Church hierarchy in the Russian Orthodox Church. What you need to know about Orthodox church etiquette

- (Greek kiereus, from sacred hieros). Priest, presbyter. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov AN, 1910. PRIEST [gr. hiereus letters. priest Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

See priest ... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and similar expressions. under. ed. N. Abramova, M .: Russian dictionaries, 1999. priest clergy, priest; clergyman, priest, priest, presbyter Dictionary of Russian ... Synonym dictionary

- (Greek hiereus literally priest), the official name of an Orthodox priest ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

PRIEST, priest, husband. (from the Greek hiereus priest) (church officer). Orthodox Christians have a priest. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

HEREAS, I, husband. In the Orthodox Church: a priest. | adj. priestly, oh, oh. Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Priest- (Greek hiereus, literally priest), the official name of an Orthodox priest. ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

HEREAS- [Greek. ὁ ἱερεύς], the same as the priest; the word "priest" differs from the word "priest" only stylistically, Ch. arr. in a liturgical context. As a technical term, along with "ordination to the priesthood" is used ... ... Orthodox encyclopedia

I AM; m. [Greek. hiereus priest] In the Orthodox Church: priest. ◁ Priest, oh, oh. I. dignity. And no children. * * * priest (Greek hieréus, literally priest), priest of the middle (second) degree of the Christian church hierarchy; official name… … encyclopedic Dictionary

priest- HEREAS, I, m Same as the priest; Syn .: presbyter. Having undressed in the altar and putting everything in order, the priest went out to the church porch (K. Sluchevsky) ... Explanatory dictionary of Russian nouns

priest- єrey (priest, irei) priest ... Zvedeniye vocabulary of old and malovzhivanih sliv

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What myths exist about priests and to what extent do they correspond to reality? The priests themselves answered the questions of Neskuchny Sad correspondents.

Does the priest rest all the time?

“The working day of a priest is two hours of service in the morning and two in the evening, and in many churches, especially in rural areas, services are generally only on weekends, and the rest of the time it is not clear what the priests are doing. Is this work? " - you often meet with such reasoning.

The priest Sergiy PASHKOV answers, rector of the Epiphany Church in the village of Byki, Kurchatovsky district, Kursk region, head of the judo section for children and adolescents in the village of Makarovka, Kurchatovsky district:

- To be honest, the last time I heard such an opinion was in Soviet times, when I was in school. We were taught that only dark old women go to church, and all priests are parasites. Since becoming a priest 14 years ago, I have not heard this. On the contrary, people often note the severity of the priestly service and say that they themselves will not agree to it for any money. I suggested that some pious parishioners think about the priesthood (it’s hard for one, after all), but they answered: we would have to bring our crosses, but the priestly ones definitely wouldn’t be lifted. Truly hard service.

Services with us are performed less often than in a large city church, but still 110-115 days a year I serve the liturgy (I counted it somehow). And I serve alone, without a deacon. In addition, I regularly go to services, which is missionary work. At baptism, wedding, consecration of an apartment, house, burial, I must say a sermon. And you need to prepare for this. Every day I read the Scriptures, the holy fathers. In order to bring the Word of God to people, a priest himself must live according to this Word, including increasing his religious education.

You can use an example to see what a “short” working day for a priest looks like: on the eve of Sundays and holidays, I serve an all-night vigil, it starts at 17.30, and lasts about two and a half hours. After all-night vigil - confession, 20-30 people have to confess on ordinary Sundays, and before the great holidays - up to 100. It takes about two hours. In the evening, you still need to prepare for tomorrow's sermon, read the Gospel, the Psalter, your prayer rule. This takes about an hour and a half. In the morning the hours begin at twenty eight, at the beginning of the ninth - the liturgy. After the liturgy, a moleben is served for about half an hour, and if the water blessing - about 50 minutes. If on this day the memory of the saints or the Mother of God icons especially revered in Russia is celebrated, I read the akathist at the moleben, and then the moleben lasts about an hour. Having finished the prayer service, I serve the lithium. It’s about 10 minutes. Further - demands. Often you have to travel to neighboring villages for funeral services. Usually 20-25 kilometers one way, but there are villages 40 kilometers from our village. I usually sing at home for about an hour. In addition to services and requirements, many priests have their own social or public service. Three times a week I train with the judo guys, after a two-hour training I have a conversation. I also regularly talk with people who want to baptize their children - both with parents and with godparents. I have three requirements: that they at least learn something about the Orthodox faith and be ready to partake their children once a month and to partake themselves at least four times a year. Such conversations sometimes drag on for several hours.

