Lower church ranks. Who is more important than whom? Hierarchy of the Orthodox Church

Spiritual orders and ranks in Orthodoxy

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

Spiritual hierarchy in Orthodoxy

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

Structure of the Church

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

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

The Orthodox Church consists of three orders of people:

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

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

Priests, or clergy and bishops.

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

Watchmen, cleaners at the temple;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Priests in the Church

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

married clergy, priests who have not taken monastic vows;

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

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

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

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

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

Black clergy, monks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Church hierarchy of clergy

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

Deacon

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

white priesthood - protodeacons,

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

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

Priest

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

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

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

Bishops: bishops, archbishops, metropolitans, patriarchs.

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

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

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

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

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

The deacon and priest are addressed - Your Reverence.

To the archpriest, abbot, archimandrite - Your Reverence.

To the bishop - Your Eminence.

To the metropolitan, archbishop - Your Eminence.

To the Patriarch - Your Holiness.

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

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

The hierarchy of the Christian church is called the “three-order” because it consists of three main levels:
– diaconate,
- priesthood,
- bishops.
And also, depending on their attitude to marriage and lifestyle, the clergy is divided into “white” - married, and “black” - monastic.

Representatives of the clergy, both “white” and “black,” have their own structures of honorary titles, which are awarded for special services to the church or “for length of service.”

Hierarchical what degree	"Secular clergy	"Black" clergy	Appeal
		Hierodeacon	Father deacon, father (name)
	Protodeacon	Archdeacon	Your Excellency, Father (name)
Priesthood	Priest (priest)	Hieromonk	Your Reverence, Father (name)
	Archpriest
	Archpriest	Abbess	Venerable Mother, Mother (name)
	Protopresbyter	Archimandrite	Your Reverence, Father (name)
Bishopric			Your Eminence, Most Reverend Vladyka, Vladyka (name)
		Archbishop
		Metropolitan	Your Eminence, Most Reverend Vladyka, Vladyka (name)
		Patriarch	Your Holiness, Most Holy Lord

Deacon(minister) is called so because the duty of a deacon is to serve at the Sacraments. Initially, the position of deacon consisted of serving at meals, taking care of the maintenance of the poor and sick, and then they served in the celebration of the Sacraments, in the administration of public worship, and in general were assistants to bishops and presbyters in their ministry.
Protodeacon- chief deacon in a diocese or cathedral. The title is given to deacons after 20 years of service in the priesthood.
Hierodeacon- a monk with the rank of deacon.
Archdeacon- the eldest of the deacons in the monastic clergy, that is, the senior hierodeacon.

Priest(priest) with the authority of his bishops and on their “instructions” can perform all divine services and Sacraments, except for Ordination (Priesthood - Ordination to the priesthood), the consecration of the World (Incense oil) and the antimension (a quadrangular plate made of silk or linen material with sewn-in particles of relics , where the Liturgy is celebrated).
Archpriest- senior priest, the title is given for special merits, is the rector of the temple.
Protopresbyter- the highest title, exclusively honorary, given for special church merits on the initiative and decision of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
Hieromonk- a monk who has the rank of priest.
Abbot- abbot of the monastery, in women's monasteries - abbess.
Archimandrite- monastic rank, given as the highest award to the monastic clergy.
Bishop(guardian, overseer) - not only performs the Sacraments, the Bishop also has the power to teach others through Ordination the grace-filled gift of performing the Sacraments. The bishop is the successor of the apostles, having the grace-filled power to perform all seven sacraments of the Church, receiving in the Sacrament of Ordination the grace of archpastorship - the grace of governing the Church. The episcopal degree of the sacred hierarchy of the church is the highest degree on which all other degrees of the hierarchy (presbyter, deacon) and lower clergy depend. Ordination to the rank of bishop occurs through the Sacrament of the Priesthood. The bishop is elected from the religious clergy and ordained by the bishops.
An archbishop is a senior bishop who oversees several ecclesiastical regions (dioceses).
Metropolitan is the head of a large ecclesiastical region uniting dioceses (metropolis).
Patriarch (forefather, ancestor) is the highest title of the head of the Christian church in the country.
In addition to the sacred ranks in the church, there are also lower clergy (service positions) - altar servers, subdeacons and readers. They are classified as clergy and are appointed to their positions not through Ordination, but by bishop’s or abbot’s blessing.

