Who is the pastor in the Orthodox Church. Ranks in the Russian Orthodox Church

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BISHOP

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

DEACON

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

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

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

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

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

DIACONATE

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

EPISCOPATH

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PRIEST

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

IPODEACON

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

Traditionally, the duties of I. included taking care of sacred vessels and altar covers, guarding the altar, taking catechumens out of the church during the Liturgy, etc. The appearance of the subdeaconate as a special institution is attributed to the first half of the 3rd century. and are associated with the custom of the Roman Church not to exceed the number of deacons in one city above seven (see). At present, subdeacon service can only be seen during the bishop's service. Subdeacons are not in the clergy of one church, but are assigned to the staff of a certain bishop. They accompany him on his obligatory trips to the temples of the diocese, serve during the divine service – they dress him before the start of the service, supply water for washing his hands, participate in specific ceremonies and activities that are absent from ordinary worship, and also perform various extra-church assignments. Most often, I. are students of theological educational institutions, for whom this ministry becomes a necessary step towards further ascent along the hierarchical ladder. The hierarch himself tonsures his I. into monasticism, ordains them to the holy rank, preparing them for further independent service. An important succession can be traced in this: many modern hierarchs have passed through the “subdeacon schools” of prominent bishops of the older generation (sometimes even pre-revolutionary ordination), inheriting their rich liturgical culture, system of church theological views and manner of communication. See Deacon, Hierarchy, Consecration.

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

CLERGY

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

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

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

Lit.: On the Old Testament Priesthood // Christ. Reading. 1879. Part 2; Titov G., priest. Controversy over the Old Testament Priesthood and Essence priestly ministry at all. SPb., 1882; and under the article Hierarchy.

LOCAL tenens

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

PATRIARCH

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEXTON

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

PRESBYTER

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

presbytery

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

PRIT

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

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

CHIROTESIA - see Chirotonia

HIROTONIA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

APPENDIX

ENOCH

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

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

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

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

LAYMAN

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

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

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

SACRISTAN

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

What is the difference between white clergy and black clergy?

In the Russian Orthodox Church, there is a certain church hierarchy and structure. First of all, the clergy are divided into two categories - white and black. How do they differ from each other? © The white clergy include married clergy who did not take monastic vows. They are allowed to have a family and children.

When they talk about the black clergy, they mean monks ordained to the priesthood. They devote their whole lives to the service of the Lord and take three monastic vows - chastity, obedience and non-acquisition (voluntary poverty).

Before being ordained, a person who is going to take holy orders must make a choice - to marry or become a monk. After ordination, it is no longer possible for a priest to marry. Priests who did not marry before taking ordination sometimes choose celibacy instead of being tonsured monks - they take a vow of celibacy.

church hierarchy

In Orthodoxy, there are three degrees of priesthood. Deacons are at the first level. They help to conduct divine services and rituals in churches, but they themselves cannot conduct services and perform the sacraments. Church ministers belonging to the white clergy are simply called deacons, and monks ordained to this rank are called hierodeacons.

Among the deacons, the most worthy can receive the rank of protodeacon, and among the hierodeacons, the archdeacons are the eldest. A special place in this hierarchy is occupied by the patriarchal archdeacon, who serves under the patriarch. He belongs to the white clergy, and not to the black, like other archdeacons.

The second degree of priesthood is the priests. They can independently conduct services, as well as perform most of the sacraments, except for the sacrament of ordination to the holy order. If a priest belongs to the white clergy, he is called a priest or presbyter, and if he belongs to the black clergy, a hieromonk.

A priest can be elevated to the rank of archpriest, that is, a senior priest, and a hieromonk to the rank of abbot. Often archpriests are abbots of churches, and abbots are abbots of monasteries.

The highest priestly title for the white clergy, the title of protopresbyter, is awarded to priests for special merits. This rank corresponds to the rank of archimandrite in the black clergy.

Priests belonging to the third and highest degree of priesthood are called bishops. They have the right to perform all the sacraments, including the sacrament of ordination to the rank of other priests. Bishops manage church life and lead dioceses. They are divided into bishops, archbishops, metropolitans.

Only a clergyman belonging to the black clergy can become a bishop. A priest who has been married can only be elevated to the rank of bishop if he becomes a monk. He can do this if his wife has died or has also taken the veil as a nun in another diocese.