In addition, every week I visit the colony-settlement, serve molebens, a memorial service, and sometimes a liturgy. He started voluntarily, but then he received the blessing of Archbishop German of Kursk - any church work must be consolidated with the blessing of the hierarchy. So now, in addition to services and requirements, this is also part of my job. We conduct open lessons in schools, not only in ours, but also in neighboring villages. One open lesson can be conducted almost everywhere, but it depends on how we conduct it, whether we are invited there again or closed the doors for good. Demonstration performances of my judokas are also held in schools. Therefore, I would not call my working day “short”, but I would call it irregular.

Everyone has their own path, but it's hard for me to imagine that a person who is not accustomed to work could become a good priest. As a rule, such children were expelled from the seminary. So I am very surprised that the myth of idle priests is still alive.

Are priests saints?

For most people, a priest is not of this world. They are called so by many - "holy father". Some are very surprised when they find out that the priest has gone on vacation, is building a dacha, and he loves beer. Are priests holier than ordinary people?

Archpriest Boris LEVSHENKO answers, Cleric of the Church of St. Nicholas in Kuznets, Head of the Department of Dogmatic Theology of PSTGU:

The word "saint" has several meanings. The first is the allotment for special religious use or service: prosphora, holy water, holy work. The second meaning is the struggle with sin and victory over it, faithfulness in one's actions to the moral law, hatred of evil and love only for good. We understand human holiness as closeness to God. Every person is called to such holiness, and not only a priest, but in reality few achieve it during their lifetime. And even when it is obvious that they are reaching, as it was obvious during our meetings with Fr. John (Krestyankin), Fr. Kirill (Pavlov), we do not call them saints. The Church recognizes people as saints after death, sometimes soon, and sometimes after many centuries.

Nevertheless, there is some truth in the traditional Catholic address “holy father” (although I hate to be addressed that way). The truth is that the priest, indeed, is isolated from people, as is isolated from bread a prosphora, from which particles are removed on a proskomedia. We consume prosphora after liturgy or at home on an empty stomach, with prayer and washed down with holy water. This prosphora remains bread, retains all its physical properties, but we still call it a saint. Likewise, a priest is singled out from among people, because through him the grace of God is given to other people. God cares about the salvation of every person and through one of the people sends admonitions, instructions and help to all of humanity. But for the one whom He chooses, such an election can be inconvenient. For example, the prophet Ezekiel lay on one side for over a year, bearing the iniquity of the house of Israel. (“You lie down on your left side and lay on it the iniquity of the house of Israel: according to the number of days in which you lie on it, you will bear their iniquity.” Ezek. 4: 1). What's so convenient here? And the prophet Jonah, in order not to fulfill God's commission for the salvation of Nineveh, rushed in the opposite direction and almost drowned. So the priesthood is given for the salvation of mankind, but the priest himself remains a man, and for him as a man the priesthood can become too high a responsibility, destroy him. Because it is written in the prophet Jeremiah: "Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord carelessly" (Jer. 48, 10). But this is a question of the personal salvation of a specific person, and the grace of God is given to people through each priest. Of course, this is precisely why he must live and behave in such a way that people would look up to him: it is better to pray, to give all of himself to people. In particular, when he is completely uncomfortable, and his name is on demand, he must go. And much more must - he has a debt of love. But he, I repeat, remains a man even in dignity.