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 in given value the more traditional term is usually used sexton, and 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 responsibilities 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, preparing the vestments of priests and deacons, bringing prosphora, wine, water, incense to the altar, lighting coal and preparing the censer, giving payment for wiping the lips during Communion, assisting the priest in performing the sacraments and services, cleaning the altar, if necessary, reading during the service and performing the duties of a bell ringer. The altar server is prohibited from touching the throne and its accessories, as well as from moving from one side of the altar to the other between the throne and the Royal Doors. The altar server wears a surplice over lay clothes.

Subdeacon- clergyman in Orthodox Church, serving mainly with the bishop during his sacred rites, wearing in front of him on the indicated occasions the trikiri, dikiri and ripids, laying the eagle, washes his hands, vests him and performs some other actions. IN modern Church the subdeacon does not have a sacred degree, although he dresses in a surplice and has one of the accessories of the deaconate - an orarion, which he wears 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.

Reader- 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.
Monasticism has its own internal hierarchy, consisting of three degrees (belonging to them usually does not depend on belonging to one or another hierarchical degree itself): monasticism(Rassophore), monasticism(small schema, small angelic image) and schema(great schema, great angelic image). The majority of modern monastics belong to the second degree - to monasticism proper, or the small schema. Only those monastics who have this particular degree can receive Ordination to the rank of bishop. To the name of the rank of monastics who have accepted the great schema, the particle “schema” is added (for example, “schema-abbot” or “schema-metropolitan”). Belonging to one degree or another of monasticism implies a difference in the level of strictness of monastic life and is expressed through differences in monastic clothing. During monastic tonsure, three main vows are made - celibacy, obedience and non-covetousness (the promise to endure all sorrow and hardship of monastic life), and a new name is assigned as a sign of the beginning of a new life.

Clergy and clergy.

The performers of divine services are divided into clergy and clergy.

1. Clergy - persons over whom the sacrament of the Priesthood was completed (ordination, ordination), in which they received the grace of the Holy Spirit to perform the Sacraments (bishops and priests) or directly participate in their performance (deacons).

2. Clergymen - persons who have received the blessing to serve in the church during Divine services (subdeacons, altar servers, readers, singers).

Clergymen.

Clergy are divided into three degrees: 1) bishops (bishops); 2) elders (priests); 3) deacons .

1. Bishop is the highest degree of priesthood in the Church. The Bishop is the successor of the Apostles, in the sense that he has the same powers in the Church as the Apostles of Christ. He:

- primate (heading) of the community of believers;

- the chief superior over priests, deacons and the entire church clergy of his diocese.

The bishop has all the fullness of the sacrament. He has the right to perform all the sacraments. For example, unlike a priest, he has the right:

— ordain priests and deacons, and several bishops (one cannot) erect a new bishop. According to the teaching of the Church, apostolic grace (i.e., the gift of the priesthood), received from Jesus Christ, is transmitted through the ordination of bishops from the very apostolic times, and thus a gracious succession is carried out in the Church;

— bless the ointment for the sacrament of Confirmation;

— consecrate antimensions;

— consecrate temples(a priest can also consecrate a temple, but only with the blessing of the bishop).

Although all bishops are equal in grace, in order to preserve unity and for mutual assistance in difficult circumstances, the 34th Apostolic Canon still gives some of the bishops the right of supreme supervision over others. Hence, among bishops they distinguish: patriarch, metropolitan, archbishop, and simply bishop.

A bishop who rules the Church of an entire country is usually called patriarch , that is, the first of the bishops (from Greek patria - family, tribe, clan, generation; and arcwn - beginner, commander). However, in a number of countries - Greece, Cyprus, Poland and others, the Primate of the Orthodox Church bears the title archbishop . In the Georgian Orthodox Church, Armenian Apostolic Church, the Assyrian Church, Cilician and Albanian primate bears the title - Catholicos (Greek [katholicos] - ecumenical, universal, conciliar). And in Roman and Alexandrian (from antiquity) - dad .

Metropolitan (from Greek capital) is the head of a large church region. The ecclesiastical area is called – diocese . A diocese (Greek region; the same as Latin province) is an ecclesiastical administrative unit. In the Roman Catholic Church, dioceses are called dioceses. The diocese is divided into deaneries, consisting of a number of parishes. If a diocese is headed by a metropolitan, then it is usually called - metropolis. The title of metropolitan is an honorary title (as a reward for special merits or for many years of zealous service to the Church), following the title of archbishop, and the distinctive part of the metropolitan's vestments is a white hood and a green mantle.

