Hierarchy of Orthodox priests. Church hierarchy - table of ranks of clergy

In order to get a more detailed understanding of who conducts services in the church or who speaks on television from the Russian Orthodox Church, it is necessary to know exactly what ranks there 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 white clergy (Rits of the Church) and ranks of black clergy (Monastic ranks).

CHURCH OFFICERS OR WHITE CLERGY

CHURCH OFFICES – ALTARNIK

In the world's understanding lately Church rank The altar boy began to disappear, and instead of him the rank of Sexton or Novice was increasingly mentioned. The tasks of the Altarman include the duties of carrying out 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 another grunt work. The altar boy can be recognized by the fact that he wears a surplice over his secular clothes. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with

CHURCH OFFICERS – READER

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

CHURCH OFFICES – HYPODIACON

It is something of an intermediate rank between the laity and the clergy. Unlike the readers and altar servers, the subdeacon is allowed to touch the throne and the altar, as well as enter the altar through the royal gate, although the subdeacon is not a clergyman. The duties of this Church rank include assisting 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 perform public worship and be representatives of the church. Since a priest has the opportunity to perform rituals without a deacon, the number of deacons is currently being reduced, as the need for them is 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 reward for service.

CHURCH OFFICERS – PRIEST

Currently, this rank is held by priests, and is designated as a junior title of priest. Priests, receiving power from bishops, have the right to conduct church ceremonies, teach people the Orthodox faith and perform other sacraments, but at the same time priests are prohibited from conducting ordination as priests.

CHURCH OFFICERS – ARCHOPRISH

CHURCH OFFICES – PROTOPRESTER

The highest Church rank in the white clergy is not a separate rank and is awarded only as a reward for the most deserved deeds before Orthodox faith and is appointed only by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

Monastic orders or black clergy

CHURCH OFFICES – HIERODEACON: He is a monk with the rank of deacon.
CHURCH OFFICES – ARCHIDEACON: He is a senior hierodeacon.
CHURCH OFFICES – HIEROMONCH: Is a monastic priest with the right to perform Orthodox sacraments.
CHURCH OFFICES – IGUMENE: Is the rector Orthodox monastery.
CHURCH OFFICES – ARCHIMADRID: The highest degree in the monastic ranks, but occupying a step lower than bishop.
CHURCH OFFICES – BISHOP: This rank is supervisory and has the third degree of priesthood and can also be called a bishop.
CHURCH OFFICES – METROPOLITAN: Most highest title bishop in the church.
CHURCH OFFICES – PATRIARCH: The most senior rank of the Orthodox Church.

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

Lay people

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

Clergymen

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

Clergy

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

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

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

Some simple rules for every Christian

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

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

The priesthood of the Russian Orthodox Church is divided into three degrees, established by the holy apostles: deacons, priests and bishops. The first two include both clergy belonging to the white (married) clergy and the black (monastic) clergy. Only persons who have taken monastic vows are elevated to the last, third degree. According to this order, all church ranks and positions among Orthodox Christians.

Church hierarchy that came from Old Testament times

The order in which ecclesiastical titles among Orthodox Christians are divided into three different degrees dates back to Old Testament times. This happens due to religious continuity. From Holy Scripture It is known that approximately one and a half thousand years before the birth of Christ, the founder of Judaism, the prophet Moses, selected special people for worship - high priests, priests and Levites. It is with them that our modern church titles and positions are associated.

The first of the high priests was Moses' brother Aaron, and his sons became priests, leading all the services. But in order to perform numerous sacrifices, which were an integral part of religious rituals, assistants were needed. They became the Levites - the descendants of Levi, the son of the forefather Jacob. These three categories of clergy of the Old Testament era became the basis on which all ecclesiastical ranks of the Orthodox Church are built today.

Lowest level of priesthood

When considering church ranks in ascending order, one should start with deacons. This is the lowest priestly rank, upon ordination one gains God's Grace, necessary to fulfill the role assigned to them during worship. The deacon does not have the right to independently conduct church services and perform the sacraments, but is only obliged to help the priest. A monk ordained a deacon is called a hierodeacon.

