The hierarchical principle and structure must be observed in any organization, including the ROC, which has its own church hierarchy. Surely every person attending divine services or otherwise involved in the activities of the church, drew attention to the fact that each clergyman has a certain rank and status. This is expressed in the different colors of clothing, the type of headdress, the presence or absence of jewelry, the right to conduct certain sacred rites.
Hierarchy of clergy in the Russian Orthodox Church
The clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church can be divided into two large groups:
- white clergy (those who can marry and have children);
- black clergy (those who renounced worldly life and took monastic orders).
Ranks in the white clergy
Even in the Old Testament scripture it is said that before Christmas, the prophet Moses appointed people whose task was to become an intermediate link in God's communication with people. In the modern church system, this function is performed by white priests. The lower representatives of the white clergy do not have a holy order, they include: an altar boy, a psalmist, a subdeacon.
altar boy- a person who helps the clergyman in conducting services. Also, such people are called sexton. Staying in this rank is a mandatory step before receiving the holy dignity. The person who performs the duties of an altar boy is worldly, that is, he has the right to leave the church if he changes his mind about connecting his life with the service of the Lord.
His responsibilities include:
- Timely lighting of candles and lamps, control over their safe burning;
- Preparation of robes of priests;
- Offer prosphora, Cahors and other attributes of religious rites in time;
- Light a fire in a censer;
- Bring a towel to your lips during communion;
- Maintaining internal order in church premises.
If necessary, the altar boy can ring the bells, read prayers, but he is forbidden to touch the throne and be between the altar and the Royal Doors. The altar boy wears ordinary clothes, a surplice is put on top.
Acolyte(otherwise - a reader) - another representative of the white lower clergy. His main duty: reading prayers and words from Holy Scripture (as a rule, they know 5-6 main chapters from the Gospel), explaining to people the basic postulates of the life of a true Christian. For special merits, he may be ordained a subdeacon. This procedure is carried out by a clergyman of a higher rank. The clerk is allowed to wear a cassock and a skuf.
subdeacon- Father's assistant in conducting services. His attire: surplice and orarion. With the blessing of the bishop (he can also elevate the psalm-reader or altar boy to the rank of subdeacon), the subdeacon receives the right to touch the throne, as well as enter the altar through the Royal Doors. His task is to wash the hands of the priest during divine services and give him the items necessary for the rites, for example, ripids and trikiriya.
Church orders of the Orthodox Church
The above ministers of the church do not have a holy order, and, therefore, are not clergymen. These are ordinary people living in the world, but wanting to get closer to God and church culture. They are accepted to their positions with the blessing of the clergy who are higher in rank.
Diaconal Degree of Churchmen
Deacon- the lowest rank among all churchmen with a holy dignity. His main task is to be an assistant to the priest during worship, they are mainly engaged in reading the gospel. Deacons do not have the right to conduct worship on their own. As a rule, they carry out their service in parish churches. Gradually, this church rank loses its significance, and their representativeness in the church is steadily declining. Deacon ordination (the procedure for ordination to church rank) is carried out by a bishop.
Protodeacon- chief deacon at the temple or church. In the last century, this rank was obtained by a deacon for special merits; at present, 20 years of service in the lower church rank are required. The protodeacon has a characteristic attire - an orarion with the words “Holy! Holy! Holy." As a rule, these are people with a beautiful voice (they sing psalms and sing at divine services).
Pastoral Degree of Ministers
Priest in Greek means "priest". Junior title of the white clergy. The ordination is also carried out by the bishop (bishop). The duties of a priest include:
- Conducting sacraments, divine services and other religious rites;
- Conducting communion;
- Carry the covenants of Orthodoxy to the masses.
A priest does not have the right to consecrate antimensions (clothes of matter made of silk or linen with a particle of the relics of an Orthodox martyr sewn into it, located in the altar on the throne; a necessary attribute for holding a full liturgy) and to conduct the sacraments of ordination of the priesthood. Instead of a klobuk, he wears a kamilavka.
Archpriest- a title awarded to representatives of the white clergy for special merits. The archpriest, as a rule, is the rector of the temple. His attire during worship and church sacraments is an epitrachelion and a chasuble. An archpriest who has been awarded the right to wear a miter is called a mitre.