Archbishop (Greek: senior bishop). In the Ancient Church, the rank of archbishop was higher than that of metropolitan. The archbishop ruled several metropolises, i.e. was the head of a large ecclesiastical region and the metropolitans governing the metropolises were subordinate to him. Currently, in the Russian Orthodox Church, archbishop is an honorary title, preceding the even more honorable rank of metropolitan.

A bishop who rules a small area is simply called bishop (Greek [episkopos] - supervising, supervising, controlling; from [epi] - on, with; + [skopeo] - I look).

Some bishops do not have an independent area of government, but are assistants to other, senior bishops; such bishops are called suffragan . A vicar (lat. vicarius - deputy, vicar) is a bishop who does not have his own diocese and helps the diocesan bishop in the administration.

2. The second degree of priesthood is priests (presbyters, from Greek [presvis] - elder; [presbyteros] - elder, head of the community).

Among the priests there are secular clergy - priests who did not take monastic vows; And black clergy - monks ordained to the priesthood.

The elders of the white clergy are called: priests, archpriests And protopresbyters. The elders of the black clergy are called: hieromonks, abbots And archimandrites.

Archpriest (from the Greek [protos iereis] - first priest) - a title given to a priest as an honorary distinction over other priests for merit or long service. This title does not give any power; the archpriest has only the primacy of honor.

The senior priest of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Moscow is called protopresbyter .

Priests of monks are called hieromonks . The senior hieromonks, who are usually entrusted with the management of the monastery, are called abbots And archimandrites .

Abbot (Greek [igumenos] - leader) - boss, leader of the monks. In ancient times, and nowadays in many Local Churches, the abbot is the head of the monastery. Initially, the abbot was not necessarily a priest; later he was chosen only from among the hieromonks, or the monk chosen by the abbot was ordained as a presbyter. In a number Local Churches, the title of abbot is used as a hierarchical reward. This was the case in the Russian Orthodox Church until 2011.

Archimandrite (Greek [archi] - lit. chief, chief, senior; + [mandra] - sheepfold, corral (a place in a pasture or pasture, enclosed by a fence, where livestock is driven, intended for rest and additional feeding), i.e. V figuratively chief of spiritual sheep) is the chief of a large or most important monastery. In ancient times, this was the name given to persons who headed several monasteries, for example, all the monasteries of a diocese. In special cases, this title is given as a hierarchical reward. In the white clergy, the rank of archimandrite corresponds to the rank of archpriest and protopresbyter.

3. The third degree of clergy consists of deacons , in monasticism - hierodeacons . Deacons do not perform the Sacraments, but only assist bishops and priests in performing them. The senior deacons in cathedrals are called protodeacons , and the eldest of the hierodeacons in monasteries - archdeacons . These titles mean primacy of honor, not power.

Clergymen.

The clergy in the Orthodox Church constitute the lowest circle. The clergy include:

subdeacons (i.e. deacon's assistants);

readers (psalm-readers);

singers (sacristans);

altar servers (clerics or sextons).

Types of Local Churches.

Autocephalous Church(from Greek [autos] - himself + [mullet] - head) - an independent Orthodox Local Church, i.e. administratively (canonically) completely independent from other Orthodox Local Churches.

Currently there are 15 Autocephalous Churches, which, according to the diptych adopted in the Russian Orthodox Church, are located in the following hierarchy of honor:

Constantinople Orthodox Church(more than 2 million people)

Alexandria(more than 6.5 million people)

Antioch(1 million 370 thousand people)

Jerusalem(130 thousand people)

Russian(50-100 million people)

Georgian(4 million people)

Serbian(10 million people)

Romanian(16 million people)

Bulgarian(about 8 million people)

Cyprus(420 thousand people)

Hellasic(Greek) (about 8 million people)

Albanian(about 700 thousand people)

Polish(500 thousand people)

Czechoslovakian(more than 150 thousand people)

American(about 1 million people)

Each Local Orthodox Church is part of the Universal Church.

Autonomous Church(from the Greek [autonomy] - self-legislation) A local Orthodox Church that is part of the Autocephalous Church, which has received independence in matters of internal governance from one or another Autocephalous (otherwise Cariarchal) Church of which this autonomous church was previously a member with the rights of an exarchate or diocese.

