the church hierarchy, “a minister of the word of God,” whose liturgical duties consist mainly in loud reading of the Holy Scriptures (“evangelism”), proclaiming on behalf of the praying litanies, and incense of the temple. The church charter provides for his assistance to the priest performing the proskomedia. D. does not have the right to perform a single divine service and even independently put on his liturgical clothes, but must each time ask for this "blessing" of the clergyman. The purely auxiliary liturgical function of D. is emphasized by his elevation to this rank at the Liturgy after the Eucharistic canon (and even at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which does not contain the Eucharistic canon). (At the request of the ruling bishop, this can also happen at other times.) He is only a “servant (servant) during the priesthood” or “Levite” (). A priest can do without D. at all (this takes place mainly in poor rural parishes). Liturgical vestments D.: surplice, orarion and handrails. Out-of-service clothing, like that of a priest, is a cassock and a cassock (but without a cross over the cassock worn by the latter). The official address to D., found in the old literature, “Your good news” or “Your blessing” (now not used). The appeal “Your Reverend” can be considered competent only in relation to the monastic D. The everyday appeal is “Father D.” or "father name", or simply by name and patronymic.

The term "D.", without specification ("simply" D.), indicates his belonging to the white clergy. A representative of the same lower rank in the black clergy (monastic D.) is called a “hierodeacon” (lit. “priest deacon”). He has the same vestments as D. from the white clergy; but outside of worship he wears clothes common to all monks. The representative of the second (and last) rank of the deaconate among the white clergy is the “protodeacon” (“first D.”), historically the eldest (in the liturgical aspect) among several D. serving together in a large temple (cathedral). It is distinguished by a "double orarion" and a purple kamilavka (given as a reward). The rank of protodeacon itself is currently a reward, so there can be more than one protodeacon in one cathedral. The first among several hierodeacons (in a monastery) is called an “archdeacon” (“senior D.”). A hierodeacon who constantly serves with a bishop is also usually elevated to the rank of archdeacon. Like the protodeacon, he has a double orarion and a kamilavka (the latter is black); non-liturgical clothes - the same as those of a hierodeacon.

In ancient times, there was an institution of deaconesses ("servants"), whose duties consisted mainly in caring for sick women, in preparing women for baptism, and in serving priests at their baptism "for the sake of propriety." St. (+403) explains in detail the special position of deaconesses in connection with their participation in this sacrament, while decisively excluding them from participation in the Eucharist. But, according to the Byzantine tradition, the deaconesses received a special ordination (similar to the deacon's) and participated in the communion of women; at the same time, they had the right to enter the altar and take St. bowl directly from the throne (!). The revival of the institution of deaconesses in Western Christianity has been observed since the 19th century. In 1911, the first community of deaconesses in Moscow was supposed to be opened. The issue of the revival of this institution was discussed at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1917-18, but, due to the circumstances of the time, no decision was made.

Lit.: Zom R. Church system in the first centuries of Christianity. M., 1906, p. 196-207; Kirill (Gundyaev), archim. To the question of the origin of the diaconate // Theological works. M., 1975. Sat. 13, p. 201-207; AT. Deaconesses in the Orthodox Church. SPb., 1912.

DIACONATE

DIACONATE (DIACONATE) - the lowest degree of the Orthodox church hierarchy, including 1) deacon and protodeacon (representatives of the "white clergy") and 2) hierodeacon and archdeacon (representatives of the "black clergy". See Deacon, Hierarchy.

EPISCOPATH

EPISCOPATH is the collective name of the highest (third) degree of priesthood of the Orthodox church hierarchy. Representatives of E., also collectively referred to as bishops or hierarchs, are currently distributed, in order of administrative seniority, into the following ranks.

Bishop(Greek episkopos - lit. overseer, guardian) - an independent and authorized representative of the "local church" - the diocese headed by him, therefore called the "diocese". His distinctive non-liturgical clothing is the cassock. black hood and staff. Appeal - Your Eminence. A special variety - the so-called. vicar bishop (lat. vicarius- deputy, governor), who is only an assistant to the ruling bishop of a large diocese (metropolis). He is in his direct jurisdiction, executing orders for the affairs of the diocese, and bears the title of one of the cities in its territory. There may be one vicar bishop in a diocese (in the St. Petersburg Metropolis, with the title of "Tikhvinsky") or several (in the Moscow Metropolis).

Archbishop("senior bishop") - a representative of the second rank E. The ruling bishop is usually elevated to this rank for some merit or after a certain time (as a reward). He differs from the bishop only in the presence of a pearl cross sewn on a black klobuk (above the forehead). Appeal - Your Eminence.

Metropolitan(from Greek. meter- "mother" and polis- "city"), in the Christian Roman Empire - the bishop of the metropolis ("mother of cities"), the main city of a region or province (diocese). A metropolitan can also be the head of a Church that does not have the status of a patriarchate (until 1589 the Russian Church was ruled by a metropolitan with the title first of Kyiv and then of Moscow). The rank of metropolitan is currently bestowed on a bishop either as a reward (after the rank of archbishop) or in the case of transfer to a cathedra with the status of a metropolia (St. Petersburg, Krutitskaya). A distinctive feature is a white hood with a pearl cross. Appeal - Your Eminence.