Several archpriests can serve in one cathedral. The consecration to the archpriest is carried out by the bishop with the help of chirotesia - the laying on of hands with prayer. Unlike ordination, it is held in the center of the temple, outside the altar.
Protopresbyter- the highest rank for white clergy. Assigned in exceptional cases as an award for special services to the church and society.
The highest church ranks belong to the black clergy, that is, such dignitaries are forbidden to have a family. A representative of the white clergy can also take this path if he renounces worldly life, and his wife supports her husband and becomes a nun.
Also on this path are dignitaries who have become widowers, since they do not have the right to remarry.
The ranks of the black clergy
These are people who have taken monastic vows. They are forbidden to marry and have children. They completely renounce worldly life, giving vows of chastity, obedience and non-possession (voluntary renunciation of wealth).
The lower ranks of the black clergy have many similarities with the corresponding ranks of the white. Hierarchy and responsibilities can be compared using the following table:
| Corresponding rank of white clergy | The rank of the black clergy | A comment |
| Altar-reader/Church-reader | Novice | A worldly person who has made the decision to become a monk. By decision of the abbot, he is enrolled in the brethren of the monastery, given a cassock and assigned a probationary period. At the end of it, the novice can decide whether to become a monk or return to lay life. |
| subdeacon | monk (monk) | A member of a religious community who has made three monastic vows, leading an ascetic lifestyle in a monastery or on his own in solitude and hermitage. He does not have a holy order, 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, an archdeacon serving under a patriarch is called a patriarchal archdeacon and belongs to the white clergy. In large monasteries, the chief deacon also holds the rank of archdeacon. |
| Priest | Hieromonk | A monk who has the rank of a priest. You can become a hieromonk after the ordination procedure, and white priests - through monastic vows. |
| Archpriest | Initially - the abbot of an Orthodox monastery. In the modern Russian Orthodox Church, the rank of hegumen is given as a reward for a hieromonk. Often the rank is not connected with the management of the monastery. The consecration to the abbot is made by the bishop. | |
| Protopresbyter | Archimandrite | One of the highest monastic ranks in the Orthodox Church. The conferral of dignity takes place through chirothesia. The rank of archimandrite is associated with administrative management and monastic superiors. |
Episcopal degree of clergy
Bishop belongs to the category of bishops. In the process of ordination, they received the highest Lord's grace and therefore have the right to conduct any sacred actions, including the ordination of deacons. All bishops have the same rights, the eldest of them is the archbishop (has the same functions as the bishop; raising to the rank is carried out by the patriarch). Only the bishop has the right to bless the service with the antimis.
He wears a red robe and a black hood. The following appeal is accepted to the bishop: "Vladyka" or "Your Eminence."
He is the head of the local church - the diocese. Chief pastor of the district. Elected by the Holy Synod by order of the Patriarch. If necessary, a vicar bishop is appointed to assist the diocesan bishop. Bishops wear a title that includes the name of the cathedral city. A candidate for bishopric must be a member of the black clergy and over 30 years of age.
Metropolitan is the highest title of a bishop. Reports directly to the patriarch. He has a characteristic attire: a blue mantle and a white hood with a cross made of precious stones.
San is given for high services to society and the church, is the oldest, if you start counting from the formation of Orthodox culture.
Performs the same functions as the bishop, differing from him in the advantage of honor. Before the restoration of the patriarchate in 1917, there were only three episcopal sees in Russia, with which the rank of metropolitan was usually associated: St. Petersburg, Kyiv and Moscow. There are currently over 30 metropolitans in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Patriarch- the highest rank of the Orthodox Church, the chief priest of the country. Official representative of the ROC. From the Greek patriarch is translated as "the power of the father." He is elected at the Bishops' Council, to which the patriarch reports. This is a life-long dignity, the deposition and excommunication of the person who received it, is possible only in the most exceptional cases. When the place of the patriarch is not occupied (the period between the death of the previous patriarch and the election of a new one), his duties are temporarily performed by the appointed locum tenens.
He has the primacy of honor among all the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church. Carries out the management of the church together with the Holy Synod. Contacts with representatives of the Catholic Church and the highest dignitaries of other faiths, as well as with state authorities. Issues decrees on the election and appointment of bishops, directs the institutions of the Synod. Accepts complaints against bishops, giving them a move, rewards clerics and laity with church awards.
