The highest church position in the Russian Orthodox Church. Hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church

The Old Testament Church served as an example to the holy Apostles, where there was a high priest, a priest and Levites. The apostles also established three degrees of priesthood in the New Testament Christian Church: bishops, presbyters (i.e. priests) and deacons. Who is a bishop and how can one contact him?

Bishop in the church

Bishop (Greek "senior priest") is usually called the clergy of the highest degree of the church hierarchy.

The definition is applied along with "hierarch" and "archpastor". He is the bishop of the Church. In his office and right, with God's grace, to perform all the Sacraments and lead church life.

The service of the bishop in the church

Under the administration of each of them (except vicars) there is a diocese. It is from the bishops that the Local Council elects the patriarch, who is entrusted with the honorable mission of leading the Local Church for life.

Christian doctrine says that apostolic grace, received from Jesus Christ, is transmitted to archpastors through Sacrament of Ordination. In the Russian Orthodox Church, it is customary to appoint persons from the monastic clergy to the hierarchy, since he must be celibate.

About other Church Sacraments:

Bishop's ministry

The bishop rejoices when he sees that people are going to God. He is not a celestial, he is a pointer that shows a person where God is. And a person should use this pointer and go to God. If this is done, then this is a high happiness for the minister of the Church.

The highest happiness of an archpastor lies in the service of the Divine Liturgy. He, as the successor of the apostles, is a participant in the Last Supper, like

Spiritual power is more complex, because you are responsible for the souls of people. The Lord will exact more force from the bishop. Behind external splendor, honors is a great responsibility.

The most important cross that any archpastor bears lies in the fact that he faces an almost unbearable task - being with an honorary title to remain a person, able to perceive other people, remember their infirmities, weaknesses, those little things that , as a rule, tall people, dressed in power, quickly forget.

Important! For us, there is one example of an ideal bishop - this is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Video about the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church