Exarch(Greek head, leader) - the name of the church-hierarchical degree, dating from the 4th century. Initially, this title was borne by representatives of only the most prominent metropolises (some later turned into patriarchates), as well as by extraordinary representatives of the patriarchs of Constantinople, who were sent by them to the dioceses on special assignments. In Russia, this title was first adopted in 1700, after the death of Patr. Adrian, locum tenens of the patriarchal throne. The head of the Georgian Church (since 1811) was also called an exarch during the period of its entry into the Russian Orthodox Church. In the 60s - 80s. 20th century some parishes abroad of the Russian Church were united on a territorial basis into the exarchates "Western European", "Central European", "Central and South American". The ruling hierarchs could be in rank below the metropolitan. A special position was occupied by the Metropolitan of Kyiv, who bore the title "Patriarchal Exarch of Ukraine". Currently, only the Metropolitan of Minsk (“Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus”) bears the title of exarch.

Patriarch(lit. "ancestor") - a representative of the highest administrative rank E., - the head, otherwise the primate ("standing in front"), of the Autocephalous Church. A characteristic distinguishing feature is a white headdress with a pearl cross fixed above it. The official title of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church is "His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'". Appeal - Your Holiness.

Lit.: Charter on the administration of the Russian Orthodox Church. M., 1989; see article Hierarchy.

PRIEST

JEREY (gr. hiereus) - in a broad sense - "sacrificer" ("priest"), "clergyman" (from hiereuo - "sacrifice"). In Greek language is used both to refer to the servants of pagan (mythological) gods, and the true One God, i.e., Old Testament and Christian priests. (In the Russian tradition, pagan priests are called "priests".) In the narrow sense, in Orthodox liturgical terminology, I. is a representative of the lowest rank of the second degree of the Orthodox priesthood (see table). Synonyms: priest, presbyter, priest (obsolete).

IPODEACON

SUBDEACON, SUBDEACON (from the Greek. hupo- "under" and diakonos- "deacon", "servant") - an Orthodox clergyman, occupying a position in the hierarchy of the lower clergy below the deacon, his assistant (which fixes the naming), but above the reader. At the initiation into I., the initiate (reader) is dressed over the surplice in a cross-shaped orarion, and the bishop reads a prayer with the laying of his hand on his head. In ancient times, I. was ranked among the clergy and no longer had the right to marry (if he was single before being elevated to this rank).

Traditionally, I.'s duties included taking care of sacred vessels and altar covers, guarding the altar, taking catechumens out of the church during the Liturgy, and others. and are associated with the custom of the Roman Church not to exceed the number of deacons in one city above seven (see). At present, subdeacon service can only be seen during the bishop's service. Subdeacons are not in the clergy of one church, but are assigned to the staff of a certain bishop. They accompany him on his obligatory trips to the temples of the diocese, serve during the divine service – they dress him before the start of the service, supply water for washing his hands, participate in specific ceremonies and activities that are absent during regular worship, and also perform various extra-church assignments. Most often, I. are students of theological educational institutions, for whom this service becomes a necessary step towards further ascent along the hierarchical ladder. The bishop himself tonsures his I. into monasticism, ordains them to the holy order, preparing them for further independent service. An important succession can be traced in this: many modern hierarchs have gone through the “subdeacon schools” of prominent bishops of the older generation (sometimes even pre-revolutionary ordination), inheriting their rich liturgical culture, system of church theological views and manner of communication. See Deacon, Hierarchy, Consecration.

Lit.: Zom R. Church system in the first centuries of Christianity. M., 1906; Veniamin (Rumovsky-Krasnopevkov V. F.), archbishop. The New Tablet, or the Explanation of the Church, the Liturgy, and all services and church utensils. M., 1992. T. 2. S. 266-269; The writings of the blessed Simeon, archbishop Thessalonian. M., 1994. S. 213-218.

CLERGY

CLIR (Greek - “lot”, “share inherited by lot”) - in a broad sense - a set of clergy (clergy) and clergy (subdeacons, readers, singers, sexton, altars). “Clerics are so called because they are elected to church degrees in the same way that Matthias, appointed by the apostles, was chosen by lot” (Bless Augustine). In relation to the temple (church) ministry, people are divided into the following categories.

I. In the Old Testament: 1) "clergy" (high priests, priests and "Levites" (lower ministers) and 2) the people. The principle of hierarchy here is “tribal”, therefore, “clerics” are only representatives of the “tribe” (tribe) of Levi: the high priests are direct representatives of the Aaron clan; priests - representatives of the same kind, but not necessarily direct; Levites are representatives of other genera of the same tribe. "People" - representatives of all other tribes of Israel (as well as non-Israelis who accepted the religion of Moses).