Heads local church patriarch. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church is Patriarch Kirill. In addition to the Moscow Patriarchate, there are other Orthodox patriarchates in the world - Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian And Bulgarian.

all about the ranks of priests, the ranks of the Russian Orthodox Church and their vestments

Following the example of the Old Testament Church, where there was a high priest, priests, and Levites, the holy Apostles also established three degrees of priesthood in the New Testament Christian Church: bishops, presbyters (i.e., priests) and deacons. All of them are called clergymen, because through the sacrament of the priesthood they receive the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ; perform worship, teach people the Christian faith and good life (piety) and manage church affairs.

Bishops constitute the highest rank in the Church. They receive the highest degree of grace. Bishops are also called bishops, i.e., the chiefs of the priests (priests). Bishops may perform all Sacraments and all church services. This means that bishops have the right not only to celebrate the usual Divine service, but also to consecrate (ordain) to the clergy, as well as to consecrate myrrh and antimensions, which is not given to priests.

According to the degree of priesthood, all bishops are equal among themselves, but the oldest and most honored of the bishops are called archbishops, while metropolitan bishops are called metropolitans, since the capital is called in Greek the metropolis. Bishops of ancient capitals, such as: Jerusalem, Constantinople (Tsargrad), Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and since the 16th century the Russian capital of Moscow, are called patriarchs. Between 1721 and 1917, the Russian Orthodox Church was governed by the Holy Synod. In 1917, the Holy Council that met in Moscow again elected "His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia" to govern the Russian Orthodox Church.

Metropolitans

Sometimes another bishop is given to assist the bishop, who is then called vicar, i.e. viceroy. exarch- title of the head of a separate church district. Currently, there is only one exarch - the Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl, the head of the Belarusian Exarchate.

Priests, and in Greek priests or presbyters, constitute the second sacred rank after the bishop. Priests can perform, with the blessing of the bishop, all the sacraments and church services, except for those that are supposed to be performed only by the bishop, that is, except for the sacrament of the priesthood and the consecration of the world and antimensions.

The Christian community, subordinated to the conduct of the priest, is called his parish.
More worthy and honored priests are given the title archpriest, i.e. the chief priest, or the leading priest, and the chief among them is the title protopresbyter.
If the priest is at the same time a monk (black priesthood), then he is called hieromonk, i.e., a priestly monk.

In monasteries, there are up to six degrees of preparation for the angelic image:
worker / worker— lives and works in a monastery, but has not yet chosen the monastic path.
novice / novice- a worker who passed in the monastery of obedience, who received a blessing to wear a cassock and a skullcap (for women, an apostle). At the same time, the novice remains a worldly name. A seminarian or parish sexton is accepted into the monastery as a novice.
cassock novice / cassock novice- a novice who is blessed to wear some monastic clothes (for example, a cassock, a kamilavka (sometimes a hood) and a rosary). A cassock or monastic tonsure (monk / nun) is a symbolic (as at baptism) hair cutting and naming a new name in honor of the new heavenly patron, is blessed to wear a cassock, a kamilavka (sometimes a hood) and a rosary.
Robe or monastic tonsure or small angelic image or small schema ( monk / nun) - vows of obedience and renunciation of the world are given, hair is symbolically sheared, the name of the heavenly patron is changed and monastic clothes are blessed: hair shirt, cassock, slippers, paramanny cross, rosary, belt (sometimes a leather belt), cassock, hood, mantle, apostle.
Schema or great schema or great angelic image ( schema-monk / schema-monk, schema-nun) - the same vows are repeated, hair is symbolically cut, the name of the heavenly patron is changed and clothes are added: analav and cockle instead of a klobuk.

Monk

schemamonk

Hieromonks, according to their appointment as abbots of monasteries, and sometimes regardless of this, as an honorary distinction, are given the title abbot or higher rank archimandrite. Especially worthy of the archimandrites are elected to bishops.

Hegumen Roman (Zagrebnev)

Archimandrite John (Krastyankin)

The participation of a deacon in Divine services is not obligatory, and therefore in many churches the service takes place without a deacon.
Some deacons are awarded the title protodeacon, i.e., the first deacon.
A monk who has received the rank of deacon is called hierodeacon, and the senior hierodeacon - archdeacon.
In addition to the three sacred ranks, there are also lower official positions in the Church: subdeacons, psalmists (clerks), and sextons. They, belonging to the ranks of the clergy, are appointed to their position not through the sacrament of the Priesthood, but only according to the hierarchical order, blessedly.
Readers It is their duty to read and sing, both during Divine services in the church on the kliros, and during the performance of spiritual services by the priest in the homes of parishioners.

Acolyte

Ponomari It is their duty to call the faithful to Divine Liturgy bell ringing, light candles in the temple, serve a censer, help the psalm-readers in reading and singing, and so on.