The dependence of the Autonomous Church on the Kyriarchal Church is expressed in the following:

- the head of the Autonomous Church is appointed head of the Kyriarchal Church;

— the charter of the Autonomous Church is approved by the Kyriarchal Church;

— The Autonomous Church receives myrrh from the Kyriarchal Church;

— the name of the primate of the Kyriarchal Church is proclaimed in all churches of the Autonomous Church before the name of its primate;

- the primate of the Autonomous Church is subject to the jurisdiction of the highest court of the Kyriarchal Church.

Currently there are 5 Autonomous Churches:

Sinai(depending on Jerusalem)

Finnish

Estonian(depending on Constantinople)

Japanese(depending on Russian)

Self-governing Church– it’s like the Autonomous Church, only larger and with broader rights of autonomy.

Self-governing within the Russian Orthodox Church:

Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

Latvian

Moldavian

Ukrainian(Moscow Patriarchate) (with rights of broad autonomy)

Estonian(Moscow Patriarchate)

Belarusian(de facto).

Self-governing within the Orthodox Church of Constantinople:

Western European Exarchate of Russian Parishes

Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada

Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA.

Exarchate(from Greek [exarchos] - external power) in modern Orthodoxy and Catholicism of the Eastern rites - a special administrative-territorial unit, foreign in relation to the main Church, or specially created for the care of believers of a given rite in special conditions.

In Orthodoxy, there is a distinction between white clergy (priests who did not take monastic vows) and black clergy (monasticism)

The ranks of the white clergy:
:

Altar boy is 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, in this meaning, the more traditional term sexton, as well as novice, is usually used. 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 server is prohibited from touching the altar and its accessories, as well as moving from one side of the altar to the other between the altar and the Royal Doors. The altar server wears a surplice over secular clothing.

Reader (psalmist; earlier, until the end of the 19th century - sexton, lat. lector) - in Christianity - the lowest rank of clergy, not elevated to the degree of priesthood, reading the texts of the Holy Scriptures and prayers during public worship. In addition, according to ancient tradition, readers not only read in Christian churches, but also interpreted the meaning of difficult-to-understand texts, translated them into the languages of their area, delivered sermons, taught converts and children, sang various hymns (chants), engaged in charity work, 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 ordination 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 Υποδιάκονος; in common parlance (obsolete) subdeacon from the Greek ὑπο - “under”, “below” + Greek διάκονος - minister) - a clergyman in the Orthodox Church, serving mainly under the bishop during his priesthood actions, wearing in front In the indicated cases, the trikiriy, dikiriy and ripida, laying the eagle, washes his hands, clothes him and performs some other actions. In the 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; ancient Greek διάκονος - minister) - a person serving in church service at the first, lowest degree of the 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 is the title of the white clergy, the chief deacon in the diocese at the cathedral. The title of protodeacon was complained of in the form of a reward for special merits, as well as to deacons of the court department. The insignia of a protodeacon is the 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 (Greek Ἱερεύς) is a term passed on from Greek language, where it originally meant “priest”, in Christian church usage; literally translated into 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 πρωτοιερεύς - “high priest”, from πρώτος “first” + ἱερεύς “priest”) is a title given to a member of the 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 is 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 merits, on the initiative and decision of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

Black clergy:

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

Hieromonk (Greek: Ἱερομόναχος) - 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.

Hegumen (Greek ἡγούμενος - “leading”, female abbess) is the abbot of an Orthodox monastery.

Archimandrite (Greek αρχιμανδρίτης; from Greek αρχι - chief, senior + Greek μάνδρα - corral, sheepfold, fence meaning monastery) - one of the highest monastic ranks in the Orthodox Church (below the bishop), corresponds to the mitered (awarded with a miter ) archpriest and protopresbyter in the white clergy.

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

Metropolitan (Greek: μητροπολίτης) is the first episcopal title in the Church in antiquity.

Patriarch (Greek Πατριάρχης, from Greek πατήρ - “father” and ἀρχή - “domination, beginning, power”) is 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, was assigned to five bishops Universal Church(Roman, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem), which had the rights of the highest church-governmental jurisdiction. The Patriarch is elected by the Local Council.

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

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

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

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

1. Diaconate

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

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

2. Priesthood.

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

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

3. Episcopate.

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

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

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

Robes of bishops.

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

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

Election of bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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