II. In the New Testament: 1) "clergy" (priests and clergy) and 2) the people. The national criterion is abolished. All male Christians who meet certain canonical standards can become priests and clergymen. The participation of women is allowed (auxiliary positions: “deaconesses” in the Ancient Church, singers, servants in the temple, etc.), while they are not considered “clerics” (see Deacon). The “people” (laity) are all other Christians. In the Ancient Church, the "people", in turn, was divided into 1) laymen and 2) monks (when this institution arose). The latter differed from the "laity" only in their way of life, occupying the same position in relation to the clergy (taking holy orders was considered incompatible with the monastic ideal). However, this criterion was not absolute, and soon the monks began to occupy the highest church positions. The content of the concept of K. has changed over the centuries, acquiring rather contradictory meanings. So, in the broadest sense, the concept of K. includes, along with priests and deacons, the higher clergy (episcopate, or bishopric), - so for: clergy (ordo) and laity (plebs). On the contrary, in a narrow sense, also recorded in the first centuries of Christianity, K. are only clergy below the deacon (our clerks). In the Old Russian Church, the clergy is a combination of altar and non-altar ministers, with the exception of the bishop. Modern K. in a broad sense includes both clergy (ordained clergy) and clergy, or clerks (see Pritch).

Lit.: On the Old Testament Priesthood // Christ. Reading. 1879. Part 2; Titov G., priest. Controversy on the question of the Old Testament priesthood and the essence of priestly ministry in general. SPb., 1882; and under the article Hierarchy.

LOCAL tenens

LOCAL tenens - a person temporarily acting as a high-ranking state or church figure (synonyms: governor, exarch, vicar). In the Russian church tradition, only “M. patriarchal throne,” a bishop who governs the Church after the death of one patriarch until the election of another. The best known in this capacity are Mr. , mitp. Peter (Polyansky) and Met. Sergius (Stragorodsky), who became Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' in 1943.

PATRIARCH

PATRIARCH (PATRIARCHI) (gr. patriarches-“ancestor”, “forefather”) is an important term of the biblical-Christian religious tradition, used mainly in the following meanings.

1. The Bible calls P.-mi, firstly, the ancestors of all mankind (“antediluvian P.-i”), and secondly, the ancestors of the people of Israel (“forefathers of the people of God”). All of them lived before the Law of Moses (see the Old Testament) and therefore were the exclusive guardians of the true religion. The first ten P., from Adam to Noah, whose symbolic genealogy is represented by the book of Genesis (Chapter 5), were endowed with extraordinary longevity, necessary for the preservation of the promises entrusted to them on this first earthly history after the fall. Of these, Enoch stands out, who lived “only” 365 years, “because God took him” (), and his son Methuselah, on the contrary, lived longer than others, 969 years, and died, according to Jewish tradition, in the year of the flood (hence the expression “ Methuselah, or Methuselah, age"). The second category of biblical P. begins with Abraham, the founder of a new generation of believers.

2. P. - a representative of the highest rank of the Christian church hierarchy. The title of P. in a strict canonical sense was established by the Fourth Ecumenical (Chalcedon) Council of 451, which assigned it to the bishops of the five main Christian centers, determining their order in diptychs according to the "seniority of honor." The first place belonged to the bishop of Rome, followed by the bishops of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. Later, the title of P. was also given to the heads of other Churches, moreover, the P. of Constantinople, after breaking with Rome (1054), received primacy in the Orthodox world.

In Rus', the patriarchate (as a form of government by the Church) was established in 1589. (before that, the Church was ruled by metropolitans with the title first "of Kyiv", and then "of Moscow and all Rus'"). Later, the Russian patriarch was approved by the eastern patriarchs as the fifth in seniority (after Jerusalem). The first period of patriarchy lasted 111 years and actually ended with the death of the tenth Patriarch Adrian (1700), and legally - in 1721, with the abolition of the very institution of patriarchy and its replacement by a collective body of church government - the Holy Governing Synod. (From 1700 to 1721 the Church was ruled by Metropolitan Stefan Yavorsky of Ryazan with the title of "locum tenens of the patriarchal throne".) The second patriarchal period, which began with the restoration of the patriarchate in 1917, continues to the present.

Currently, there are the following Orthodox patriarchates: Constantinople (Turkey), Alexandria (Egypt), Antioch (Syria), Jerusalem, Moscow, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian and Bulgarian.

In addition, the heads of some other Christian (Eastern) Churches have the title of P. - the Armenian (P.-Catholicos), Maronite, Nestorian, Ethiopian, and others. "Latin patriarchs" who are in the canonical subordination of the Roman Church. The same title, in the form of an honorary distinction, has some Western Catholic bishops (Venetian, Lisbon).

Lit.: Old Testament doctrine in the time of the patriarchs. SPb., 1886; Roberson R. Eastern Christian Churches. SPb., 1999.