Deacons who have served for a sufficiently long period of time and have proven themselves well receive the title of protodeacons (senior deacons) in the white clergy, and archdeacons in the black clergy. The privilege of the latter is the right to serve under the bishop.

It should be noted that all church services these days are structured in such a way that, in the absence of deacons, they can be performed by priests or bishops without much difficulty. Therefore, the participation of the deacon in the divine service, while not being obligatory, is rather its decoration than an integral part. As a result, in some parishes where serious financial difficulties are felt, this staffing unit is being reduced.

Second level of the priestly hierarchy

Considering further church ranks in ascending order, we should focus on priests. Holders of this rank are also called presbyters (in Greek, “elder”), or priests, and in monasticism, hieromonks. Compared to deacons, this is more high level priesthood. Accordingly, upon ordination a greater degree of the Grace of the Holy Spirit is acquired.

Since evangelical times, priests have been leading divine services and have the right to perform most of the holy sacraments, including everything except ordination, that is, ordination, as well as the consecration of antimensions and the world. In accordance with the duties assigned to them job responsibilities, priests lead the religious life of urban and rural parishes, in which they can hold the post of rector. The priest is directly subordinate to the bishop.

For long and impeccable service, the priest of the white clergy is rewarded with the title of archpriest (chief priest) or protopresbyter, and the black clergy is rewarded with the rank of abbot. Among the monastic clergy, the abbot, as a rule, is appointed to the position of rector of an ordinary monastery or parish. If he is entrusted with leading a large monastery or monastery, he is called an archimandrite, which is an even higher and more honorable title. It is from the archimandrites that the episcopate is formed.

Bishops of the Orthodox Church

Further, listing church titles in ascending order, it is necessary to pay attention special attention highest group hierarchs - bishops. They belong to the category of clergy called bishops, that is, heads of priests. Having received the greatest degree of Grace of the Holy Spirit at ordination, they have the right to do everything without exception church sacraments. They are given the right not only to conduct any church services themselves, but also to ordain deacons to the priesthood.

According to the Church Charter, all bishops have an equal degree of priesthood, with the most honored of them being called archbishops. A special group consists of the capital's bishops, called metropolitans. This name comes from Greek word"metropolis", which means "capital". In cases where in order to help one bishop occupying any high position, another is appointed, he bears the title of vicar, that is, deputy. The bishop is placed at the head of the parishes of an entire region, called in this case a diocese.

Primate of the Orthodox Church

And finally, highest rank The church hierarchy is the patriarch. He is elected by the Council of Bishops and, together with the Holy Synod, exercises leadership over the entire local church. According to the Charter adopted in 2000, the rank of patriarch is for life, but in some cases the bishop's court is given the right to try him, depose him and decide on his retirement.

In cases where the patriarchal see is vacant, the Holy Synod elects a locum tenens from among its permanent members to perform the functions of the patriarch until his legal election.

Church ministers who do not have the Grace of God

Having mentioned all the church titles in ascending order and returning to the very base of the hierarchical ladder, it should be noted that in the church, in addition to the clergy, that is, clergy who have passed the sacrament of ordination and have been honored to receive the Grace of the Holy Spirit, there is also a lower category - clergy. These include subdeacons, psalm-readers and sextons. Despite their church service, they are not priests and are accepted into vacant positions without ordination, but only with the blessing of the bishop or archpriest - the rector of the parish.

The duties of the psalmist include reading and singing during church services and when the priest performs the requirement. The sexton is entrusted with convening parishioners ringing bells to the church at the beginning of the services, ensure that the candles in the church are lit, if necessary, help the psalm-reader and hand the censer to the priest or deacon.

Subdeacons also take part in divine services, but only together with bishops. Their duties are to help the bishop put on his vestments before the start of the service and, if necessary, change his vestments during the service. In addition, the subdeacon gives the bishop lamps - dikiri and trikiri - for blessing those praying in the temple.