Sexton

subdeacons participate only in hierarchical service. They dress the bishop in sacred clothes, hold lamps (trikirii and dikirii) and give them to the bishop to bless those who pray with them.

subdeacons

Priests, for the performance of Divine services, must put on special sacred clothes. Sacred garments are made of brocade or some other suitable material and are decorated with crosses. The clothes of the deacon are: surplice, orarion and handrails.

Surplice there are long clothes without a cut in front and behind, with a hole for the head and with wide sleeves. A surplice is also required for subdeacons. The right to wear a surplice can be given to both psalm-readers and laity serving in the temple. The surplice marks the purity of the soul, which the persons of the holy dignity should have.

orarion there is a long wide ribbon of the same material as the surplice. It is worn by the deacon on the left shoulder, above the surplice. The orarion marks the grace of God, which the deacon received in the sacrament of the Priesthood.
Handrails are called narrow armlets, pulled together with laces. The instructions remind the clergy that when they perform the sacraments or participate in the celebration of the sacraments of the faith of Christ, they do not do this. on your own but by the power and grace of God. The handrails also resemble the bonds (ropes) on the hands of the Savior during His suffering.

The vestments of the priest are: underdress, epitrachelion, belt, handrails and phelonion (or chasuble).

The vestment is a surplice in a slightly modified form. It differs from the surplice in that it is made of thin white matter, and its sleeves are narrow with laces at the ends, with which they are tightened on the hands. The white color of the vestment reminds the priest that he must always have a pure soul and lead a blameless life. In addition, the vestment also reminds of the chiton (underwear) in which our Lord Jesus Christ Himself walked on earth and in which He completed the work of our salvation.

Epitrachelion is the same orarion, but only folded in half so that, bending around the neck, it descends from front to bottom with two ends, which, for convenience, are sewn or somehow connected to each other. Epitrachelion marks a special, double compared with a deacon, grace given to a priest for the performance of the sacraments. Without an epitrachelion, a priest cannot perform a single service, just like a deacon - without an orarion.

The belt is put on over the stole and vestment and signifies readiness to serve the Lord. The belt also marks the Divine power, which strengthens the clergy in their ministry. The belt also resembles the towel with which the Savior girded himself when washing the feet of His disciples at the Mystery

The robe, or phelonion, is worn by the priest over other garments. This garment is long, wide, sleeveless, with a hole for the head at the top and with a large opening in front for free hand action. In its appearance, the riza resembles the purple robe in which the suffering Savior was clothed. The ribbons sewn on the robe are reminiscent of the streams of blood that flowed through His garments. At the same time, the riza also reminds the priests of the clothes of truth, in which they should be clothed as servants of Christ.

On top of the chasuble, on the chest of the priest is a pectoral cross.

For diligent, long-term service, the priests are rewarded with a gaiter, that is, a quadrangular board, hung on a ribbon over the shoulder and two corners on the right thigh, meaning the sword of the spirit, as well as head ornaments - skufya and kamilavka.

Kamilavka.

The bishop (bishop) puts on all the clothes of a priest: a vestment, stole, belt, handrails, only his riza is replaced with a sakkos, and a cuisse with a club. In addition, the bishop puts on the omophorion and miter.

The sakkos is the bishop's outer garment, similar to a deacon's surplice shortened from the bottom and in the sleeves, so that from under the sakkos the bishop can see both the vestment and the stole. Sakkos, like the priest's robe, marks the Savior's scarlet.

Mace, this is a quadrangular board, hung at one corner, over the sakkos on the right thigh. As a reward for excellent diligent service, the right to wear a club is sometimes received from the ruling bishop and honored archpriests, who also wear it on the right side, and in this case the cuisse is placed on the left. For archimandrites, as well as for bishops, the club serves as a necessary accessory of their vestments. The club, like the legguard, means the spiritual sword, that is, the word of God, with which the clergy must be armed to fight unbelief and wickedness.

On their shoulders, over the sakkos, bishops wear an omophorion. omophorion there is a long wide ribbon-like board decorated with crosses. It is placed on the bishop's shoulders in such a way that, wrapping around the neck, one end descends in front, and the other behind. Omophorus is a Greek word and means pauldron. The omophorion belongs exclusively to the bishops. Without an omophorion, a bishop, like a priest without an stole, cannot perform any service. The omophorion reminds the bishop that he must take care of the salvation of the erring like the gospel good shepherd who, having found the lost sheep, carries it home on his shoulders.