A candidate for the patriarchal throne must be a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, have a higher theological education, be at least 40 years of age, and enjoy a good reputation and the trust of the church and people.
What is a church hierarchy? This is an ordered system that determines the place of each church minister, his duties. The system of hierarchy in the church is very complex, and it originated in 1504 after the event, which was called the "Great Church Schism". After it, they got the opportunity to develop autonomously, independently.
First of all, the church hierarchy singles out white and black monasticism. Representatives of the black clergy are called upon to lead the most ascetic way of life. They cannot marry, live in the world. Such ranks are doomed to lead either a wandering or an isolated way of life.
White clergy may lead more privileged lives.
The hierarchy of the ROC implies that (in accordance with the Code of Honor) the head is the Patriarch of Constantinople, who bears an official, symbolic title
However, formally the Russian Church does not submit to him. The church hierarchy considers the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to be the head. He occupies the highest level, but exercises power and control in unity with the Holy Synod. It consists of 9 people who are selected on a different basis. By tradition, the metropolitans of Krutitsy, Minsk, Kyiv, St. Petersburg are its permanent members. The five remaining members of the Synod are invited, and their episcopacy should not exceed six months. The permanent member of the Synod is the Chairman of the intra-church department.
The church hierarchy calls the highest ranks, which govern the dioceses (territorial-administrative church districts), the next most important step. They bear the unifying title of bishops. These include:
- metropolitans;
- bishops;
- archimandrites.
Bishops are subordinate to priests, who are considered the main ones in the field, in city or other parishes. From the type of activity, the duties that are assigned to them, the priests are divided into priests and archpriests. The person who is entrusted with the direct management of the parish bears the title of Rector.
The younger clergy are already subordinate to him: deacons and priests, whose duties are to help the Rector, other, higher spiritual ranks.
Speaking of spiritual titles, one should not forget that the hierarchies of churches (not to be confused with the church hierarchy!) allow slightly different interpretations of spiritual titles and, accordingly, give them different names. The hierarchy of churches implies the division into the Churches of the Eastern and Western rites, their smaller varieties (for example, Post-Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, etc.)
All of the above titles apply to white clergy. The black church hierarchy is distinguished by more stringent requirements for people who have taken the dignity. The highest level of black monasticism is the Great Schema. It implies complete alienation from the world. In Russian monasteries, the great schemniki live separately from everyone else, do not engage in any obedience, but spend day and night in unceasing prayers. Sometimes those who have taken the Great Schema become hermits and limit their lives to many optional vows.
It precedes the Great Schema Small. It also involves the fulfillment of a number of obligatory and optional vows, the most important of which are: virginity and non-possession. Their task is to prepare the monk for the acceptance of the Great Schema, to completely cleanse him of sins.
The cassock monks can accept the small schema. This is the lowest level of black monasticism, which is entered immediately after tonsure.
Before each hierarchical level, the monks undergo special rites, they change their name and are assigned. When changing the title, vows become tougher, the attire changes.
Patriarch -
in some Orthodox churches - the title of the head of the local church. The patriarch is elected by the local council. The title was established by the Fourth Ecumenical Council of 451 (Chalcedon, Asia Minor). In Russia, the patriarchate was established in 1589, in 1721 it was abolished and replaced by a collegial body - the synod, in 1918 it was restored. Currently, there are the following Orthodox patriarchates: Constantinople (Turkey), Alexandria (Egypt), Antioch (Syria), Jerusalem, Moscow, Georgian, Serbian, Romanian and Bulgarian.
Synod
(Greek special - assembly, cathedral) - currently - an advisory body under the patriarch, consisting of twelve bishops and bearing the title "Holy Synod". The Holy Synod includes six permanent members: Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna (Moscow Region); Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Novgorod; Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine; Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of Belarus; Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; manager of affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate and six non-permanent members, replaced every six months. From 1721 to 1918, the Synod was the highest body of church administrative power, replacing the patriarch (he bore the patriarchal title "Most Holy") - it consisted of 79 bishops. The members of the Holy Synod were appointed by the emperor, and a representative of state power, the chief prosecutor of the Synod, took part in the meetings of the Synod.
