The Clergy of the Orthodox church are set apart through the Sacrament of Ordination or the "laying-on-of hands" and are divided into three orders:
- Deacons
- Presbyters or Priest (hiereas)
- Bishops (Episkopos)
An Orthodox presbyter is either married (usually serving as a parish priest) or celibate, generally belonging to a monastic order (hieromonachos) called "Archimandrite". Bishops are usually chosen from the ranks of the Archimandrites.
An Orthodox bishop, depending on his jurisdiction and rank, may be called Bishop (usually auxiliary to an Archbishop); Metropolitan (head of a large city or a Diocese); Archbishop (head of an Orthodox country or capital city); Patriarch (head of an ancient or ethnic Church). The bishops of the ancient Sees of Rome and Alexandria are also called Popes. Orthodox clergy of all orders wear the cassock (rasso) in public, but when participating in a church service wear the the vestment of their own order and rank. In some Balkan countries(including Greece) they also wear a black cylinder-like hat (kalimafi) on top of which the celibates (except deacons) wear a black veil dropping down the back (Epanokalimafkon).
The form of address for Orthodox clergy varies according to order, rank, and level of education. The most common forms are the following:
Gr. = Greek Sl. = Slavonic
ADDRESSEE'S TITLE | FORM OF ADDRESS | SALUTATION |
---|---|---|
1. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople |
His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Gr. Panagiotatos Sl. Sviatieishyi |
Your All Holiness Panagiotate |
2. Other Patriarchs | His Beatitude the Patriarch of ________ Gr. Makariotatos Sl. Ego Blazhenstvo |
Your Beatitude,
|
3. Archbishops of independent Churches, Greece, Cyprus, etc. | His Beatitude, the Archbishop of ___ |
(as above) |
4. Archbishops of Crete, America, Australia, England (under Ecumenical Patriarchate) | His Eminence Gr. Sevasmiotatos, Sl. Ego Vysoko Preosviashchenstvo |
Your Eminence Sevasmiotate Vashe Vysokopreos- viashchenstvo |
5. Metropolitans |
(as above) | (as above) |
6. Titular Metropolitan | His Excellency. Gr. Panierotatos Sl. Ego Preosviashchenstvo |
Your Excellency, Panierotate Vashe Preosviashscentstvo |
7. Bishop | The Right Reverend (Rt. Rev.) Bishop of ____ Gr. Theophilestatos. Sl. Preosviashchenyishy Vladyka |
Your Grace, Theophilestate, Vladyka. |
8. Titular Bishop | (as above) | (as above) |
9. Archimandrite | The Very Reverend Father. Gr. Apanosiotatos Sl. Otets Protopresvyter Gr. Panosiologiotatos |
Dear Reverend, or Dear Father Panasiotate Dorogoe Panasiologiotate |
10. Presbyter (Priest) -married -married theologian -celibate -celibate theologian |
Reverend Father Gr. Aidesimotatos Gr.Aidesimologiotatos Sl. Otets Protoierei Gr. Osiotatos Gr. Osiologiotatos |
Dear Reverend, or Dear Father Aidesimotate Aidesimologiotate Uvazhaemyi Osiotate Osiologiotate |
11. Deacon -Theologian |
Reverend Father Gr. Evlavestatos Gr. Ierologiotatos Sl. Ierodiakon |
Dear Reverend, or Dear Father Evlavestate Ierologiotate Bogoslov |
12. Abbot | The Right Reverend Abbot Gr. Igoumenos Sl. Igoumen |
Dear Reverend Father, or Dear Father Agie Igoumene Bogoslov |
13. Abbess | The Reverend Mother Superior Gr. Igoumeni |
Reverend Mother Hagia Igoumeni |
14. Monk | Brother Gr. Adelphos Sl. Monach |
Dear Brother Adelphe |
15. Nun | Sister Gr. Adelphi Sl. Monaschka |
Dear Sister Adelphi Monashka |
16. Spiritual Father | Gr. Geron Sl. Vladyka |
Geronta Vladyka |