On the chest, on top of the sakkos, in addition to the cross, the bishop also has a panagia, which means "All-holy." This is a small round image of the Savior or Mother of God, decorated with colored stones.

A miter, adorned with small images and colored stones, is placed on the bishop's head. Mitra marks the crown of thorns, which was placed on the head of the suffering Savior. The archimandrites also have a miter. In exceptional cases, the ruling bishop gives the right to the most deserving archpriests during Divine Services to wear a miter instead of a kamilavka.

During Divine services, bishops use a rod or staff as a sign of the highest pastoral authority. The staff is also given to archimandrites and abbots, as heads of monasteries. During Divine services, eagles are placed under the feet of the bishop. These are small round rugs depicting an eagle flying over the city. Eaglets mean that the bishop must, like an eagle, ascend from the earthly to the heavenly.

The home clothes of a bishop, priest and deacon are made up of a cassock (half-caftan) and a cassock. Over the cassock, on the chest, the bishop wears a cross and a panagia, and the priest wears a cross

Everyday clothes of the clergy of the Orthodox Church, cassocks and cassocks, as a rule, are made of fabric black color, which expresses the humility and unpretentiousness of a Christian, neglect of external beauty, attention to the inner world.

During divine services, church vestments are worn over everyday clothes, which come in various colors.

Vestments white color are used when performing divine services on holidays dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ (with the exception of Palm Sunday and the Trinity), angels, apostles and prophets. The white color of these vestments symbolizes holiness, permeation with uncreated Divine Energies, belonging mountain world. Wherein White color is a remembrance of the Light of Tabor, the dazzling light of Divine glory. Liturgy is performed in white vestments Holy Saturday and Easter Matins. In this case, the white color symbolizes the glory of the Risen Savior. It is customary to perform burial and all funeral services in white vestments. In this case, this color expresses the hope for the repose of the deceased in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Vestments Red are used during the liturgy of the Holy Resurrection of Christ and at all services of the forty-day Easter period. The red color in this case is a symbol of the all-conquering Divine Love. In addition, red vestments are used on holidays dedicated to the memory of the martyrs and on the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist. In this case, the red color of the vestments is a memory of the blood shed by the martyrs for the Christian faith.

Vestments blue color , symbolizing virginity, are used exclusively for the services of the Mother of God holidays. Blue is the color of Heaven from which the Holy Spirit descends upon us. Therefore, the blue color is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. This is a symbol of purity.
That is why the blue (blue) color is used in church services on holidays associated with the name of the Mother of God.
The Holy Church calls the Most Holy Theotokos the vessel of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended on her and She became the Mother of the Savior. The Most Holy Theotokos from childhood was distinguished by a special purity of soul. Therefore, the blue (blue) color became the Mother of God color. We see the clergy in blue (blue) vestments on holidays:
Nativity of the Mother of God
On the day of Her Entry into the Temple
On the day of the Presentation of the Lord
On the day of her Assumption
In the days of the glorification of the icons of the Mother of God

vestments h golden (yellow) color used at services dedicated to the memory of saints. The golden color is a symbol of the Church, the Triumph of Orthodoxy, which was affirmed by the labors of the holy bishops. Sunday services are performed in the same vestments. Sometimes divine services are performed in golden vestments on the days of the memory of the apostles, who created the first church communities by preaching the Gospel. It is no coincidence therefore yellow liturgical vestments is the most commonly used. It is in yellow robes that priests put on Sundays (when Christ is glorified, his victory over the forces of hell).
In addition, yellow vestments are also relied on in the days of memory of the apostles, prophets, saints - that is, those saints who, by their service in the Church, resembled Christ the Savior: they enlightened people, called to repentance, revealed Divine truths, performed the sacraments, being priests.

Vestments green color used at the services of Palm Sunday and Trinity. In the first case, the green color is associated with the memory of palm branches, a symbol of royal dignity, with which the inhabitants of Jerusalem met Jesus Christ. In the second case, the green color is a symbol of the renewal of the earth, cleansed by the grace of the hypostatically appeared and always abiding in the Church of the Holy Spirit. For the same reason, green vestments are worn at divine services dedicated to the memory of the reverend, holy ascetic monks, who were more than other people transfigured by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Vestments green color are used on the days of remembrance of the saints - that is, saints leading an ascetic, monastic lifestyle, who paid special attention to spiritual exploits. Among them - and Reverend Sergius Radonezhsky, the founder of the Holy Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and the Monk Mary of Egypt, who spent many years in the wilderness, and Reverend Seraphim Sarovsky and many, many others.
This is due to the fact that the ascetic life that these saints led changed them. human nature- she became different, she was renewed - she was sanctified by Divine grace. In their lives, they have united with Christ (Which is symbolized by the yellow color) and with the Holy Spirit (Who is symbolized by the second color - blue).