Metropolitan
(Greek metropolitan) - originally a bishop, the head of the metropolis - a large church area that unites several dioceses. The bishops managing the dioceses were subordinate to the metropolitan. Because church-administrative divisions coincided with the state ones, the departments of metropolitans were located in the capitals of the countries that covered their metropolises. Subsequently, the bishops who ruled large dioceses began to be called metropolitans. Currently, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the title "metropolitan" is an honorary title following the title "archbishop". A distinctive part of the Metropolitan's vestments is a white klobuk.
Archbishop
(Greek senior among bishops) - originally a bishop, head of a large church area, uniting several dioceses. BISHOS Administering dioceses were subordinate to the archbishop. Subsequently, bishops began to be called archbishops, managing large dioceses. Currently, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the title "archbishop" is honorary, preceded by the title "metropolitan".
Bishop
(Greek senior priest, head of priests) - a clergyman belonging to the third, highest degree of priesthood. He has the grace to perform all the sacraments (including the laying on of hands) and lead church life. Each bishop (except vicars) governs a diocese. In ancient times, the bishops were divided according to the amount of administrative power into bishops, archbishops and metropolitans, at present these titles are preserved as honorary titles. From among the bishops, the local council elects a patriarch (for life), who leads the church life of the local church (some local churches are headed by metropolitans or archbishops). According to the teaching of the church, the apostolic grace received from Jesus Christ is transmitted through ordination to bishops from the most apostolic times, and so on. in the church there is a grace-filled succession. Ordination to the bishopric is performed by a council of bishops (there must be at least two ordaining bishops - Canon 1 of the Holy Apostles; according to Canon 60 of the Local Council of Carthage in 318 - at least three). According to Canon 12 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council (680-681 Constantinople), a bishop must be celibate; in real church practice, it is customary to appoint monastic clergy as bishops. It is customary to address the bishop: to the bishop "Your Eminence", to the archbishop or metropolitan - "Your Eminence"; to the patriarch "Your Holiness" (to some Eastern patriarchs - "Your Beatitude"). An unofficial address to the bishop is "Vladyko".
Bishop
(Greek overseeing, supervising) - a clergyman of the third, highest degree of priesthood, otherwise a bishop. Initially, the word "bishop" denoted the bishopric as such, regardless of the church-administrative position (in this sense it is used in the epistles of St. Apostle Paul), later, when the bishops began to differ in bishops, archbishops, metropolitans and patriarchs, the word "bishop "became, as it were, to mean the first category of the above and in the original sense was replaced by the word" bishop ".
Archimandrite -
monastic rank. Currently given as the highest award to monastic clergy; corresponds to archpriest and protopresbyter in the white clergy. The rank of archimandrite appeared in the Eastern Church in the 5th century. - this was the name of the persons chosen by the bishop from among the abbots to supervise the monasteries of the diocese. Subsequently, the name "archimandrite" passed to the chiefs of the most important monasteries and then to monastic persons holding church administrative positions.
Hegumen -
monastic rank in holy dignity, abbot of the monastery.
Archpriest -
senior priest in the white clergy. The title of archpriest is given as a reward.
Priest -
a clergyman belonging to the second, middle degree of the priesthood. He has the grace to perform all the sacraments, except for the sacrament of ordination. Otherwise, the priest is called a priest or presbyter (Greek elder; this is the name of the priest in the epistles of the Apostle Paul). Ordination to the priesthood is accomplished by the bishop through ordination. It is customary to address a priest: "Your blessing"; to a monastic priest (hieromonk) - "Your reverend", to an abbot or archimandrite - "Your Reverend". Informal address - "father". Priest (Greek priest) - a priest.
Hieromonk
(Greek priest-monk) - priest-monk.
Protodeacon -
senior deacon in the white clergy. The title of protodeacon is given as a reward.
Hierodeacon
(Greek: Deacon-monk) - deacon-monk.
Archdeacon -
senior deacon in the monastic clergy. The title of archdeacon is given as a reward.