But do people always do what they have to do? The ideal is unattainable on earth. Therefore, one should not think that every priest is a saint. Whether it is useful to think so, I do not know (only God knows about it), but according to the laws of spiritual life, it is correct to think this way: everyone will be saved, but I will not. This is a general rule for all people. And to single out the estate (even the priestly) as a saint is worthless - by doing this you seem to relieve yourself of responsibility: we, they say, are sinners, and these should be saints. Not "these", but all should be holy - God calls us to this.

Regarding summer cottages, vacations and everyday habits: I am not a monk, so I will not talk about monks. They are bound by strict vows, including the renunciation of all property. But a married priest, like any man, must take care of his family. Love for other people at the expense of relatives is no longer love. And in the dacha, the priest's love for his family is expressed - his children, regardless of whether they have money for a ticket or not, have the opportunity to live in the fresh air during the holidays. Like the priest himself - and he also needs this to improve his health. For example, the famous Moscow priest, the holy righteous Alexy Mechev, left for the whole summer to his dacha and returned to Moscow only in the fall. We go on vacation with just such a wording - to improve our health. But vacation does not exempt the priest from prayer - he prays there too, and often serves in local churches.

Can priests bathe?

“I heard that it is indecent for a priest to go to the beach, swim, play football with parishioners. Is it really forbidden by the canons? "

Archpriest Fyodor BORODIN answers, rector of the church of St. unmercenaries Cosma and Damian on Maroseyka (Moscow):

- No one is prohibited from swimming in the sea, unless, of course, you are a monk or a pilgrim on Athos. A clergyman often has to visit the beach if he is resting at a resort with his family - after all, not the same mother is watching several children at once! But the problem is this: in the canon law of the Orthodox Church there is a provision according to which a priest cannot go to public baths. This canon was formulated back in the Ancient Church, when the baths - Greek baths - were a place where people not only washed, but also communicated, read books and could spend the whole day - the baths were more like a hygienic and entertainment complex, as they would say now. People in the baths were not naked until they were completely naked, but walked in sheets, but there could be both men and women there at the same time, so the clergyman was forbidden to visit the baths. The modern beach is not a Roman bath, but the fragments of clothing that are now worn on the beach are hardly more chaste than Roman sheets.

In the Holy Scriptures there are such words: "... Do not reveal the nakedness of your father" (Lev. 18: 7). Therefore, when it comes to a priest, a spiritual father, it seems to me that you can focus on this rule.

There is no ban on bathing for a priest, but it is better to do it when none of your flock sees you. I remember that in my childhood I saw a priest, whom I knew only from divine services, in "civilian" clothes - in simple trousers and a shirt with rolled up sleeves, when he was working in a workshop. I, then a weak, only churchgoing person, was simply shocked. Therefore, it seems to me - this is my personal opinion - that a clergyman should be guided not even by what is allowed for him, but by what is useful to the flock. If a priest goes, for example, on a pilgrimage with his flock, I think he should not swim in the river or sunbathe in front of everyone. This may confuse someone and even become an obstacle to confession. Here, what is called the hierarchy of relationships, correctly built relationships that exclude familiarity between the spiritual father and the spiritual son, are manifested. There must be some line, a border that cannot be crossed. And this distance helps not only in relations with the priest, but also through him as a shepherd - in relations with God: there are many cases when difficulties arose if this distance was violated. In general, a familiar and daring attitude with people always goes hand in hand with the loss of the fear of God.

We often go kayaking with our Sunday school. These hikes are led by a priest who always bathes separately.

And if a layman suddenly ran into his confessor on the beach and feels embarrassed, he can simply leave the beach for a while or be patient, without judging anyone.

I don't see any sedition in playing football with Father, I myself play football with children from Sunday school. It's just that here you need to see boundaries, frames and not use the situation of a sports game with a priest to create familiarity.