Vestments purple or crimson (dark burgundy) colors are worn on holidays dedicated to the Honest and Life-Giving Cross. They are also used on Sunday services Great post. This color is a symbol of the Savior's suffering on the Cross and is associated with the memories of the scarlet dress in which Christ was dressed, the Roman soldiers who laughed at him (Matt. 27, 28). In the days of remembrance of the Savior's suffering on the Cross and His death on the Cross (Sundays of Great Lent, Holy Week - the last week before Easter, on the days of veneration of the Cross of Christ (the Day of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, etc.)
Shades of red in purple remind us of Christ's suffering on the cross. of blue color(colors of the Holy Spirit) means that Christ is God, He is inextricably linked with the Holy Spirit, with the Spirit of God, He is one of the hypostases Holy Trinity. Purple seventh in a row of colors of the rainbow. This corresponds to the seventh day of the creation of the world. The Lord created the world for six days, and the seventh day became a day of rest. After suffering on the Cross, the earthly path of the Savior ended, Christ conquered death, conquered the forces of hell and rested from earthly affairs.

Chapter:
CHURCH PROTOCOL
3rd page

HIERARCHY OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

Spiritual guidance for those truly established in the holy Orthodox faith:
- questions of believers and answers of the holy righteous.

Russian Orthodox Church as a part Universal Church, has the same three-level hierarchy that arose at the dawn of Christianity.

The clergy are divided into deacons, presbyters and bishops.

Persons in the first two sacred degrees may belong to both the monastic (black) and white (married) clergy.

Since the 19th century, our Church has had an institution of celibacy borrowed from the Catholic West, but in practice it is extremely rare. In this case, the clergyman remains celibate, but does not take monastic vows and does not take tonsure. Priests can marry only before taking the ordination.

[In Latin, "celibacy" (caelibalis, caelibaris, celibatus) is an unmarried (single) person; in classical Latin the word caelebs meant "unmarried" (both a virgin, and a divorcee, and a widower), but in the Late Antique period, folk etymology associated it with caelum (sky), and so it began to be understood in medieval Christian writing, where it was used in speech about angels, embodying an analogy between virgin life and angelic life; according to the Gospel, in heaven they do not marry and are not given in marriage (Matt. 22:30; Luke 20:35).]

In a schematic form, the priestly hierarchy can be represented as follows:

A monk (Greek μονος - solitary) is a person who has devoted himself to serving God and made vows (promises) of obedience, non-possessiveness and celibacy. Monasticism has three degrees.

The probation (its duration, as a rule, is three years), or the degree of a novice, serves as an introduction to the monastic life, so that those who desire it first test their strength and only after that make irrevocable vows.

A novice (in other words, a novice) does not wear the full attire of a monk, but only a cassock and a kamilavka, and therefore this degree is also called a cassockfore, that is, wearing a cassock, so that, in anticipation of taking monastic vows, the novice is established on the chosen path.

A cassock is a garment of repentance (Greek ρασον - worn, shabby clothes, sackcloth).

Actually, monasticism is divided into two degrees: a small angelic image and a great angelic image, or schema. Devotion to monastic vows is called tonsure.

A cleric can be tonsured only by a bishop, a layman can also be tonsured by a hieromonk, abbot or archimandrite (but in any case, monastic tonsure is performed only with the permission of the diocesan bishop).

In the Greek monasteries of Mount Athos, tonsure is performed immediately into the great schema.

When tonsured into a small schema (Greek το μικρον σχημα - a small image), the cassock monk becomes a mantle: he receives a new name (his choice depends on the tonsurer, because it is given as a sign that the monk who renounces the world completely submits to the will of the abbot) and puts on mantle, which marks the "betrothal of the great and angelic image": it has no sleeves, reminding the monk that he should not do deeds old man; freely fluttering when walking, the mantle is likened to the wings of an Angel, in accordance with the monastic image, the monk also puts on a “helmet of salvation” (Is. 59, 17; Eph. 6, 17; 1 Thess. 5, 8) - a hood: like a warrior covers himself with a helmet, going to battle, so the monk puts on a hood as a sign that he seeks to turn his eyes away and close his ears so as not to see and not hear the vanity of the world.