Section: CHURCH PROTOCOL Page 2 ORGANIZATION AND HIERARCHY OF THE UNIVERSE ORTHODOX CHURCH Spiritual guidance for those truly established in the holy Orthodox faith: 1400 church councils for the Orthodox - questions from believers and answers from the holy righteous. The Gospel tells how on the fortieth day after His Resurrection the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven in glory, commanding His disciples: “Go, make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I commanded you "(Mt. 28, 19-20). These words of the Savior of the world contained the main goal of the great apostolic ministry to which the former fishermen of Galilee were called. Addressing the gospel preaching to the peoples and tribes that inhabited the Roman Empire, the apostles began to create the first Christian communities. The principle of catholicity, i.e., the unity of many believers in Christ, underlies the existence of the Christian Church, since the very word "church" (Greek - εκκλησια) is literally translated as a public, people's assembly. Over time, the number of Christians multiplied. Not being able to constantly personally participate in the life of the communities, the disciples of Christ began to elect for them from among the newly converted spiritual leaders - presbyters. Above those who devoted themselves to the service of God, the apostles performed a special prayer with the laying on of hands, calling on the chosen ones the grace of the Holy Spirit. This action, which is one of the seven sacraments of the Christian Church, was later called ordination. Practically from the very beginning of the existence of the Christian Church, a three-level hierarchy of clergy has been formed in it, consisting of deacons (servants of help, who were assistants to presbyters), presbyters and bishops, who occupy a dominant position, being the bearers of the highest spiritual authority. Bishops are entrusted with the instruction of the people in the faith, the performance of divine services and the administration of the Church. The Canons of the Holy Apostles, one of the oldest collections of church canons, indicate that hierarchical consecration, i.e., elevation to the episcopal rank, is performed by three or at least two bishops. Beginning in the 5th century, bishops were elected primarily by representatives of monasticism, which at all times in its mass preserved the purity of Orthodox dogma intact. Initially, the bishop, like the presbyter, led the prayer meetings of only one Christian community. But when the number of communities increased, bishoprics (current dioceses) were formed - church districts under the spiritual authority of one bishop. The Christian communities of the provinces of the Roman Empire, created by the bishops of large metropolitan cities, obeyed them, recognizing their authority and supremacy. The first bishops who headed them began to be called metropolitans. The clergy and faithful of one episcopate, headed by a canonically appointed bishop, constitute a small local Church. For various historical and political reasons, these small Churches united into larger entities - this is how the Local Orthodox Churches arose. From the middle of the 5th century, the word "Patriarch" (from the Greek πατριαρχης - father of the clan) was first used in church documents as a hierarchical title of the leading bishops of the largest church regions. The canonical territories of the Patriarchates were administratively divided into "dioceses", which consisted of several metropolitan districts, which in turn consisted of several bishoprics. The bishops who ruled them were subordinate to the metropolitans, and the metropolitans were subordinate to the Patriarchs. This practice exists in many Local Churches today. Under the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine the Great, the rise of Constantinople as the second Rome begins - the new eastern capital of the Roman Empire and the ecclesiastical administrative center. In the 6th century (under St. Patriarch Mina, 536-552), the First Hierarchs of Constantinople assumed the title of Ecumenical Patriarchs. The 36th canon of the Trullo Council, held in 691-692, established the "order of honor" of the first five Patriarchates: Roman, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem (after the falling away of the Western Church, their number decreased to four). Primates of other Local Orthodox Churches were subsequently added to this list. The highest ecclesiastical legislative and judicial authority in the Orthodox Church is the Ecumenical Council - an assembly of bishops representing all Local Churches. Presbyters and deacons may take part in these Councils as experts (and if they represent absent bishops, then with a casting vote). In church history, there are seven Ecumenical Councils, at which the main provisions of the Orthodox dogma were fixed, as well as canonical and disciplinary norms were developed. In the periods between the Ecumenical Councils, Councils of the episcopate of the Local Church - Local Councils - were held to consider the dogmatic and canonical problems of one church area. At present, the Ecumenical Church is administratively-territorially divided into Autocephalous and Autonomous Local Churches. The Autocephalous Church has an independent source of power; its bishops themselves elect and appoint their First Hierarch. The Autocephalous Church, while maintaining doctrinal and liturgical unity with all other Local Churches, has the right to sanctify chrism, canonize saints, and compose liturgical rites. All Patriarchates are large Autocephalous Churches, the primates of other Autocephalous Churches are metropolitans or archbishops. The Autonomous Church is endowed with lesser rights, being administratively and judicially dependent on the kyriarchal (dominant) Local Church, which granted autonomy to this ecclesiastical region. The Chiriarchal Church approves the charter and the first bishop of the Autonomous Church, and also grants her holy chrism. Interchurch contacts of the Autonomous Church are also carried out through the kyriarchal one. The position of each Local Orthodox Church is determined on the basis of a diptych - a list in which the First Hierarchs of the Churches are indicated by the importance of their sees. The rank of the cathedra depends mainly on the time when the Local Church received autocephaly, while those of them that were created directly by the apostles of Christ take precedence. In Russia, the Patriarchate was established in 1589 under Tsar Theodore Ioannovich. The enthronement (ordaining) of the first Patriarch of Moscow, St. Job, took place with the participation of Ecumenical Patriarch Jeremiah II, who was in Russia to collect alms. The Council of 1590, held in Constantinople with the participation of the Primates of the Churches of Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem, approved the "chrysovul" - the charter laid down by Patriarch Jeremiah on the appointment of the Patriarch to Moscow. The Russian First Hierarch was given the fifth place in honor after the Eastern Patriarchs. At present, the Ecumenical Orthodox Church includes nine Patriarchates, six Autocephalous and three Autonomous Churches (see Appendix 1). During the joint ministry of the First Hierarchs of the Local Churches, their seniority is determined by the diptych. The titles of the First Hierarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Churches may seem excessively pompous and lengthy to our contemporaries, but we must remember that they were formed in ancient times and bear the imprint of the events of church history. The diptych is headed by the Primate of the Local Orthodox Church of Constantinople, bearing the title: His Holiness Archbishop of Constantinople - New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch. The jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople is the Autonomous Orthodox Church of Finland, headed by the Archbishop of Karelia and All Finland. The primates of the ancient apostolic sees are: His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa; His Beatitude Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East; His Beatitude Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine. The Jerusalem Patriarchate includes the Sinai Archdiocese as an autonomy, which has its Primate with the title of Archbishop of Sinai, Faran and Raifa. The fifth place in the diptych from the 16th century is occupied by the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church - the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. He is followed by His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi. The title of Catholicos has been borne by the Georgian First Hierarchs since the 5th century, having received it from the kyriarchal Church of Antioch: this was the name of the First Hierarchs of the Local Churches, territorially located beyond the eastern borders of the Byzantine Empire. Independent church structures in Southern Europe were formed in the early Middle Ages, but their canonical status was finally recognized by the Ecumenical Church only in the 19th-20th centuries. The diptych includes: First Hierarch of the Serbian Local Orthodox Church - His Holiness Patriarch of Serbia, Archbishop of Pech, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovatsk; Romanian Church - His Beatitude Patriarch, Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Muntena and Dobruja; His Holiness Patriarch of Bulgaria. The title of the Primate of the Cypriot Church reflects the events of church history of the 7th-8th centuries. In the 2nd half of the 7th century, under Emperor Justinian II, the Orthodox community of ancient Cyprus, led by the Primate Archbishop John, fleeing from the Arab conquerors, left the island and moved to the province of Hellespont (the ancient name of the Dardanelles region), to the city of Justinianopolis founded by the emperor ( New Justinian). The Council of Trullo, with its 39th canon, retained the rights of the Autocephalous Church for this community and bestowed on its First Hierarch the title of Archbishop of the city of New Justiniana. In 747, the Cypriots returned to the island, but the memory of their stay in the Hellespont was preserved both among the