Protocol blessing

How to greet a priest correctly? Should you always ask for a blessing? If we meet several priests at once, different in age and rank, is it necessary to take a blessing from each? If so, in what order? Are there times when it is permissible not to qualify for the blessing?

Bishop Mark of Yegoryevsk answers questions of church etiquette, Deputy Chairman of the DECR, author of the book "Church Protocol":

Do not confuse blessing and greeting. When you meet a priest, you can go up to the blessing, but you can just bow, and this will not be a violation of church etiquette, nor impoliteness. If there are several priests, it is not necessary to take a blessing from everyone, it is enough from one - the most senior in the church hierarchy. If there is a bishop among them, then the blessing is taken only from him. And do not embarrass the priest - it is not customary for priests to bless the laity in the presence of a bishop. It was a good tradition to bow to the bishop before blessing. She left, but some are doing this, and this is good - people show respect for the episcopal dignity. But it is perfectly acceptable and just to come under the bishop's blessing.

Many people understand a blessing as an external sign, a gesture, for example, the sign of the cross. This is accepted, but if a person, for example, before a pilgrimage trip or before starting a good deed, calls his confessor and asks for a blessing by phone, this is enough. And even when he personally approaches the priest for a blessing for a good deed, the priest can simply admonish with a kind word, and this will also be a blessing.

If a lay person calls a priest, it is appropriate to ask for a blessing, and then start a conversation. But, for example, in a live radio or television program, this will be superfluous. Air time is limited, so it's more correct, since you are lucky to get through, ask questions quickly and to the point.

A priest a specialist in life?

There is an opinion: no matter what question you have, the priest is simply obliged to answer it, otherwise what kind of father he is, what kind of shepherd. Often these questions have nothing to do with the Church, spiritual life. Also, blessings are asked for various special questions: whether to build a house, whether to be treated and how, in which circle should the child go? Should a priest be a “specialist in life,” is this correct and is it possible?

Archpriest Igor IUDIN answers, cleric of the Diveyevo courtyard in Nizhny Novgorod:

The duty of a pastor is to lead people to God, and that is why in no case should they be alienated, no matter what question they come up with. Listen, take their point of view, help them figure it out, console! Not so long ago, a pregnant woman came to me, who was told by the doctors that a miscarriage was possible. She was in despair, I consoled her as best I could, said that often everything ends better than doctors “threaten”, promised to pray and advised her to take communion more often. So she slowly began to church, safely gave birth to a boy, he also regularly receives communion. And initially she did not come to God, not for spiritual advice, but for support. How can you not provide such support?

But both laymen and priests should understand the difference between spiritual and everyday matters. Some people think that their abbot is a perspicacious old man who knows everything about life, and without his blessing they will not take a step. It is good to ask for a blessing for a good deed, but you cannot shift the responsibility to the priest, wait for the solution of issues that you must solve yourself. For example, to which circle or section to send the child? You can consult with the priest as with a friend, you can speculate together. We consult on many issues with relatives, friends and neighbors. But we do not force them to decide for us. And the priest should not decide such issues, he can only listen to doubts, options, say how he sees the situation, but the decision is up to the parents. Or some are hesitant about which of the two proposed jobs to choose, whether to change jobs. Again, the priest is obliged to listen to doubts and arguments for and against, he can suggest something, but it is still up to the person to decide. Each of us has a head on our shoulders, mind, heart, will, and the Lord wants us to work hard. That's right - ask the priest to pray for the success of this or that undertaking, but do not expect that he will live for you. Once a person turns to me, I am obliged to listen to him, support him, sometimes give him some advice, but not even as a shepherd, but as a friend.