More stringent vows of complete renunciation of the world are pronounced upon assuming the great angelic image (Greek: το μεγα αγγελικον σχημα). When tonsured into the great schema, the monk is once again given a new name. The clothes in which the great schema is worn are partly the same as those worn by the monks of the small schema: a cassock, a mantle, but instead of a hood, the great schema is put on a cockle: a pointed hat covering the head and shoulders all around and decorated with five crosses located on the forehead, on the chest, on both shoulders and on the back. A hieromonk who has accepted the great schema may perform divine services.

A bishop who has taken the vows of the great schema must renounce episcopal power and administration and remain a schema-bearer (schiebishop) until the end of his days.

A deacon (Greek διακονος - a servant) does not have the right to independently perform divine services and church sacraments, he is an assistant to the priest and bishop. A deacon may be elevated to the rank of protodeacon or archdeacon.

The rank of archdeacon is extremely rare. It is held by a deacon who constantly serves with His Holiness the Patriarch, as well as by the deacons of some stavropegial monasteries.

A deacon-monk is called a hierodeacon.

There are also subdeacons who are assistants to bishops, but are not among the clergy (they belong to the lower degrees of the clergy, along with readers and singers).

Presbyter (from the Greek πρεσβυτερος - senior) is a clergyman who has the right to perform church sacraments, with the exception of the sacrament of the Priesthood (ordination), that is, the elevation to the holy rank of another person.

In the white clergy - this is a priest, in monasticism - hieromonks. A priest may be elevated to the rank of archpriest and protopresbyter, and a hieromonk to the rank of abbot and archimandrite.

Bishops, also called bishops (from the Greek prefix αρχι - senior, chief), are diocesan and vicar.

The diocesan bishop, by succession of power from the holy Apostles, is the primate of the local Church - the diocese, canonically governing it with the conciliar assistance of the clergy and laity. He is elected by the Holy Synod. Bishops bear a title that usually includes the names of the two cathedral cities of the diocese.

As needed, to assist the diocesan bishop, the Holy Synod appoints vicar bishops, whose title includes the naming of only one of the major cities of the diocese.

A bishop may be elevated to the rank of archbishop or metropolitan.

After the establishment of the Patriarchate in Russia, only bishops of certain ancient and large dioceses could be metropolitans and archbishops.

Now the rank of metropolitan, just like the rank of archbishop, is only a reward for the bishop, which makes it possible for even titular metropolitans to appear.

Bishops have a mantle as a distinctive sign of their dignity - a long cape fastened at the neck, reminiscent of a monastic mantle. In front, on its two front sides, above and below, tablets are sewn - rectangular plates of fabric. On the upper tablets are usually placed images of evangelists, crosses, seraphim; on the lower tablet on the right side - the letters: e, a, m or P, meaning the rank of bishop - bishop, archbishop, metropolitan, patriarch; on the left is the first letter of his name.

Only in the Russian Church does the patriarch wear a green mantle, the metropolitan - blue, archbishops, bishops - lilac or dark red.

During Great Lent, members of the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church wear a black robe. The tradition of using colored hierarchal robes in Russia is quite ancient; the image of the first Russian Patriarch Job in a blue metropolitan robe has been preserved.

Archimandrites have a black robe with tablets, but without sacred images and letters denoting rank and name. The tablets of archimandric robes usually have a smooth red field surrounded by gold lace.

During worship, all bishops use a richly decorated staff, called a staff, which is a symbol of spiritual authority over the flock.

Only the Patriarch has the right to enter the temple altar with a rod. The rest of the bishops in front of the royal doors give the baton to the subdeacon-assistant, standing behind the service to the right of the royal doors.

According to the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, adopted in 2000 by the Jubilee Bishops' Council, a man of the Orthodox confession at the age of at least 30 from monastics or unmarried persons of the white clergy with obligatory tonsure to monasticism can become a bishop.

The tradition of electing bishops from among the monastic ranks developed in Russia already in pre-Mongol period. This canonical norm has been preserved in the Russian Orthodox Church to this day, although in a number of Local Orthodox Churches, for example, in Georgia, monasticism is not considered a prerequisite for placing one in the hierarchal ministry. IN Church of Constantinople On the contrary, a person who has taken monasticism cannot become a bishop: there is a provision according to which a person who has renounced the world and taken a vow of obedience cannot lead other people.

All the hierarchs of the Church of Constantinople are not mantle, but cassock monks.

Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church may also be widowed or divorced persons who have accepted monasticism. The elected candidate must correspond to the high rank of a bishop in moral qualities and have a theological education.