people and in church terminology: the Primates of the Cypriot Church retain the official title of His Beatitude Archbishop of New Justiniana and all of Cyprus to this day. The Greek Church is the only Local Orthodox Church headed not by the Primate, but by the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy - an analogue of our Bishops' Council. His Beatitude Archbishop of Athens and All Hellas is only the chairman of the Synod. This situation is similar to the one in which the Russian Orthodox Church was in the "synodal period", however, the Archbishop of Athens has the right to represent his Church in external contacts. The synodal system of government arose in the Greek Church in the 19th century, when it was withdrawn in 1834 from the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople under the Greek king of German origin, Catholic Otto I. His advisers (Protestants by religion) recreated in Greece the same model of coexistence of Church and state, which by that time had already been tested to some extent in Russia: the king was considered the head of the Church, and the Synod included its official, in terms of authority corresponding to the Russian Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod. In 1850, the Patriarchate of Constantinople issued a Tomos on the granting of autocephaly to the Church of Greece, which only contributed to the final approval of the synodal system in Greece (by the law of July 9, 1852), which laid the foundation for the life of the Church of Greece from the very moment of its formation and still exists: for The Liturgy after the words “Remember first, Lord” in the Church of Greece commemorates the Holy Synod of the Hierarchy, while in other Churches their Primates are commemorated (however, the synodal system originally established here later evolved towards strengthening the significance of the first hierarch). Further along the diptych are His Beatitude the Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania, His Beatitude the Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland, His Beatitude the Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. On January 1, 1993, the Czechoslovak Republic was divided into two independent states - the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but the canonical authority of a single Local Church extends to their territory. The Orthodox Church in America was originally under the canonical subordination of the Russian Orthodox Church, whose missionaries brought Orthodoxy to the North American continent back in the 18th century. It was not until April 1970 that autocephaly was granted to this Church. Its First Hierarch is His Beatitude Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada. The diptych is completed by His Beatitude Archbishop of Tokyo, Metropolitan of All Japan. The Japanese Orthodox Church is included in the Moscow Patriarchate on the rights of autonomy. In Russia, the commemoration by name of the Primates of the Churches at the “Great Praise” and the “Great Entrance” is performed only at the Liturgy celebrated by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, while the First Hierarchs of the Autonomous Sinai, Finnish and Japanese Churches are not commemorated. It should be noted that the aforementioned diptych adopted in the Russian Orthodox Church differs from that which exists in the Patriarchates of the Orthodox East - Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria. In it, the First Hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church occupies the ninth place, and the Primate of the American Church is absent. These discrepancies are due to a number of historical reasons. What an Orthodox Christian should know: 1. How should a person prepare to go to church? 2. How should a person who decides to go to church dress? 3. Can I eat before visiting the temple in the morning? 4. How to deal with beggars who meet you in front of the temple? 5. How many prostrations should be made before entering the temple and how to behave in the temple? 6. How long do you have to be on duty? 7. Is it possible to sit in the service if there is no strength to stand? 8. What is important in bowing and prayer? 9. How to kiss the icons? 10. What does the candle placed in front of the image symbolize? 11. Does it matter what size candle you put in front of the image? 12. Who and how many candles should be placed? 13. What prayers should be done before the images of the Savior, the Mother of God and the Life-Giving Cross? 14. Why is it customary to put candles for the repose at the Crucifixion? 15. For what purpose and what products can be put on the eve? 16. What is the most important commemoration for the departed? 17. How to submit a note of commemoration at the proskomedia? Is it possible to commemorate the sick at the proskomedia? 18. What should I do if, while standing at a prayer service or other divine service, I did not hear the name that I filed for commemoration? 19. How should you behave when you incense? 20. What moment is considered the end of the morning service? 21. What do you need to know about the use of prosphora and holy water? 22. How are the feasts of the Lord and His saints celebrated? 23. How to order a memorial and thanksgiving service? 24. Does repentance erase the memory of past sins? 25. How many times a year should one take communion? 26. What is unction? 27. How often should I go to the temple? 28. What does attending the temple mean for a believer? 29. What divine services are performed daily in the church? 30. What is fasting? 31. What prayers are performed before and after eating food? 32. Why is the death of the body necessary? 33. Why is a spiritual leader needed? 34. How often should you contact your confessor? 35. Is it possible to seek advice from other pastors of the church? 36. Is it possible for everyone to reveal their sinful thoughts? 37. Is it necessary to read any prayer when you go to the confessor? 38. How should one behave when one hears the condemnation of the priests? 39. Do all people need to be loved? 40. How to find a confessor? 41. How should sorrows be endured? 42. How to overcome shame at confession? 43. How do I know if God has forgiven me the sins confessed in confession? 44. How to behave in case of mental abuse? 45. What is penance? 46. ​​What sin is called mortal? 47. What should I do if my conscience does not calm down after confession? 48. Why is repentance so important? 49. What does it mean to be guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? 50. What should one do during rest hours? 51. What is the beginning of salvation? 52. What strengthens the soul? 53. What distracts thought from God? 54. From what does a Christian receive sanctification? 55. What else should one think about? 56. What is the highest virtue? 57. Who is a true Christian? 58. About what and whom should one ask? 59. Why are misfortunes allowed? 60. What should be the main thing in prayer? 61. What is higher, almsgiving or thanksgiving in affliction? 62. What especially propitiates the Lord? 63. Is it necessary to remember the sins spoken earlier in confession? 64. Which is higher - righteousness or the bearing of offenses? 65. What should be read after the morning prayer? 66. What should thought be occupied with? 67. For what should time be set aside every day? 68. As soon as you wake up in the morning, what prayer to read? 69. To what should one force oneself? 70. Where is the beginning of sin? 71. What is the most important thing for a believer? 72. How to get rid of forgotten sins at confession? 73. What are the greatest gifts of God given by God to believers? 74. Is it necessary to dwell on important thoughts in prayer? 75. How to get rid of bad habits? 76. When does the Lord not forgive us our sins? 77. What should you do before going to bed? 78. What prayers are holy? 79. How to gain peace of mind? 80. How to seek benefit for yourself? 81. What kind of people should we move away from? 82. How to help the deceased? 83. What is the reverence for icons? 84. What power does the image of the sign of the cross have? 85. What should one resort to first during an illness? 86. Are there signs by which one can know whether we are on the path of salvation? 87. How should one maintain spiritual joy in oneself? 88. What is meekness? 89. What to do when despair from many sins attacks? 90. How should one pray to God? 91. Is it possible to shorten the prayer rule as needed? 92. How can a demon be defeated? 93. What should a person who asks God know? 94. What is better for us to ask God for our own needs or others? 95. If the heart sympathizes with an evil thought, what should be done? 96. What is better, a large rule of prayer, but not always fully fulfilled, or a small one, but always fulfilled? 97. Is it a sin to believe signs: for example, an unlucky day, someone met, a hand itched, a cat ran across, a spoon fell, etc. ? 98. Can the sign of the cross be replaced if necessary? 99. How should a holiday be dedicated to God? 100. Can I work on Holidays? 101. What does it mean when loved ones appear in a dream? 102. When should one pray in one's own words? 103. When is it recommended to read the Jesus Prayer in church? 104. How should one treat one's neighbors? 105. When do we push God's help away from us? 106. Who benefits for the soul from their sorrows and sufferings? 107. How to look at those who offend me? 108. How to humble yourself? 109. Does everyone have to endure sorrows? 110. Is it enough just to endure an insult? 111. What should one especially ask the Lord God in prayers for? 112. What does God require of us? 113. Who should be loved more: God or your relatives? 114. How to know the will of God in life? 115. What is the virtue of withdrawing from the world? 116. How to acquire the fear of God? 117. Under what condition will a person improve? 118. What gives rise to humility? 119. What prayer is advised to read in spiritual need? 120. What virtues are especially dear to the Lord? 121. Is it possible to pray at any time and in any place? 122. How to achieve good prayer? 123. How to overcome anger in yourself? 124. How to deal with sadness and depression? 125. What is the best remedy for discouragement? 126. What is the most necessary and useful knowledge? 