SEXTON

SEXTON (or "paramonar" - Greek. paramonarios,- from paramone, lat. mansio - "stay", "finding“) is a church clerk, a lower servant (“deacon”), who originally performed the function of a watchman of sacred places and monasteries (outside and inside the fence). P. is mentioned in the 2nd canon of the IV Ecumenical Council (451). In the Latin translation of church rules - "mansionary" (mansionarius), the gatekeeper in the temple. considers it his duty to light the lamps during worship and calls him "the guardian of the church." Perhaps, in ancient times, Byzantine P. corresponded to the Western villicus (“manager”, “manager”) - a person who controlled the choice and use of church things during worship (our later sacristan or sakellarium). According to the “Instructive News” of the Slavic Missal (calling P. “the servant of the altar”), his duties are to “... bring prosphora, wine, water, incense and fire to the altar, light and extinguish candles, prepare and serve the priest a censer and warmth, often and with reverence to clean and clean the entire altar, as well as the floors from all dirt and the walls and ceiling from dust and cobwebs ”(Missile. Part II. M., 1977. S. 544-545). In the Typicon, P. is called "paraecclesiarch" or "candilo-igniter" (from kandela, lampas - "lamp", "lamp"). The northern (left) doors of the iconostasis, leading to that part of the altar where the indicated ponomari accessories are located and which are mainly used by P., are therefore called “ponomarskie”. Currently, in the Orthodox Church, there is no special position of P.: in monasteries, the duties of P. mainly lie with novices and simple monks (who do not have ordination), and in parish practice they are distributed among readers, altar servers, watchmen and cleaners. Hence the expression "read like a sexton" and the name of the watchman's room at the temple - "office mark".

PRESBYTER

presbyter (gr. presbuteros-"elder", "elder") - in the liturgical. terminology - a representative of the lowest rank of the second degree of the Orthodox hierarchy (see table). Synonyms: priest, priest, priest (obsolete).

presbytery

PRIEST (priest, priesthood) - the common (generic) name of representatives of the second degree of the Orthodox hierarchy (see table)

PRIT

PRICHT, or CHURCH RECEPTION (Glory. pricht- "composition", "assembly", from Ch. wail- "rank", "attach") - in the narrow sense - the totality of the lower clergy, outside the three-level hierarchy. In a broad sense - a combination of both clergy, or clergy (see clergy), and actually clerks, together making up the staff of one orthodox. temple (church). The latter include a psalmist (reader), sexton, or deacon, priest-bearer, and singers. In prerev. In Russia, the composition of the P. was determined by the states approved by the consistory and the bishop, and depended on the size of the parish. A parish with a population of up to 700 souls, male. the floor was supposed to be P. from the priest and psalmist, for a parish with a large population - P. from the priest, deacon and psalmist. P. populous and wealthy parishes could consist of several. priests, deacons and clerks. The bishop requested the permission of the Synod to establish a new P. or change states. Incomes P. developed ch. arr. from the payment for the commission of P. rural churches were provided with land (at least 33 tithes per P.), some of them lived in the church. houses, that is. part with ser. 19th century received a government salary. According to the church The charter of 1988 defines P. as a priest, a deacon, and a psalmist. The number of members of the P. changes at the request of the parish and in accordance with its needs, but cannot be less than 2 people. - a priest and a psalmist. The head of P. is the rector of the temple: a priest or archpriest.

PRIEST - see Priest, Presbyter, Hierarchy, Clear, Consecration

CHIROTESIA - see Chirotonia

HIROTONIA

HIROTONY - the external form of the sacrament of the priesthood, in fact, its culminating moment - the action of the laying on of hands on the rightly chosen protege being elevated to the priesthood.

In ancient Greek language word cheirotonia means giving votes in the popular assembly through a show of hands, i.e. elections. In modern Greek language (and church usage) we find two close terms: cheirotonia, consecration - "ordination" and cheirothesia, chirothesia - "laying on of hands". The Greek Euchologion refers to each appointment (ascension to the rank) - from the reader to the bishop (see Hierarchy) - X. In the Russian Official and liturgical manuals, they are used as Greek left without translation. terms, as well as their glory. equivalents, which are artificially distinguished, although not completely strictly.

Appointment 1) of a bishop: ordination and H.; 2) presbyter (priest) and deacon: ordination and H.; 3) subdeacon: H., initiation and ordination; 4) reader and singer: initiation and chirothesia. In practice, one usually speaks of the "ordination" of a bishop and the "ordination" of a priest and a deacon, although both words have an identical meaning, going back to the same Greek. term.

T. arr., X. communicates the grace of the priesthood and is the elevation ("ordination") to one of the three degrees of the priesthood; it is performed in the altar and at the same time the prayer "Divine grace ..." is read. Hirotesia, however, is not “ordination” in the proper sense, but only serves as a sign of the admission of a person (clerk, - see) to the performance of some lower church service. Therefore, it is performed in the middle of the temple and without reading the prayer “Divine grace ...” An exception to this terminological differentiation is allowed only in relation to the subdeacon, which for the present time is an anachronism, a reminder of his place in the ancient church hierarchy.

In the ancient Byzantine manuscript Euchologies, the rank of Ch. deaconess, once widespread in the Orthodox world, is preserved, similar to Ch. deacon (also in front of the holy throne and with the reading of the prayer “Divine grace ...”). Printed books no longer contain it. Euchologion J. Goar gives this order not in the main text, but among the variants of the manuscripts, the so-called. variae lectiones (Goar J. Eucologion sive Rituale Graecorum. Ed. secunda. Venetiis, 1730, pp. 218-222).

In addition to these terms for designating ordination to fundamentally different hierarchical degrees - actually priestly and lower "clerical", there are also others that indicate the elevation to various "church ranks" (ranks, "positions") within one degree of priesthood. “The work of the archdeacon, ... abbot, ... archimandrite”; "Following the hedgehog to create a protopresbyter"; "The Elevation of an Archdeacon or Protodeacon, Protopresbyter or Archpriest, Hegumen or Archimandrite".