The Diocesan Bishop is entrusted with a wide range of responsibilities. He ordains and appoints clerics to their place of service, appoints employees of diocesan institutions, and blesses monastic tonsure. Without his consent, not a single decision of the diocesan administration can be carried out.

In his activities, the bishop is accountable to His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The local ruling bishops are authorized representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church before state authorities and administrations.

The Primate Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church is its Primate, who bears the title of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The Patriarch is accountable to the Local and Bishops' Councils. His name is ascended at divine services in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church according to the following formula: “O Great Lord and Father our (name), His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.”

A candidate for the Patriarchate must be a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, have a higher theological education, sufficient experience in diocesan administration, be distinguished by adherence to the canonical legal order, enjoy a good reputation and the trust of hierarchs, clergy and people, “have a good witness from outside” (1 Tim. 3, 7) be at least 40 years old.

The dignity of the Patriarch is for life. The Patriarch is entrusted with a wide range of duties related to the care of the internal and external welfare of the Russian Orthodox Church. The patriarch and diocesan bishops have a stamp and a round seal with their name and title.

According to clause 1U.9 of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia is the diocesan bishop of the Moscow diocese, consisting of the city of Moscow and the Moscow region. In managing this diocese, His Holiness the Patriarch is assisted by the Patriarchal Vicar as a diocesan bishop, with the title of Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna. The territorial boundaries of the administration exercised by the Patriarchal Vicar are determined by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (at present, the Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna manages churches and monasteries in the Moscow region, minus stavropegic ones).

The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia is also the Holy Archimandrite of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, a number of other monasteries with a special historical meaning, and governs all church stauropegia (the word stauropegia is derived from the Greek σταυρος - cross and πηγνυμι - erect: the cross established by the Patriarch at the foundation of a temple or monastery in any diocese means their inclusion in the Patriarchal jurisdiction).

[Therefore, His Holiness the Patriarch is called the Hieroabbot of stavropegial monasteries (for example, Valaam). The ruling bishops in relation to their diocesan cloisters may also be called Holy Archimandrites and Holy Patrons.
In general, it should be noted that the prefix "sacred-" is sometimes added to the name of the rank of clergy (priest archimandrite, priest hegumen, priest deacon, priest monk); however, this prefix should not be applied to all, without exception, words denoting a spiritual title, in particular, to words that are already compound (protodeacon, archpriest).]

His Holiness Patriarch, in accordance with worldly ideas, is often called the head of the Church. However, according to Orthodox doctrine The head of the Church is our Lord Jesus Christ; The patriarch is the Primate of the Church, that is, the bishop who prayerfully stands before God for all his flock. Often the Patriarch is also called the First Hierarch or the First Hierarch, since he is the first in honor among other hierarchs equal to him by grace.

What an Orthodox Christian Should Know:

THE MOST NEEDED ABOUT THE ORTHODOX FAITH OF CHRIST
He who calls himself a Christian must, with his entire Christian spirit, fully and without any doubt accept Symbol of faith and truth.
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 proper knowledge of Orthodox truths cannot be a Christian.

Symbol of faith

The symbol of Faith is a brief and accurate statement of all the truths of the Christian faith, compiled and approved on 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, dogma Orthodox faith.

The creed reads like this:

“Jesus said to them: Because of your unbelief; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, and say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you; ()

Sim By His Word Christ gave people a way to test the truth of the Christian faith of everyone who calls himself a believing Christian.

If this Word of Christ or as otherwise stated in Holy Scripture, you question or try to interpret allegorically - you have not yet accepted truth Holy Scripture 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 is not even in your soul. with 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.

By this the 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 people about many false 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.” (

Hierarchy christian church It is called "three-chin" because it consists of three main steps:
- diaconate,
- the priesthood
- Bishoprics.
And also, depending on the attitude to marriage and lifestyle, the clergy is divided into “white” - married, and “black” - monastic.

Members of the clergy, both "white" and "black", have their own structure of honorary titles, which are awarded for special services to the church or "long service".