127. What is the best way to pray - standing or kneeling? 128. Can a good deed be achieved by bad means? 129. Is it possible to have a passion for a person, to desire to see him? 130. How should fasting days be spent? 131. How to decide to follow Christ? 132. What prayers should be uttered to the Lord in order to help one to embark on the path of salvation? 133. How should one believe? 134. How to relate to the disease? 135. Is it possible to pray for recovery during illness? 136. Can God forgive such sins as theft, deceit, fornication? 137. How can you strengthen your faith and hope in the Lord? 138. Is it saving when others pray for you? 139. THE RULE OF REPRESENT SERAPHIM OF SAROVSKY FOR THE LAILERS Heavenly Help to the Afflicted: Secret Prayers to the Seven Archangels Angelology THE MOST NEEDED ABOUT THE ORTHODOX CHRIST FAITH A person who calls himself a Christian must fully and without any doubt accept the Creed and the truth of the Holy Scriptures with all his Christian spirit. Accordingly, he must know them firmly, because you cannot accept or not accept what you do not know. Out of laziness, out of ignorance, or out of unbelief, one who tramples and rejects due knowledge of Orthodox truths cannot be a Christian. The Symbol of Faith The Symbol of Faith is a short and precise statement of all the truths of the Christian faith, compiled and approved at the 1st and 2nd Ecumenical Councils. And whoever does not accept these truths can no longer be an Orthodox Christian. The entire Creed consists of twelve members, and each of them contains a special truth, or, as they also call it, the dogma of the Orthodox faith. The Creed reads as follows: 1. I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. 2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, Who was born from the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, consubstantial with the Father, Whom all was. 3. For us, man, and for our salvation, descended from Heaven and incarnated from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became human. 4. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. 5. And he rose again on the third day, according to the scripture. 6. And ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. 7. And the packs of the coming with glory to judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. 8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. 9. Into one holy, catholic and apostolic Church. 10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. 11. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, 12. And the life of the future age. Amen I believe in one God, Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, everything visible and invisible. And in the one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, born of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, one being with the Father, by Him all things were created. For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, he descended from Heaven, and took flesh from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became a man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, And rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into Heaven, and sitting on the right side of the Father. And coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead, His kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, who gives life, who proceeds from the Father, who is worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets. Into one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the age to come. Amen (that's right). Every day, a Christian should constantly strengthen and verify his faith in Christ according to the Holy Scriptures: “Jesus said to them: because of your unbelief; For truly, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you; (Gospel of Matthew, 17:20) With His Word, Christ gave people a way to test the truth of the Christian faith of everyone who calls himself a believing Christian. If you question this Word of Christ or something else said in the Holy Scriptures or try to interpret allegorically, you have not yet accepted the truth of the Holy Scriptures and you are not yet a Christian. If, according to your word, the mountains do not move, you have not yet believed enough, and the true Christian faith in your soul is not even the size of a mustard seed. With very little faith, you can try to move something much smaller than a mountain with your word - a small hillock or a pile of sand. If this fails, you must make many, many efforts to acquire the faith of Christ, while absent in your soul. According to this true Word of Christ, check the Christian faith of your priest, so that he does not turn out to be a seductive servant of the insidious Satan, who does not have the faith of Christ at all and falsely dressed in an Orthodox cassock. Christ Himself warned the people about the many deceitful church deceivers: “Jesus answered and said to them: Beware that no one deceives you, for many will come under my name and say, “I am the Christ,” and they will deceive many.” (Gospel of Matthew, 24:4-5) Be Christianly careful in choosing your spiritual mentors. There is no worse to be in the power of pretending and seducing greedy servants of the Antichrist Satan, who crave only the acquisition of earthly goods and their power over people. From following the instructions of these demonic outsiders, you will have many troubles and the deception of your funds by liars. And in eternal life, fiery hell awaits you, because by following the instructions of the Satanists, you rejected the holy Christian faith from yourself and went along the path of anti-Christian service to demons. In order to avoid such a terrible disaster, constantly and persistently test your Christian faith, as well as the faith and all the deeds of your spiritual shepherds, according to the canonical God-inspired Holy Scripture. In case of any doubt that your shepherds have the true faith of Christ in a Christian way, firmly depart from those who falsely deceive. Also remember that only his own sins can offend the believer's feelings. Read What are the sins in Christianity. Now the majority of those who call themselves “Russian Orthodox” in Russia use the Holy Bible (Holy Scripture) and the canonical Gospels contained in it - from Matthew, from Mark, from Luke, from John, as well as the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of the Apostles, the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, the Revelation of St. . John the Theologian (Apocalypse) has never been read, which is a sign of grave disbelief in the Word of Christ and complete spiritual disregard for it. * * * * * * * THE CHURCH PLEASANTLY RECOMMENDS: piously acquire wine for your needs only in the Lord's temples from the consecrated stocks of Christ. For, according to the assurances of the priests, unsanctified wine purchased in a store does not have holiness, but is filled with sinfulness and has a destructive effect on the Christian soul. To meet the increased spiritual needs of Russians, church shops offer a wide selection of consecrated Cahors and other wines for different tastes. Here everyone can choose wine according to their wealth. More expensive wines are more holy and pleasing to God. They say that when drunk by a true believer (a priest or someone especially close to God), even a whole bottle of consecrated wine IS NOT DETERMINED BY ALCOLASER - this is a reliable way to test the strength and truth of the Christian faith of everyone who has faith even with a mustard seed. This good statement of the priesthood is fully consistent with the Holy Scriptures: “Jesus said to them: because of your unbelief; For truly, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you; Gospel of Matthew, 17:20 GOOD CHRISTIAN ADVICE: before the holidays, church prices increase many times over, therefore, consecrated wines should be purchased in the church in advance. A counter in the Lord's temple with an assortment of consecrated Cahors. In spiritual help to the believer: Every person is a sinner, for only God is sinless, and only He alone. Proper observance of Christian fasts and diligent reading of prayers strengthens the holy faith and purifies the soul of the believer in Christ's Testaments from accumulated sins. The believer should not confuse Christ's Testaments with the 10 Commandments of Moses - the former refer to the New Testament, the latter to the Old Testament (which is part of the Jewish Torah). Read about it in Holy Scripture. See ABOUT SINS IN CHRISTIANITY - what are the sins. You should always know and remember that only God can forgive sins, and the Lord did not grant the right to forgive sins to any mortal, even if wearing a cassock. A priest, like any believer, can only pray to the Lord for the remission of sins. For before God all are equal, and before Him there is no one more than the first and no one more than the last. Every mortal who undertakes to forgive sins for God or in the name of God is a grave sinner, mired in the ungodly satanic mortal sin of pride, i.e. assuming oneself equal to God or even superior to Him. This gravest of mortal sins is inherent in Satan and his demonic servants. Generous LORD RESPONSITION of SINS to those who sincerely repent and wish to purify their soul before God, so that they can avoid terrible eternal torment in an endless hellish flame. Inspired messages for pious charitable viewing, approved and recommended by our great Lord for the atonement of sins to all faithful Russians. By the gracious will of the merciful Lord, each viewing removes one minor sin, three viewings remove one grave sin, eight - a mortal sin. If you do not see 8 different messages in the table below, it means that the Lord does not yet consider it necessary to forgive you a mortal sin. In this case, further strengthen your Christian piety in every possible way and after a while go to this page again. Perhaps then the Lord will be more favorable to you. The Lord is merciful, and the number of your attempts to get rid of the burden of sins is not limited by the Lord. I sinned voluntarily or involuntarily - I looked with repentance - I was cleansed before the Lord: loading ... var RNum = Math.floor(Math.random()*10000); document.write(' ');