Deacon
(Greek minister) - a clergyman belonging to the first, lowest degree of the clergy. A deacon has the grace to participate directly in the performance of the sacraments by a priest or bishop, but cannot perform them on his own (except for baptism, which, if necessary, can also be performed by the laity). During the service, the deacon prepares the sacred vessels, proclaims the litany, and so on. Ordination to the deaconate is performed by the bishop through ordination.
Clergy -
clergy. A distinction is made between white (non-monastic) and black (monastic) clergy.
Schemamonk -
a monk who has adopted a great schema, otherwise - a great angelic image. When tonsured into the great schema, a monk takes a vow of renunciation of the world and everything worldly. A schemamonk-priest (schemamonk or hieroschemamonk) retains the right to serve as a priest, the schihegumen and schiarchimandrite must remove themselves from monastic authority, the bishop must remove himself from episcopal authority and does not have the right to celebrate the liturgy. The schemamonk's vestment is complemented by a kukul and analav. Schematic monasticism arose in the Middle East in the 5th century, when, in order to streamline hermitage, the imperial authorities ordered hermits to settle in monasteries. The hermits, who took seclusion in exchange for hermitage, began to be called the monks of the great schema. Subsequently, the shutter ceased to be obligatory for schemamonks.
Priests -
persons who have the grace to perform the sacraments (bishops and priests) or directly participate in their performance (deacons). They are divided into three successive degrees: deacons, priests and bishops; delivered through ordination. Ordination is a divine service during which the sacrament of the priesthood is performed - the decision to the clergy. Otherwise, ordination (Greek ordination). Ordination is performed to deacons (from subdeacons), to priests (from deacons) and to bishops (from priests). Accordingly, there are three rites of ordination. As deacons and priests, one bishop can perform ordination; in bishoprics, ordination is performed by a council of bishops (at least two bishops, see Canon 1 of the Holy Apostles).
Ordination
to the deacons is performed at the liturgy after the Eucharistic canon. The initiate is led into the altar through the royal gates, is circled around the throne three times while singing the troparia, and then kneels on one knee in front of the throne. The bishop places the edge of the omophorion on the head of the initiate, places his hand on top and reads the sacramental prayer. After the prayer, the bishop removes the cruciformly clad orarion from the initiate and places the orarion on his left shoulder with the exclamation "axios". Ordination to the priesthood is performed at the liturgy after the great entrance in a similar way - the supposed one kneels on both knees in front of the throne, another sacramental prayer is read, the ordained one puts on priestly clothes. Ordination to the bishopric takes place at the liturgy after the singing of the trisagion before the reading of the Apostle. The ordained one is introduced into the altar through the royal gates, makes three bows before the altar and, standing on both knees, places his hands folded in a cross on the altar. The hierarchs who perform the ordination hold the open Gospel above his head, the leading of them reads the sacramental prayer. Then a litany is proclaimed, after which the gospel is placed on the throne, and the newly ordained one is clothed with the exclamation of "axios" in bishop's vestments.
Monk
(Greek one) - a person who has dedicated himself to God through the adoption of vows. Taking vows is accompanied by cutting hair as a sign of service to God. Monasticism is divided into three successive degrees in accordance with the vows taken: cassock monk (cassock) - a preparatory degree for the adoption of a small schema; a monk of a small schema - takes a vow of chastity, non-covetousness and obedience; monk of the great schema or angelic image (schemamonk) - takes a vow of renunciation of the world and everything worldly. One who is preparing to be tonsured as a cassock monk and undergoing probation in a monastery is called a novice. Monasticism arose in the 3rd century. in Egypt and Palestine. Initially, these were hermits who retired to the desert. In the IV century. Saint Pachomius the Great organized the first cenobitic monasteries, and then cenobitic monasticism spread throughout the Christian world. The founders of Russian monasticism are considered to be St. Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves, who created in the 11th century. Kiev-Pechersky monastery.
Enoch
(from Slav. different - lonely, different) - the Russian name of a monk, a literal translation from Greek.
Subdeacon -
a clergyman who serves the bishop during the service: prepares the vestments, gives the dikirion and trikirion, opens the royal doors, etc. The vestment of the subdeacon is a surplice and a cruciformly dressed orarion. Appointment as a subdeacon, see dedication.
Sexton
(distorted Greek. preceptor) - a clergyman mentioned in the charter. Otherwise, an altar boy. In Byzantium, a church watchman was called a sexton.