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

Priest(priest) by the authority of his bishops and on their "order" can perform all divine services and Sacraments, except for the Consecration (Priesthood - Ordination to the Holy Order), the consecration of the World ( fragrant oil) and an antimension (a quadrangular board made of silk or linen with sewn-in particles of relics, on which the Liturgy is served).
Archpriest- senior priest, the title is given for special merits, is the rector of the temple.
Protopresbyter- the highest title, exclusively honorary, is given for special church merits on the initiative and decision of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
Hieromonk- a monk who has the rank of priest.
hegumen- the abbot of the monastery, in the women's rooms - the abbess.
Archimandrite- the monastic rank, given as the highest award to the monastic clergy.
Bishop(guardian, overseer) - not only performs the Sacraments, the Bishop also has the power to teach others through the laying on of hands the gift of grace to celebrate the Sacraments. The bishop is the successor of the apostles, having the grace-filled authority to administer all the seven sacraments of the Church, receiving in the Sacrament of Ordination the grace of archpastorship—the grace of administering the Church. The episcopal degree of the sacred hierarchy of the church is highest degree, on which all other degrees of the hierarchy (presbyter, deacon) and the lower clergy depend. Consecration to a bishop occurs through the Sacrament of Priesthood. The bishop is chosen from among the monastic clergy and ordained by the bishops.
An archbishop is a senior bishop overseeing several ecclesiastical areas (dioceses).
Metropolitan - the head of a large church area, uniting the dioceses (metropolis).
Patriarch (forefather, ancestor) - the highest title of the head of the Christian church in the country.
In addition to the sacred ranks in the church, there are also lower clerics (official positions) - altar servers, subdeacons and readers. They are among the clergy and are appointed to their position not through ordination, but by the blessing of a bishop or rector.

altar boy- the name of a layman helping the clergy at the altar. The term is not used in canonical and liturgical texts, but became generally accepted in this sense by the end of the 20th century. in many European dioceses in the Russian Orthodox Church. The name "altar" is not generally accepted. In the Siberian dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, it is not used; instead, in this sense, the more traditional term is usually used sexton, as well as novice. The sacrament of the priesthood is not performed over the altar boy, he only receives a blessing from the rector of the temple to serve at the altar. The duties of the altar boy include overseeing the timely and correct lighting of candles, lamps and other lamps in the altar and in front of the iconostasis, preparing the vestments of priests and deacons, bringing prosphora, wine, water, incense to the altar, kindling coal and preparing a censer, serving a fee for wiping the lips during Communion, assistance to the priest in the performance of the sacraments and rites, cleaning the altar, if necessary - reading during the service and performing the duties of a bell ringer. It is forbidden for the altar server to touch the throne and its accessories, as well as to move from one side of the altar to the other between the throne and royal doors. The altar boy wears a surplice over lay clothes.

subdeacon- a clergyman in the Orthodox Church, serving mainly under the bishop during his sacred rites, carrying in front of him on the indicated occasions the trikirion, dikirion and ripids, laying the orlets, washes his hands, vests and performs some other actions. IN modern church the subdeacon does not have a sacred degree, although he dresses in a surplice and has one of the accessories of the deacon's dignity - an orarion, which he puts on crosswise over both shoulders and symbolizes angelic wings. Being the most senior clergyman, the subdeacon is an intermediate link between clergymen and clergymen. Therefore, the subdeacon, with the blessing of the serving bishop, may touch the throne and the altar during the service and at certain moments enter the altar through the Royal Doors.

Reader- in Christianity - the lowest rank of clergy, not elevated to the degree of priesthood, reading texts of Holy Scripture and prayers during public worship. In addition, according to ancient tradition, readers not only read in Christian churches, but also interpreted the meaning of difficult-to-understand texts, translated them into the languages ​​of their locality, delivered sermons, taught converts and children, sang various hymns (chants), did charity work, had and other church obediences. In the Orthodox Church, readers are consecrated by bishops through special rite- chirothesia, otherwise called "setting". This is the first consecration of a layman, only after which can his consecration to the subdeacon, and then the ordination to the deacon, then to the priest and the highest - to the bishop (bishop) follow. The reader has the right to wear a cassock, a belt and a skuf. During the tonsure, he is first put on a small felon, which is then removed, and a surplice is put on.
Monasticism has its own internal hierarchy, consisting of three degrees (belonging to them usually does not depend on belonging to one or another proper hierarchical degree): monasticism(ryassofor), monasticism(small schema, small angelic image) and schema(great schema, great angelic image). The majority of modern monastics belong to the second degree - to monasticism proper, or the lesser schema. Only those monastics who have exactly this degree can receive ordination to the hierarchal rank. To the name of the rank of monastics who have taken the great schema, the particle “schema” is added (for example, “schiegumen” or “schematropolitan”). Belonging to one or another degree of monasticism implies a difference in the level of rigor of monastic life and is expressed through differences in monastic clothing. During monastic tonsure, three main vows are made - celibacy, obedience and non-possession (a promise to endure any sorrow and tightness of monastic life), and a new name is assigned as a sign of the beginning of a new life.