There are three levels of priesthood in the Orthodox Church: deacons; presbyters(or priests, priests); bishops(or bishops).

The clergy in the Orthodox Church is divided into white(married) and black(monastic). Sometimes, as an exception, persons who are not family members and who have not taken monastic vows are consecrated to the holy dignity, they are called celibates. Bishops, according to the canons of the Church, are consecrated only monks.

Deacon in Greek means minister. This is a clergyman of the first (junior) degree. He co-serves with priests and bishops during the performance of the Sacraments and other sacred rites, but he does not perform any divine service on his own. The senior deacon is called a protodeacon.

The deacon is ordained (consecrated) by the bishop during the celebration of the liturgy.

During the service, the deacon is dressed in surplice(long clothes with wide sleeves). On the left shoulder of the deacon is fixed a long wide ribbon, called orarion. When pronouncing the litanies, the deacon holds the orarion with his right hand, raising it up as a sign that our prayer should ascend upward, to God. The orarion also symbolizes angelic wings, for, according to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom, deacons represent in the Church the image of angelic ministry. The deacon puts on his hands handrails- Armlets covering the wrists.

Priest (presbyter)- the second degree of the priesthood. He can perform all Sacraments except the Sacrament ordination. They are ordained to the priesthood only after ordination to the diaconal rank. The priest is not only the performer of sacred rites, but also a shepherd, spiritual leader and teacher for his parishioners. He preaches, teaches and instructs the flock.