Lit.: Protege. Kyiv, 1904; Neselovsky A. Orders of ordinations and ordinations. Kamenetz-Podolsk, 1906; A guide to the study of the Rule of Divine Services of the Orthodox Church. M., 1995. S. 701-721; Vagaggini C. L" ordinazione delle diaconesse nella tradizione greca e bizantina // Orientalia Christiana Periodica. Roma, 1974. No. 41; or T. under the articles Bishop, Hierarchy, Deacon, Priest, Priesthood.

APPENDIX

ENOCH

INOK - Old Russian. the name of a monk, otherwise - black. Well. R. - a monk, we are modern. - nun (nun, blueberry).

The origin of the name is explained in two ways. 1. I. - "lonely" (as a translation of the Greek monos - "one", "lonely"; monachos - "hermit", "monk"). “A monk will be called, one who converses with God day and night” (“Pandekty” by Nikon Chernogorets, 36). 2. Another interpretation derives the name of I. from a different way of life who has become a monk: he “otherwise must lead his life from worldly behavior” ( , holy Complete Church Slavonic Dictionary. M., 1993, p. 223).

In modern Russian Orthodox church usage, “monk” is not called a monk in the proper sense, but cassock(Greek “wearing a cassock”) of a novice, until he is tonsured into the “small schema” (due to the final acceptance of monastic vows and the naming of a new name). I. - as if "novice monk"; in addition to the cassock, he also receives a kamilavka. I. retains a worldly name and is free to stop his obedience at any time and return to his former life, which, according to Orthodox laws, is no longer possible for a monk.

Monasticism (in the old sense) - monasticism, blueberry. To be monastic is to lead a monastic life.

LAYMAN

LAYER - one who lives in the world, a secular ("worldly") person who does not belong to the clergy and to monasticism.

M. is a representative of the church people, who takes part in prayer in church services. At home, he can perform all the services listed in the Book of Hours, Prayer Book or other liturgical collection, omitting priestly exclamations and prayers, as well as deacon litanies (if they are contained in the liturgical text). In case of emergency (in the absence of a clergyman and mortal danger), M. can perform the sacrament of baptism. In the first centuries of Christianity, the rights of the laity incomparably surpassed modern ones, extending to the election not only of the rector of the parish church, but even of the diocesan bishop. In ancient and medieval Rus', M. were subject to the general princely judicial administration. institutions, in contrast to the people of the church, who were under the jurisdiction of the metropolitan and bishop.

Lit.: Afanasiev N. Ministry of the Laity in the Church. M., 1995; Filatov S."Anarchism" of the Laity in Russian Orthodoxy: Traditions and Perspectives // Pages: Journal of Bibl.-Bogosl. in-ta ap. Andrew. M., 1999. N 4: 1; Minney R. Lay Participation in Religious Education in Russia // Ibid.; Laity in the Church: Proceedings of the International. theological conf. M., 1999.

SACRISTAN

PRINTER (Greek sakellarium, sakellarios):
1) head of royal clothes, royal bodyguard; 2) in monasteries and cathedrals - the custodian of church utensils, the dean.

A priest in the Orthodox Church is not just a "father". An uninitiated person guesses that there are many degrees of priesthood in the church: it is not for nothing that one Orthodox priest wears a silver cross, another gold, and the third is also decorated with beautiful stones. In addition, even a person who does not really delve into the Russian church hierarchy knows from fiction that the clergy can be black (monastic) and white (married). But, faced with such Orthodox as archimandrite, priest, protodeacon, the vast majority of people do not understand what it is all about, and how the listed clergymen differ from each other. Therefore, I offer a short overview of the orders of Orthodox clergy, which will help you understand a large number of spiritual titles.

The priest in the Orthodox Church is the black clergy

Let's start with the black clergy, since monastic Orthodox priests have many more titles than those who have chosen family life.

The patriarch is the head of the Orthodox Church, the highest church rank. The patriarch is elected at the local council. A distinctive feature of his vestments is a white headdress (kukol), topped with a cross, and a panagia (the image of the Virgin adorned with precious stones).
A metropolitan is the head of a large Orthodox church region (metropolis), which includes several dioceses. At present, this is an honorary (as a rule, award) rank, following immediately after the archbishop. The Metropolitan wears a white klobuk and panagia.
An archbishop is an Orthodox clergyman who oversees several dioceses. It is currently an award. The archbishop can be distinguished by a black hood, decorated with a cross, and a panagia.
A bishop is the head of an Orthodox diocese. It differs from the archbishop in that there is no cross on his klobuk. All patriarchs, metropolitans, archbishops and bishops can be called in one word - bishops. All of them can ordain Orthodox priests and deacons, consecrate, and perform all other sacraments of the Orthodox Church. Episcopal ordination, according to church rule, is always performed by several bishops (council).
An archimandrite is an Orthodox priest in the highest monastic rank, preceding the hierarchal. Previously, this dignity was assigned to the abbots of large monasteries, now it often has a reward character, and there can be several archimandrites in one monastery.
Hegumen is a monk in the rank of an Orthodox priest. Previously, this title was considered quite high, and only the abbots of the monasteries had it. Today it is no longer important.
Hieromonk is the lowest rank of a monastic priest in the Orthodox Church. Archimandrites, abbots and hieromonks wear black vestments (cassock, cassock, mantle, black hood without a cross) and a pectoral (pectoral) cross. They may perform church sacraments, except for ordination to holy orders.
An archdeacon is a senior deacon in an Orthodox monastery.
A hierodeacon is a junior deacon. Arch- and hierodeacons outwardly differ from monastic priests in that they do not wear a pectoral cross. Their vestments during worship also differ. They cannot perform any church sacraments, their functions include co-serving the priest during the service: the proclamation of prayer petitions, the carrying out of the Gospel, the reading of the Apostle, the preparation of sacred vessels, etc.
Deacons, both monastics and those belonging to the white clergy, belong to the lower level of the priesthood, Orthodox priests to the middle, and bishops to the highest.