Tossed -
1. An action performed at certain services. Hair cutting existed in the ancient world as a symbol of slavery or service, and with this meaning it entered Christian worship: a) hair cutting is performed on the newly baptized after baptism as a sign of service to Christ; b) hair cutting is performed during the initiation of the newly appointed reader as a sign of service to the church. 2. Worship performed upon acceptance of monasticism (see monk). Corresponding to the three degrees of monasticism, there are tonsure into the cassocks, tonsure into the small schema, and tonsure into the great schema. The tonsure of non-clergy (see clergy) is performed by a monastic priest (hieromonk, abbot or archimandrite), clerics - by a bishop. The rite of tonsure in cassocks consists of a blessing, the beginning of the usual, troparia, priestly prayer, cruciform tonsure, and putting on the newly tonsured in a cassock and kamilavka. The tonsure into the small schema is performed at the liturgy after entering with the Gospel. Before the liturgy, the tonsured is placed on the porch and. While singing the troparia, he is led into the temple and placed in front of the royal gates. The one who takes the vows asks about sincerity, voluntariness, etc. the newcomer and then he is tonsured and given a new name, after which the newly tonsured one is dressed in a chiton, paraman, belt, cassock, mantle, klobuk, sandals and a rosary is given. The tonsure into the great schema is performed more solemnly and longer, the tonsured one is dressed in the same clothes, except for paraman and klobuk, which are replaced by anola and kukul. The rites of tonsure are contained in a large breviary.
There are three levels of priesthood in the Orthodox Church: deacon, priest, bishop. In addition, all the clergy are divided into "white" - married and "black" - monks.
Deacon (Greek "diakonos" - minister) - a clergyman of the first (junior) level of the priesthood. He participates in divine services, but does not perform the sacraments himself. A deacon in the monastic rank is called a hierodeacon. The senior deacon in white (married) clergy is called protodeacon, and in monasticism - archdeacon.
A priest, or presbyter (Greek "pre-sviteros" - an old man), or a priest (Greek "hiere-is" - a priest), is a clergyman who can perform six of the seven sacraments, with the exception of the sacrament of ordination, that is, erection in one of the levels of the church hierarchy. Priests are subordinate to the bishop. They are assigned to lead church life in urban and rural parishes. The head priest in a parish is called the rector.
Only a deacon (married or monastic) can be ordained to the rank of presbyter. A priest who is in the monastic rank is called a hieromonk. The elders of the presbyters of the white clergy are called archpriests, protopresbyters, and monastics are called abbots. The abbots of monastic cloisters are called archimandrites. The rank of archimandrite usually has the abbot of a large monastery, a laurel. Abbot - the abbot of an ordinary monastery or parish church.
Bishop (Greek "episcopos" - guardian) - a clergyman of the highest degree. A bishop is also called a bishop, or hierarch, that is, a hierarch, sometimes a hierarch.
The bishop governs the parishes of an entire region, called a diocese. The bishop who manages the parishes of a large city and the surrounding area is called a metropolitan.
Patriarch - "father leader" - the primate of the Local Church, elected and installed at the Council - the highest rank of the church hierarchy.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church is His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. He governs the church with the Holy Synod. In addition to the Patriarch, the Synod constantly includes the Metropolitans of Kyiv, St. Petersburg, Krutitsy, and Minsk. The permanent member of the Holy Synod is the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations. Four more are invited from the rest of the episcopate in turn as temporary members for six months.
In addition to the three sacred ranks, there are also lower official positions in the Church - subdeacons, psalm-readers and sextons. They are among the clergy and are appointed to their position not through ordination, but by the blessing of a bishop or rector.
On May 24, 2017, on the feast day of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius and Cyril, teachers of Slovenia, at the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia elevated Archpriest Vladimir Divakov to the rank of archpriest, Patriarchia.ru reports.
The priest was awarded this rank in consideration of his hard work for the good of the Holy Church and in connection with his 80th birthday.
Father Vladimir became the first clergyman whom Patriarch Kirill elevated to the rank of archpriest, and the third living cleric of the Russian Orthodox Church to bear this high rank.