For the service of the liturgy, the priest puts on special clothes. Undershirt- a long shirt that resembles a surplice. The white color of the vestment symbolically indicates the purity of life and the spiritual joy of serving the liturgy. Stole is a symbol of the priest's grace. Therefore, without it, the priest does not perform a single sacred act. The epitrachelion looks like a doubled orarion. This means that the priest has more grace than the deacon. Six crosses are depicted on the stole - according to the number of the six Sacraments that he can perform. The seventh Sacrament - the laying on of hands - can only be performed by a bishop.

Over the stole, the priest puts on belt- as a sign of their readiness to always serve God. How can a priest receive a reward for services to the Church gaiter And mace(a symbol of the spiritual sword that crushes all evil).

Like the deacon, the priest puts on handrails. They symbolize the bonds by which Jesus Christ was bound. Over all other vestments, the priest puts on phelonion, or chasuble. This is a long, wide garment with a cutout for the head and a large cutout in front, resembling a cloak. The phelonion symbolizes the scarlet robe of the suffering Savior, and the ribbons sewn on it are the streams of blood that flowed through His clothes.

Over the chasuble the priest puts on pectoral(i.e. breastplate) cross.

For special merits priests can be awarded kamilavka- a velvet headdress of a cylindrical shape. Instead of a white eight-pointed cross, a yellow four-pointed one can be given as a reward to the priest. Also, a priest can be awarded the degree of archpriest. Some especially meritorious archpriests are given as a reward a cross with decorations and a miter - a special headdress with icons and decorations.

Bishop- the third, highest degree of the priesthood. The bishop can perform all the Sacraments and sacred rites. Bishops are also called bishops And saints(holy bishops). Also known as a bishop lord.

Bishops have their degrees. Senior bishops are called archbishops, followed by metropolitans. The most senior bishop - the head, the primate of the Church - has the title of patriarch.

A bishop, according to church rules, is ordained by several bishops.

The bishop dresses in all the vestments of the priest, but instead of the phelonion, he puts on a sakkos - a garment resembling a short surplice. The main sign of episcopal authority is put on him - omophorion. It is a wide ribbon lying on the shoulders - it symbolizes that lost sheep that the Shepherd Christ found and took on His shoulders (shoulders).

Put on the head of a bishop miter, it simultaneously depicts the royal crown and the crown of thorns of the Savior.

On the vestment, the bishop, along with the cross, wears the image of the Mother of God, called Panagia(translated from Greek All-Holy). In his hands, as a sign of hierarchical authority, the bishop holds a rod, or staff. Under the feet of the bishop at the service they put eagles- round rugs with the image of an eagle.

Outside of worship, all clergy wear cassock(lower long clothes with narrow sleeves) and cassock(outerwear with wide sleeves). Priests usually wear on their heads skufyu(pointed hat) or kamilavka. Deacons most often wear only a cassock.

Over the cassock, priests wear a pectoral cross, and bishops wear a panagia.

The usual address to the priest in everyday situations: father. For example: "Father Peter", "Father George". You can also address a priest simply: father”, but the name is not called then. It is also customary to address the deacon: “Father Nikolai”, “Father Rodion”. It also applies to: father deacon».

The Bishop is addressed: lord". For example: “Vladyka, bless!”

To take a blessing from a bishop or a priest, you need to fold your palms in the shape of a boat so that the right one is on top, and with a bow approach under the blessing. When the clergyman overshadows you with the sign of the cross, blesses you, you need to kiss his right hand. Kissing the priest's hand, which occurs when he gives the cross or blesses, in contrast to a simple greeting, has a special spiritual and moral significance. Receiving grace from God through a cross or priestly blessing, a person mentally kisses the invisible right hand of God, which gives him this grace. At the same time, kissing the priest's hand expresses respect for the dignity.

The hierarchy in the Orthodox Church has a large number of names (rank). A person who comes to church meets with clergymen who hold certain positions and are responsible, as true servants of the Almighty, for the flock.

Church hierarchy in Orthodoxy

Orthodox ranks

God the Father divided His own people into three types, depending on the proximity to His Kingdom.

1. The first category includes lay people- Ordinary members of the Orthodox brotherhood who have not donned the clergy. These people make up the bulk of all believers and take part in prayer services. The church allows the laity to conduct ceremonies in their homes. In the early centuries of Christianity, the people had far more rights than they do today. The voices of the laity had power in the election of rectors and bishops.
2. clergymen- the lowest rank, consecrated to God and dressed in appropriate clothes. To receive initiation, these people undergo a rite of ordination (ordination) with the blessing of the bishop. This includes readers, sextons (deacons), singers.
3. clergymen- the stage where the highest clerics stand, forming a divinely established hierarchy. To receive this rank, one should go through the sacrament of ordination, but only after being in a lower rank for some time. White robes are worn by the clergy, who are allowed to have a family, in black - those who lead a monastic life. Only the latter are allowed to manage the parish.

About various ministers of the church:

At the first glance at the clergy, you understand that for convenience in determining the rank, the clothes of priests and holy fathers differ: few wear beautiful multi-colored robes, others adhere to a strict and ascetic appearance.

On a note! The church hierarchy is, as Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite says, a direct continuation of the "heavenly army", which includes the archangels - the closest subjects of God. The higher ranks, divided into three orders, through unquestioning service transmit grace from the Father to each of his children, which we are.

Beginning of the hierarchy

The term "church reckoning" is used both in a narrow and a broad sense. In the first case, this phrase means a set of clergymen of the lowest rank, which does not fit into the three-degree system. When they speak in a broad sense, they mean clergy (clerks), whose union makes up the staff of any church complex (temple, monastery).