Orthodox clergyman - white clergy

The archpriest is the senior Orthodox priest in the church, as a rule, he is the rector, but today in one parish, especially a large one, there can be several archpriests.
Priest - junior Orthodox priest. White priests, like monastic priests, perform all the sacraments, except for ordination. Archpriests and priests do not wear a mantle (this is part of the monastic vestment) and a hood, their headdress is a kamilavka.
Protodeacon, deacon - respectively senior and junior deacons among the white clergy. Their functions fully correspond to the functions of monastic deacons. White clergy are not ordained as Orthodox bishops only on the condition of taking the monastic rank (this often happens by mutual agreement in old age or in the case of widowhood, if the priest has no children or they are already adults.

Patriarch -
in some Orthodox churches - the title of the head of the local church. The patriarch is elected by the local council. The title was established by the Fourth Ecumenical Council of 451 (Chalcedon, Asia Minor). In Rus', the patriarchate was established in 1589, in 1721 it was abolished and replaced by a collegial body - the synod, in 1918 it was restored. Currently, there are the following Orthodox patriarchates: Constantinople (Turkey), Alexandria (Egypt), Antioch (Syria), Jerusalem, Moscow, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian and Bulgarian.

Synod
(Greek special - assembly, cathedral) - currently - an advisory body under the patriarch, consisting of twelve bishops and bearing the title "Holy Synod". The Holy Synod includes six permanent members: Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna (Moscow Region); Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Novgorod; Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine; Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of Belarus; Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; manager of affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate and six non-permanent members, replaced every six months. From 1721 to 1918, the Synod was the highest body of church administrative power, replacing the patriarch (he bore the patriarchal title "Holy") - it consisted of 79 bishops. The members of the Holy Synod were appointed by the emperor, and a representative of state power, the chief prosecutor of the Synod, took part in the meetings of the Synod.

Metropolitan
(Greek metropolitan) - originally a bishop, the head of the metropolis - a large church area that unites several dioceses. The bishops managing the dioceses were subordinate to the metropolitan. Because church-administrative divisions coincided with the state ones, the departments of metropolitans were located in the capitals of the countries that covered their metropolises. Subsequently, the bishops who ruled large dioceses began to be called metropolitans. Currently, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the title "metropolitan" is an honorary title following the title "archbishop". A distinctive part of the Metropolitan's vestments is a white klobuk.

Archbishop
(Greek senior among bishops) - originally a bishop, head of a large church area, uniting several dioceses. BISHOS Administering dioceses were subordinate to the archbishop. Subsequently, bishops began to be called archbishops, managing large dioceses. Currently, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the title "archbishop" is honorary, preceded by the title "metropolitan".

Bishop
(Greek senior priest, head of priests) - a clergyman belonging to the third, highest degree of priesthood. He has the grace to perform all the sacraments (including the laying on of hands) and lead church life. Each bishop (except vicars) governs a diocese. In ancient times, the bishops were divided according to the amount of administrative power into bishops, archbishops and metropolitans, at present these titles are preserved as honorary titles. From among the bishops, the local council elects a patriarch (for life), who leads the church life of the local church (some local churches are headed by metropolitans or archbishops). According to the teaching of the church, the apostolic grace received from Jesus Christ is transmitted through ordination to bishops from the most apostolic times, and so on. in the church there is a grace-filled succession. Ordination to the bishopric is performed by a council of bishops (there must be at least two ordaining bishops - Canon 1 of the Holy Apostles; according to Canon 60 of the Local Council of Carthage in 318 - at least three). According to Canon 12 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council (680-681 Constantinople), a bishop must be celibate; in true church practice, it is customary to appoint monastic clergy as bishops. It is customary to address the bishop: to the bishop "Your Eminence", to the archbishop or metropolitan - "Your Eminence"; to the patriarch "Your Holiness" (to some Eastern patriarchs - "Your Beatitude"). An unofficial address to the bishop is "Vladyko".

Bishop
(Greek overseeing, overseeing) - a clergyman of the third, highest degree of priesthood, otherwise a bishop. Initially, the word "bishop" denoted the bishopric as such, regardless of the church-administrative position (in this sense it is used in the epistles of St. Apostle Paul), later, when bishops began to be distinguished into bishops, archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs, the word "bishop "became, as it were, to mean the first category of the above and in the original sense was replaced by the word" bishop ".