It is all the more strange when they ask for a blessing for treatment. How can I argue with a doctor without a medical education? Another thing is that doctors are different, and the more serious the disease, the more important it is to find a good doctor. Priests and their relatives are also sick, perhaps the priest will help find a good specialist, the same surgeon. Again, this is a friendly help. But to say - do not agree to the operation, we will pray ... Only the saints could dare so, and if a modern young priest imitates them, then this is a typical young age. It is necessary to listen to the advice of the doctor, and ask the priest to strengthen the prayer for the sick person. Now, if there are several treatment options, you can consult with the priest, but again, only consult. It is unethical to make decisions on everyday matters for others.

Must a priest be poor?

“There is an opinion that it is not for the father to have a good car, equipment, beautiful things, he should not dress in a modern way either. It should be clear from it that life is not easy for the priest, and if everything is different, it is already indecent. After all, it is the parishioners who feed him, which means that he “chiches” with their money. And people are ready to condemn such a father “for love of money”. What is the reason for such an idea of ​​the "poor priest" among the people? What is good and what is false in him? "

Archpriest Konstantin OSTROVSKY answers, rector of the Assumption Church in the city of Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, Dean of Churches in the Krasnogorsk District of the Moscow Diocese.

I am traveling in a packed bus, in a shabby cassock, with a cross on my chest, my briefcase is heavy, and no one will give me a place, although they see that I am old and old. And through the window I see a foreign car and in it a young priest with a short-cropped beard. And I am offended both for our young clergy, and for our youth, who neither respect the old, nor shame and have no conscience, driving around among the poor people in foreign cars. And I am offended because I envy the rich, because I myself would like to drive a foreign car, but, firstly, no one gives it to me, and secondly, I am afraid of human gossip. And my spiritual disposition is very bad. And if I rode a bus, or a new Mercedes, or a donkey, or walked on foot, praying to God in my heart, it would be very good. Before God, it doesn't matter what we are dressed in, how our hair is combed, what we ride and how much money we have in the bank. But the priest also has a pastoral duty. I don't care, I'm not attached to earthly goods (isn't I attached?). But I am surrounded by weak people, they are believers, kind, but weak. There is in them sacrifice - and envy, and love - and hatred, and the desire for good - and submission to evil. Everything is like mine. And judging by myself, I think that it is hard for them to see how their father builds a cottage for himself and drives an expensive car. They are tempted - they are wrong. But the apostle Paul wrote: “If food tempts my brother, I will not eat meat forever, lest I tempt my brother” (1 Cor. 8:13). Therefore, if I have the opportunity to choose, then perhaps it is better not to have expensive things. (By the way, the late Patriarch Alexy II spoke about this more than once at the Diocesan meetings of Moscow, reproaching the priests for expensive foreign cars, even advising them to sell them in favor of their parishes.) caring for the temptations of people, but reproaching himself. Woe to us, the scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for we cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, while inside they are full of theft and untruth (paraphrase from Matthew 23, 25). Neither luxury without mercy, nor poverty without humility will save us, therefore we will forgive each other.

The hierarchical principle and structure must be observed in any organization, including the Russian Orthodox Church, which has its own church hierarchy. Surely every person attending 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 clothing, the type of headdress, the presence or absence of jewelry, the right to conduct certain religious rites.

The 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 the communication of God 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 sacred rank, they include: the altar boy, the psalmist, the subdeacon.

Altar boy- this is a person who helps the clergyman in conducting services. Also, such people are called sextons. Staying in this rank is an obligatory step before receiving the sacred dignity. A person acting as an altar boy is worldly, that is, he has the right to leave the church if he changes his mind about associating his life with serving the Lord.

His responsibilities include:

• Timely lighting of candles and icon lamps, control over their safe combustion;
• Preparation of the garments of the priests;
• Bring prosphora, Cahors and other attributes of religious rites on time;
• Kindle 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 stay between the altar and the Royal Doors. The altar boy wears ordinary clothes, the surplice is put on top.

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

Subdeacon- Assistant to the priest 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 priest's hands during the divine services and give him the objects necessary for the rituals, for example, ripids and triciri.