Parish of the Orthodox Church

In pre-revolutionary Russia, they were approved by the consistory (an institution under the episcopate) and personally by the bishop. The number of lower-ranking clergy depended on the number of parishioners seeking communion with the Lord. The reckoning of a large church consisted of a dozen deacons and clerics. In order to make changes in the composition of this staff, the bishop had to obtain permission from the Synod.

The income of the reckoning in past centuries consisted of payment for church services (clergy and prayers for the needs of the laity). Rural parishes served by the lower ranks were provided with plots of land. Some readers, sextons and singers lived in special church houses, and in the 19th century they began to receive salaries.

For information! The history of the development of the church hierarchy has not been fully disclosed. Today they speak with confidence about the three degrees of the priesthood, while the early Christian names (prophet, didascal) have been practically forgotten.

The meaning and significance of the ranks reflected the activities that the Church authoritatively announced. Previously, the brethren and the affairs of the monastery were managed by the hegumen (leader), who differed only in his experience. Today, gaining church rank is like an official award received for a certain period of service.

About the life of the Church:

Sextons (deacons) and clergy

When Christianity arose, they played the role of watchmen of temples and sacred places. The duties of the gatekeepers included lighting the lamp during worship. Gregory the Great called them "guardians of the church". Sextons controlled the choice of utensils for rituals, they brought in prosphora, blessed water, fire, wine, lit candles, cleaned the altars, reverently washed the floors and walls.

Today, the position of the deacon has practically been reduced to zero, the ancient duties are now assigned to the shoulders of cleaners, watchmen, novices and simple monks.

• In the Old Testament, the term "clear" refers to the lower rank and the common people. In ancient times, representatives of the tribe (tribe) of Levi became clerics. The people were called all those who were not distinguished by their “true” generosity.
• In the book of the New Testament, the criterion of a nation is omitted: now any Christian who has confirmed compliance with certain canons of religion can receive the lowest and highest ranks. Here the status of a woman who is allowed to receive an auxiliary position is raised.
• In ancient times, the people were divided into laymen and monks, who were distinguished by great asceticism in life.
• In a narrow sense, clerics are clergymen who stand on the same level as clerks. In the modern Orthodox world, this name has spread to priests of the highest rank.

The first level of the hierarchy of clergy

In the early Christian communities, the bishop's assistants were called deacons. Today, they serve the word of God by reading the scriptures and speaking out on behalf of the congregation. The deacons, who always ask for a blessing for work, cense the church premises and help to celebrate the proskomidia (liturgy).

A deacon assists a bishop or priest in the celebration of divine services and sacraments

• Naming without specification indicates the belonging of the minister to the white clergy. The monastic rank is called hierodeacons: their clothes do not differ, but outside the liturgies they wear a black cassock.
• The eldest in the rank of diaconate is the protodeacon, who is distinguished by a double orarion (a long narrow ribbon) and a purple kamilavka (headdress).
• In ancient times, it was common to give the rank of deaconess, whose task was to care for sick women, prepare for baptism and help priests. The question of the revival of such a tradition was considered in 1917, but there was no answer.

A subdeacon is an assistant to a deacon. In ancient times, they were not allowed to take wives. Among the duties was the care of church vessels, the covers of the altar, which they also guarded.

For information! In the present, this order is observed only in the divine services of the bishop, whom the subdeacons serve with all diligence. Students of theological academies are becoming candidates for the rank more often.

The second level of the hierarchy of clergy

Presbyter (head, elder) is a general canonical term that unites the ranks of the middle order. He has the right to perform the sacraments of communion and baptism, but does not have the authority to place other priests in any place in the hierarchy or bestow grace on those around him.

The priest at the head of the parish community is called the rector.

Under the apostles, presbyters were often referred to as bishops - a term denoting "guardian", "overseer". If such a priest possessed wisdom and an honorable age, he was called an elder. The book of Acts and Epistles says that the elders blessed the faithful and presided in the absence of the bishop, they gave instruction, performed many sacraments and received confessions.

Important! The ROC puts forward rules that say that today this church level is available only to monks with a theological education. Presbyters are required to have perfect morals and be over 30 years of age.

This group includes archimandrites, hieromonks, abbots and archpriests.

The third level of the hierarchy of clergy

Before the Church Schism that occurred in the middle of the 11th century, the two parts of Christianity were united. After the division into Orthodoxy and Catholicism, the foundations of the episcopate (the highest rank) practically did not differ. Theologians say that the power of these two religious organizations recognize the power of God, not man. The right to rule is transferred only after the indulgence of the Holy Spirit in the ritual of consecration (ordination).

Only a monk can become a bishop in the modern Russian tradition

A Christian theologian named Ignatius of Antioch, who was a disciple of Peter and John, was positive about the need for one bishop per city. The priests of the lower levels must unquestioningly obey the latter. Apostolic succession, which gives the right to ecclesiastical authority over the flock, was regarded as a dogma in the doctrines of Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

Adherents of the latter support the unconditional authority of the Pope, which forms a strict hierarchy of bishops.

In Orthodoxy, power is given to the patriarchs of national church organizations. Here, in contrast to Catholicism, the doctrine of the catholicity of the hierarch is officially adopted, where each chapter is likened to the apostles, listening to the instructions of Jesus Christ and giving orders to the flock.

Bishops (archpastors), bishops, patriarchs have the perfect fullness of services and administration. This rank has the right to perform all the sacraments, the ordination of representatives of other degrees.