Heritage of the Holy Apostles

We looked at all church ranks in ascending order. In Russia and among other Orthodox nations, these ranks bear the blessing of the holy apostles - the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ. It was they who, having become the founders of the earthly Church, established the existing order of the church hierarchy, taking as a model the example of Old Testament times.

White clergy are married clergy. Black is monks in the priesthood. There are three hierarchical levels of the priesthood and each of them has its own hierarchy: deacon, priest, bishop. Either a married priest or a monk can be a deacon and a priest. Only a monk can become a bishop.

The Sacrament of the Priesthood is performed only when the candidate is elevated to the next of the three levels. As for the hierarchy of titles within these levels, in ancient times they were associated with special church obediences, and now - with administrative power, special merits, or simply the length of service to the Church.

I. Bishops (bishops) - the highest sacred rank

Bishop - supervising bishop

Archbishop – the most honored bishop

Metropolitan - bishop, head of the metropolis

Vicar - assistant to another bishop or his vicar

The Patriarch is the chief bishop in the Local Church

II. Priests- second sacred rank

The word “priest” has several Greek synonyms:

For white priesthood:

1) Priest(priest; from Greek hieros - sacred) / Presbyter (from Greek presbyteros, literally - elder).

2) Archpriest(first priest) / Protopresbyter (first elder).

For black priesthood:

1) Hieromonk- a monk in the rank of priest.

2) Archimandrite- (from the Greek archon - head, elder and mandra - sheepfold; literally - elder over the sheepfold), that is, elder over the monastery. The word “mandra” was used to describe monasteries in Greece. In ancient times, only the abbot of one of the largest monasteries (in the modern Church of Constantinople and Greece this practice is preserved, however, an archimandrite can be both an employee of the Patriarchate and an assistant to the bishop). IN modern practice The title of the Russian Church can be given to the abbot of any monastery and even just abbots for special merits and after certain period service to the Church.

! Abbot- (from the Greek hegumenоs, literally - going ahead, leader, commander), currently the abbot of the monastery (he can be a hieromonk, an archimandrite or a bishop). Until 2011, he was an honored hieromonk in the Russian Orthodox Church. When leaving the position of abbot, the title of abbot is retained. Also, this title remains with those who received it as an award until 2011 and who are not abbots of monasteries.

III. Deacon - the lowest sacred rank

For the white priesthood:

1. deacon
2. protodeacon

For the black priesthood:

1. hierodeacon
2. archdeacon

Words stand apart pop and archpriest. In Rus', these words did not have any negative meaning. Apparently, they come from the Greek “pappas”, which means “daddy”, “father”. This word (due to its prevalence among the Western Slavs) probably came into the Russian language from Old High German: pfaffo - priest. In all ancient Russian liturgical and other books, the name “priest” is constantly found as a synonym for the words “priest”, “priest” and “presbyter”. Protopop is the same as protopresbyter or archpriest.

Address to clergy:

As for appeals to priests, they exist official and unofficial. Unofficially, priests and deacons are usually called fathers: “Father George”, “Father Nikolai”, etc. Or simply “father”. On official occasions, the deacon is called “Your Reverence,” the presbyter “Your Reverence,” and the protopresbyter “Your Reverence.” When addressing a bishop, they say “Vladyka” (Vladyka George, Vladyka Nikolai). In the Russian Orthodox Church, when formally addressing a bishop, he is called “Your Eminence,” and an archbishop and metropolitan is called “Your Eminence.” The Patriarch is always addressed: “Your Holiness.” All these appeals relate not to the person’s personality, but to his ministry.

Hierarchy christian church is called “three-tier” because it consists of three main steps:
– 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
		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 the 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 rank, exclusively honorary, given for special church services on initiative and decision His Holiness Patriarch 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 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 also 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- a clergyman in the Orthodox Church, serving mainly with the bishop during his sacred rites, wearing in front of him in the indicated cases the trikiri, dikiri and ripidas, 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 in 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 the texts of the Holy Scriptures and prayers during public worship. 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.