Photo: Moscow City Diocese Until that moment, only two clergymen of the Russian Church had borne the rank of protopresbyter: Fr. Matthew Stadnyuk, honorary rector of the Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhovo (Moscow), and Fr. Valery Lukyanov, Rector of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, New Jersey, USA (ROCOR).
Archpriest Vladimir Divakov - Secretary of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia for the city of Moscow, Secretary of the Diocesan Council of the Moscow City Diocese, Dean of the Central Deanery of Moscow, Rector of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord ("Great Ascension") at the Nikitsky Gate.
He has served in holy orders since 1962. Pastoral service was also held in the Moscow churches of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Lefortovo, St. Nicholas of Myra in Khamovniki, St. Pimen the Great in Novye Vorotniki, and the Life-Giving Trinity at the Pyatnitskoye cemetery.
About the rank of protopresbyter
Protopresbyter is the highest priestly rank for representatives of the white clergy in the Russian Church and in some other local Churches. The title was established in 1890. San was assigned to a clergyman who headed the military and naval clergy in the Russian Empire.
According to the Regulations on the management of churches and the clergy of the military and naval departments of 1890 in Russia, both the chief military priests and the priests who held the church position of rector of the Grand Court Cathedral in St. Petersburg were honored with the dignity of protopresbyter.
The rector of the Grand Court Cathedral was in charge of the court clergy, was the rector of the Cathedral of the Annunciation, and usually was the confessor of the emperor and his wife. He was appointed to the position by the Highest Authority, by decree to the Holy Synod. At divine services in the presence of the Highest Persons, he took first place after the bishops. Under him, there was a special office that was in charge of office work for appointments to places, accepted birth records and other books from court priests, managed an almshouse for the widows of the court clergy, etc. The last protopresbyter of the court clergy was Alexander Dernov - from February 1915 († October 13, 1923 ).
The title of protopresbyter was also held by the rectors of the Assumption and Archangel Cathedrals in Moscow.
After 1917, the title of presbyter began to be conferred on isolated occasions to priests as a reward for special services to the Church.
Protopresbytership is not a separate degree of priesthood, it is the highest priestly rank in the white clergy, just as archimandrite is the highest presbyter rank in monasticism.
In the modern Russian Orthodox Church, the rank of protopresbyter is awarded "in exceptional cases, for special church merits, on the initiative and decision of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia."
Over the past century and a half, the Russian Orthodox Church (before its reunification with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia) had only fifteen protopresbyters:
- Alexander Zhelobovsky (1834-1910),
- Evgeny Akvilonov (1861-1911),
- Alexander Dernov (1857-1923),
- Hieromartyr Alexander Khotovitsky (1872-1937),
- Theodosius Pavlovsky (1866-1947),
- Gabriel Kostelnik (1886-1948),
- George Shavelsky (1871-1951),
- Nikolay Kolchitsky (1890-1961),
- John Sobolev (1883-1976),
- Alexander Kiselev (1909-2001),
- Feriz Berki (1917-2006),
- Vasily Ostashevsky (1912-2007),
- Vitaly Borovoy (1916-2008),
- Matthew Stadnyuk (b. 1925),
- Vladimir Divakov.
In addition, in the 20th century, some clergymen of the Russian Church Abroad were honored with this dignity. The rank of protopresbyter was also worn by well-known theologians and church writers of the 20th century, Alexander Schmemann and John Meyendorff, who belonged to the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church in America.
Biography of Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov
Born in 1937 in Moscow. He graduated from the Moscow Electromechanical College for three years, and then from the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary with a PhD in Theology.
During his studies, he began to serve as a subdeacon at the Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhovo with Metropolitan Nikolai (Yarushevich) of Krutitsy and Kolomna and Archbishop Leonid (Polyakov).
Photo: Patriarchia.ru On November 18, 1962, he was consecrated a deacon, and on December 19, 1963, a priest.
He was elected to the Diocesan Council of Moscow, then became its secretary.
Since 1990 - Dean of the Northern District of Moscow.
Since 1991 - dean of the Central District, head of the office of the Moscow Patriarchate.
In 2006, he won the "Person of the Year" award in the "Religion" nomination for his contribution to the spiritual revival of Russia.
Participated in the work of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2009 as a member of the Commission for the preparation of the cathedral.