Clergymen who are in the same church group are equal "by grace" and act within the framework of the corresponding rules. The transition to another step takes place during the Liturgy, in the center of the temple. This suggests that the monk receives a symbolic vestment of impersonal holiness.

Important! The hierarchy in the Orthodox Church is built on certain criteria, where the lower ranks are subordinate to the higher ones. In accordance with the rank, the laity, clerks, clergymen and clergymen have certain powers, which they must fulfill with true faith and unquestioningly before the will of the Supreme Creator.

Orthodox alphabet. Church hierarchy

The hierarchical principle and structure must be observed in any organization, including the ROC, which has its own church hierarchy. Surely every person attending divine services or otherwise involved in the activities of the church paid attention to the fact that each clergyman has a certain rank and status. This is expressed in a different color of attire, a type of headdress, the presence or absence of jewelry, the right to conduct certain sacred rites.

Hierarchy of clergy in the Russian Orthodox Church

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

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

Ranks in the white clergy

Even in the Old Testament scripture it is said that before Christmas, the prophet Moses appointed people whose task was to become an intermediate link in God's communication with people. In the modern church system, this function is performed by white priests. The lower representatives of the white clergy do not have a holy order, they include: an altar boy, a psalmist, a subdeacon.

altar boy- a person who helps the clergyman in conducting services. Also, such people are called sexton. Staying in this rank is a mandatory step before receiving the holy dignity. The person who performs the duties of an altar boy is worldly, that is, he has the right to leave the church if he changes his mind about connecting his life with the service of the Lord.

His responsibilities include:

• Timely lighting of candles and lamps, control over their safe burning;
• Preparation of robes of priests;
• Offer prosphora, Cahors and other attributes of religious rites in time;
• Light a fire in a censer;
• Bring a towel to your lips during communion;
• Maintaining internal order in church premises.

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

Acolyte(otherwise - a reader) - another representative of the white lower clergy. His main duty: reading prayers and words from Holy Scripture (as a rule, they know 5-6 main chapters from the Gospel), explaining to people the basic postulates of the life of a true Christian. For special merits, he may be ordained a subdeacon. This procedure is carried out by a clergyman of a higher rank. The clerk is allowed to wear a cassock and a skuf.

subdeacon- Father's assistant in conducting services. His attire: surplice and orarion. With the blessing of the bishop (he can also elevate the psalm-reader or altar boy to the rank of subdeacon), the subdeacon receives the right to touch the throne, as well as enter the altar through the Royal Doors. His task is to wash the hands of the priest during divine services and give him the items necessary for the rites, for example, ripids and trikiriya.

Church orders of the Orthodox Church

The above ministers of the church do not have a holy order, and, therefore, are not clergymen. These are ordinary people living in the world, but wanting to get closer to God and church culture. They are accepted to their positions with the blessing of the clergy who are higher in rank.

Diaconal Degree of Churchmen

Deacon- the lowest rank among all churchmen with a holy dignity. His main task is to be an assistant to the priest during worship, they are mainly engaged in reading the gospel. Deacons do not have the right to conduct worship on their own. As a rule, they carry out their service in parish churches. Gradually, this church rank loses its significance, and their representativeness in the church is steadily declining. Deacon ordination (the procedure for ordination to church rank) is carried out by a bishop.

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

Pastoral Degree of Ministers

Priest in Greek means "priest". Junior title of the white clergy. The ordination is also carried out by the bishop (bishop). The duties of a priest include:

• Conducting sacraments, divine services and other religious rites;
• Conducting communion;
• Carry the covenants of Orthodoxy to the masses.

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

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

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

Protopresbyter- the highest rank for white clergy. Assigned in exceptional cases as an award for special services to the church and society.

The highest church ranks belong to the black clergy, that is, such dignitaries are forbidden to have a family. A representative of the white clergy can also take this path if he renounces worldly life, and his wife supports her husband and becomes a nun.

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

The ranks of the black clergy

These are people who have taken monastic vows. They are forbidden to marry and have children. They completely renounce worldly life, giving vows of chastity, obedience and non-possession (voluntary renunciation of wealth).

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

Episcopal degree of clergy

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

He wears a red robe and a black hood. The following appeal is accepted to the bishop: "Vladyka" or "Your Eminence."

He is the head of the local church - the diocese. Chief pastor of the district. Elected by the Holy Synod by order of the Patriarch. If necessary, a vicar bishop is appointed to assist the diocesan bishop. Bishops wear a title that includes the name of the cathedral city. A candidate for bishopric must be a member of the black clergy and over 30 years of age.

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

San is given for high services to society and the church, is the oldest, if you start counting from the formation of Orthodox culture.

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

Patriarch- the highest rank of the Orthodox Church, the chief priest of the country. Official representative of the ROC. From the Greek patriarch is translated as "the power of the father." He is elected at the Council of Bishops, to which the patriarch reports. This is a life-long dignity, the deposition and excommunication of the person who received it, is possible only in the most exceptional cases. When the place of the patriarch is not occupied (the period between the death of the previous patriarch and the election of a new one), his duties are temporarily performed by the appointed locum tenens.

He has the primacy of honor among all the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church. Carries out the management of the church together with the Holy Synod. Contacts with representatives of the Catholic Church and the highest dignitaries of other faiths, as well as with state authorities. Issues decrees on the election and appointment of bishops, directs the institutions of the Synod. Accepts complaints against bishops, giving them a move, rewards clerics and laity with church awards.

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