Church dignities of the Orthodox Church

The abovementioned ministers of the church do not have holy orders, and, therefore, are not clergymen. These are ordinary people living in the world, but wanting to become closer to God and church culture. They are accepted into their positions with the blessing of higher-ranking clergy.

Deacon degree of churchmen

Deacon- the lowest rank among all churchmen who have a sacred dignity. His main task is to be an assistant to the priest during divine services, they are mainly engaged in reading the gospel. Deacons have no right to conduct divine services on their own. As a rule, they serve in parish churches. Gradually, this church dignity loses its significance, and their representativeness in the church is steadily declining. The deacon's consecration (the procedure for elevation to church dignity) is carried out by the bishop.

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

Elderly Ministerial Degree

Priest translated from Greek means "priest". Junior title of white clergy. The consecration is also carried out by a bishop (bishop). The priest's duties include:

• Conducting sacraments, divine services and other religious rites;
• Communion;
• To carry the precepts of Orthodoxy to the masses of people.

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

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

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

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

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

Dignitaries who have become widowers also enter this path, since they do not have the right to remarry.

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, taking vows of chastity, obedience and non-acquisitiveness (voluntary renunciation of wealth).

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

Corresponding rank of white clergy	The rank of the black clergy	A comment
Altar boy / Psalmist	Novice	A worldly person who has made the decision to become a monk. By the decision of the abbot, he was enrolled in the brethren of the monastery, given a cassock and appointed a probationary period. Upon completion, the novice can decide whether to become a monk or return to worldly life.
Subdeacon	Monk (monk)	A member of a religious community who has taken three monastic vows, leads an ascetic lifestyle in a monastery, or on his own in solitude and solitude. He does not have a sacred rank, therefore, he cannot perform divine services. Monastic tonsure is performed by the abbot.
Deacon	Hierodeacon	Monk in the rank of deacon.
Protodeacon	Archdeacon	Senior deacon in the black clergy. In the Russian Orthodox Church, the archdeacon serving under the patriarch is called the patriarchal archdeacon and belongs to the white clergy. In large monasteries, the chief deacon is also an archdeacon.
Priest	Hieromonk	A monk who has the dignity of a priest. You can become a hieromonk after the procedure of ordination, and white priests - through monastic tonsure.
Archpriest		Initially, he was the abbot of an Orthodox monastery. In the modern Russian Orthodox Church, the rank of abbot is given as a reward of a hieromonk. Often the rank is not associated with the management of the monastery. The consecration to the abbot is carried out by the bishop.
Protopresbyter	Archimandrite	One of the highest monastic ranks in the Orthodox Church. The ordination takes place through ordination. The rank of archimandrite is associated with the administration and the monastery abbot.

Episcopal degree of clergy

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

Wears a red robe and a black cowl. The following address was accepted for the bishop: "Vladyka" or "Your Eminence".

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

Metropolitan- the highest title of bishop. Submits directly to the patriarch. Has a characteristic attire: a blue robe and a white cowl with a cross made of precious stones.

San is given for high services to society and the church, is the most ancient, if we start counting with 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, Kiev and Moscow. At the moment, there are 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 Russian Orthodox Church. Patriarch is translated from Greek 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, deposition and excommunication from the church 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 past patriarch and the election of a new one), his duties are temporarily performed by the appointed locum tenens.

Has the primacy of honor among all the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church. Manages the church together with the Holy Synod. Contacts with representatives of the Catholic Church and high dignitaries of other denominations, as well as with government bodies. Issues decrees on the election and appointment of bishops, directs the institutions of the Synod. Accepts complaints against bishops, giving them a go, rewards clergy and laity with church awards.

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

Priest and Archpriest are the titles of Orthodox priests. They are assigned to the so-called white clergy - those clergymen who do not take a vow of celibacy, create families and have children. What is the difference between a priest and an archpriest? There are differences between them, we will talk about them now.

What do the titles "priest" and "archpriest" mean?