Archimandrite -
monastic rank. Currently given as the highest award to monastic clergy; corresponds to archpriest and protopresbyter in the white clergy. The rank of archimandrite appeared in the Eastern Church in the 5th century. - this was the name of the persons chosen by the bishop from among the abbots to supervise the monasteries of the diocese. Subsequently, the name "archimandrite" passed to the chiefs of the most important monasteries and then to monastic persons holding church administrative positions.

Hegumen -
monastic rank in holy dignity, abbot of the monastery.

Archpriest -
senior priest in the white clergy. The title of archpriest is given as a reward.

Priest -
a clergyman belonging to the second, middle degree of the priesthood. He has the grace to perform all the sacraments, except for the sacrament of ordination. Otherwise, the priest is called a priest or presbyter (Greek elder; this is the name of the priest in the epistles of the Apostle Paul). Ordination to the priesthood is accomplished by the bishop through ordination. It is customary to address a priest: "Your blessing"; to a monastic priest (hieromonk) - "Your reverend", to an abbot or archimandrite - "Your Reverend". Informal address - "father". Priest (Greek priest) - a priest.

Hieromonk
(Greek priest-monk) - priest-monk.

Protodeacon -
senior deacon in the white clergy. The title of protodeacon is given as a reward.

Hierodeacon
(Greek: Deacon-monk) - deacon-monk.

Archdeacon -
senior deacon in the monastic clergy. The title of archdeacon is given as a reward.

Deacon
(Greek minister) - a clergyman belonging to the first, lowest degree of the clergy. A deacon has the grace to participate directly in the performance of the sacraments by a priest or bishop, but cannot perform them on his own (except for baptism, which, if necessary, can also be performed by the laity). During the service, the deacon prepares the sacred vessels, proclaims the litany, and so on. Ordination to the deaconate is performed by the bishop through ordination.

Clergy -
clergy. A distinction is made between white (non-monastic) and black (monastic) clergy.

Schemamonk -
a monk who has adopted a great schema, otherwise - a great angelic image. When tonsured into the great schema, a monk takes a vow of renunciation of the world and everything worldly. A schemamonk-priest (schieheromonk or hieroschemamonk) retains the right to serve as a priest, the schihegumen and schiarchimandrite must remove themselves from monastic authority, the bishop must remove himself from episcopal authority and does not have the right to celebrate the liturgy. The schemamonk's vestment is complemented by a kukul and analav. Schematic monasticism arose in the Middle East in the 5th century, when, in order to streamline hermitage, the imperial authorities ordered hermits to settle in monasteries. The hermits, who took seclusion in exchange for hermitage, began to be called the monks of the great schema. Subsequently, the shutter ceased to be obligatory for schemamonks.

Priests -
persons who have the grace to perform the sacraments (bishops and priests) or directly participate in their performance (deacons). They are divided into three successive degrees: deacons, priests and bishops; delivered through ordination. Ordination is a divine service during which the sacrament of the priesthood is performed - the decision to the clergy. Otherwise, ordination (Greek ordination). Ordination is performed to deacons (from subdeacons), to priests (from deacons) and to bishops (from priests). Accordingly, there are three rites of ordination. As deacons and priests, one bishop can perform ordination; in bishoprics, ordination is performed by a council of bishops (at least two bishops, see Canon 1 of the Holy Apostles).

Ordination
to the deacons is performed at the liturgy after the Eucharistic canon. The initiate is led into the altar through the royal gates, is circled around the throne three times while singing the troparia, and then kneels on one knee in front of the throne. The bishop places the edge of the omophorion on the head of the initiate, places his hand on top and reads the sacramental prayer. After the prayer, the bishop removes the cruciformly clad orarion from the initiate and places the orarion on his left shoulder with the exclamation "axios". Ordination to the priesthood is performed at the liturgy after the great entrance in a similar way - the one who is supposed to kneel on both knees in front of the throne, another sacramental prayer is read, the ordained one puts on priestly clothes. Ordination to the bishopric takes place at the liturgy after the singing of the trisagion before the reading of the Apostle. The ordained one is introduced into the altar through the royal gates, makes three bows before the altar and, standing on both knees, places his hands folded in a cross on the altar. The hierarchs who perform the ordination hold the open Gospel above his head, the leading of them reads the sacramental prayer. Then a litany is proclaimed, after which the gospel is placed on the throne, and the newly ordained one is clothed with the exclamation of "axios" in bishop's vestments.

Monk
(Greek one) - a person who has dedicated himself to God through the adoption of vows. Taking vows is accompanied by cutting hair as a sign of service to God. Monasticism is divided into three successive degrees in accordance with the vows taken: cassock monk (cassock) - a preparatory degree for the adoption of a small schema; a monk of a small schema - takes a vow of chastity, non-covetousness and obedience; monk of the great schema or angelic image (schemamonk) - takes a vow of renunciation of the world and everything worldly. One who is preparing to be tonsured as a cassock monk and undergoing probation in a monastery is called a novice. Monasticism arose in the 3rd century. in Egypt and Palestine. Initially, these were hermits who retired to the desert. In the IV century. Saint Pachomius the Great organized the first cenobitic monasteries, and then cenobitic monasticism spread throughout the Christian world. The founders of Russian monasticism are considered to be St. Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves, who created in the 11th century. Kiev-Pechersky monastery.