Both words are of Greek origin. “Priest” has long been used in Greece to denote a priest and literally means “priest”. And the "archpriest" is the "high priest." The system of church titles began to take shape from the first centuries of Christianity, both in the Western, Catholic, Church, and in the Eastern, Orthodox, most of the terms for denoting different ranks of the priesthood are Greek, since the religion originated in the east of the Roman Empire, and the first adepts were mainly Greeks ...

The difference between a priest and an archpriest is that the second term is used to name priests who stand on a higher step in the church hierarchy. The title "Archpriest" is awarded to a clergyman who already has the title of priest, as a reward for services to the church. In different Orthodox churches, the conditions for conferring the title of archpriest are slightly different. In the Russian Orthodox Church, a priest can become an archpriest five years (not earlier) after he is awarded a pectoral cross (worn over clothing). Or ten years after ordination (in this case, ordination to the priesthood), but only after he was appointed to a leading church position.

Comparison

In Orthodoxy, there are three degrees of priesthood. The first (lower) is a deacon (deacon), the second is a priest (priest) and the third, highest, is a bishop (bishop or saint). The priest and archpriest, as it is easy to understand, belong to the middle (second) rung of the Orthodox hierarchy. In this they are similar, but what is the difference between them, except that the title of "archpriest" is given as a reward?

Archpriests are usually rectors (that is, senior priests) of temples, parishes, or monasteries. They are subordinate to the bishops, organizing and leading the church life of their parish. It is customary to address the priest as "Your Reverend" (on solemn occasions), as well as simply "Father" or by name - for example, "Father Sergius". The address to the archpriest is “Your High Reverend”. Previously, there were appeals: to the priest - "Your Blessing" and to the archpriest - "Your High Blessing", but now they are practically out of use.

table

The table presented to your attention indicates the difference between a priest and an archpriest.

	Priest	Archpriest
What does	Translated from Greek means "priest". Previously, this word was called priests, but in the modern church it serves to denote a priest of a certain rank.	Translated from Greek means "high priest". The title is an award to the priest for many years of work and services to the church.
Church responsibility level	They conduct church services, they can perform six of the seven sacraments (except for the ordination - ordination to clergy)	They conduct church services, can perform six of the seven sacraments (except for the ordinance of ordination - ordination to clergy). They are usually rectors of a temple or parish, are directly subordinate to the bishop

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

Priest - who is this?

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

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

The exploits of the priests

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

Hieromartyr Sergius

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

Confessor Alexey

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

Hieromartyr Andrew

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

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

Vasily Gundyaev

He was the grandfather of the Russian Patriarch Kirill and also became one of the brightest examples of the true ministry of the Orthodox Church. Vasily was born on January 18, 1907 in Astrakhan. A little later, his family moved to the Nizhny Novgorod province, to the city of Lukyanov. Vasily worked in the railway depot as a mechanic-driver. He was a very religious person, and he raised his children in the fear of God. The family lived very modestly. Once Patriarch Kirill said that, as a child, he asked his grandfather where he was doing the money and why he had not saved anything either before or after the revolution. He replied that he sent all the funds to Athos. And so, when the patriarch found himself on Mount Athos, he decided to check this fact, and, which, in principle, is not surprising, it turned out to be pure truth. In the Simonometra monastery there are old archival records of the early 20th century for the eternal commemoration of Priest Vasily Gundyaev.

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

"Priest-san"

A very interesting feature film was shot by Russian filmmakers in 2014. Its name is "Priest-san". The audience immediately had a lot of questions. Priest - who is this? Who will be discussed in the picture? The idea of ​​the film was suggested by Ivan Okhlobystin, who once saw a real Japanese in the church among the priests. This fact plunged him into deep thought and study.

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

In 1906, Nicholas of Japan was elevated to the rank of archbishop. In the same year, the Kyoto Vicariate was founded by the Orthodox Church in Japan. He died on February 16, 1912. Equal to the Apostles Nicholas of Japan is canonized.

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