Enoch
(from Slav. different - lonely, different) - the Russian name of a monk, a literal translation from Greek.

Subdeacon -
a clergyman serving the bishop during the service: prepares the vestments, gives the dikirion and trikirion, opens the royal doors, etc. The vestment of the subdeacon is a surplice and a cross-shaped orarion worn. Appointment as a subdeacon, see dedication.

Sexton
(distorted Greek. preceptor) - a clergyman mentioned in the charter. Otherwise, an altar boy. In Byzantium, a church watchman was called a sexton.

Tossed -
1. An action performed at certain services. Hair cutting existed in the ancient world as a symbol of slavery or service, and with this meaning it entered Christian worship: a) hair cutting is performed on the newly baptized after baptism as a sign of service to Christ; b) hair cutting is performed during the initiation of the newly appointed reader as a sign of service to the church. 2. Worship performed upon acceptance of monasticism (see monk). Corresponding to the three degrees of monasticism, there are tonsure into the cassocks, tonsure into the small schema, and tonsure into the great schema. The tonsure of non-clergy (see clergy) is performed by a monastic priest (hieromonk, abbot or archimandrite), clerics - by a bishop. The rite of tonsure in cassocks consists of a blessing, the beginning of the usual, troparia, priestly prayer, cruciform tonsure, and putting on the newly tonsured in a cassock and kamilavka. The tonsure into the small schema is performed at the liturgy after entering with the Gospel. Before the liturgy, the tonsured is placed on the porch and. While singing the troparia, he is led into the temple and placed in front of the royal gates. The one who takes the vows asks about sincerity, voluntariness, etc. the newcomer and then he is tonsured and given a new name, after which the newly tonsured one is dressed in a chiton, paraman, belt, cassock, mantle, klobuk, sandals and a rosary is given. The tonsure into the great schema is performed more solemnly and longer, the tonsured one is dressed in the same clothes, except for paraman and klobuk, which are replaced by anola and kukul. The rites of tonsure are contained in a large breviary.

What is a church hierarchy? This is an ordered system that determines the place of each church minister, his duties. The system of hierarchy in the church is very complex, and it originated in 1504 after the event, which was called the "Great Church Schism". After it, they got the opportunity to develop autonomously, independently.

First of all, the church hierarchy singles out white and black monasticism. Representatives of the black clergy are called upon to lead the most ascetic way of life. They cannot marry, live in the world. Such ranks are doomed to lead either a wandering or an isolated way of life.

White clergy may lead more privileged lives.

The hierarchy of the ROC implies that (in accordance with the Code of Honor) the head is the Patriarch of Constantinople, who bears an official, symbolic title

However, formally the Russian Church does not submit to him. The church hierarchy considers the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' to be the head. He occupies the highest level, but exercises power and control in unity with the Holy Synod. It consists of 9 people who are selected on a different basis. By tradition, the metropolitans of Krutitsy, Minsk, Kyiv, St. Petersburg are its permanent members. The five remaining members of the Synod are invited, and their episcopacy should not exceed six months. The permanent member of the Synod is the Chairman of the intra-church department.

The church hierarchy calls the highest ranks, which manage the dioceses (territorial-administrative church districts), the next most important step. They bear the unifying title of bishops. These include:

metropolitans;
bishops;
archimandrites.

Bishops are subordinate to priests, who are considered the main ones in the field, in city or other parishes. From the type of activity, the duties that are assigned to them, the priests are divided into priests and archpriests. The person who is entrusted with the direct management of the parish bears the title of Rector.

The younger clergy are already subordinate to him: deacons and priests, whose duties are to help the Rector, other, higher spiritual ranks.

Speaking of spiritual titles, one should not forget that the hierarchies of churches (not to be confused with the church hierarchy!) allow slightly different interpretations of spiritual titles and, accordingly, give them different names. The hierarchy of churches implies the division into the Churches of the Eastern and Western rites, their smaller varieties (for example, Post-Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, etc.)

All of the above titles apply to white clergy. The black church hierarchy is distinguished by more stringent requirements for people who have taken the dignity. The highest level of black monasticism is the Great Schema. It implies complete alienation from the world. In Russian monasteries, the great schemniks live separately from everyone else, do not engage in any obedience, but spend day and night in unceasing prayers. Sometimes those who have taken the Great Schema become hermits and limit their lives to many optional vows.

It precedes the Great Schema Small. It also involves the fulfillment of a number of obligatory and optional vows, the most important of which are: virginity and non-possession. Their task is to prepare the monk for the acceptance of the Great Schema, to completely cleanse him of sins.

The cassock monks can accept the small schema. This is the lowest level of black monasticism, which is entered immediately after tonsure.

Before each hierarchical level, the monks undergo special rites, they change their name and are assigned. When changing the title, vows become tougher, the attire changes.