This article refers to hierarchy in the Roman Catholic Church. For hierarchy in other communions with a "catholic" character, please see articles on the churches in question.

In the Catholic Church, the term hierarchy has a variety of related usages. Literally, "holy ordering", the term is employed in different instances. There is a Hierarchy of Truths^[1] which refers to the levels of solemnity of the official teaching of the faith. There is a hierarchical nature of the church, which is a structural feature considered to be of divine institution. ^[2] .

In its earliest and most broad usage, this ecclesial hierarchy refers to the ordering of the entire People of God into three 'states': the laity, the religious, and the clergy. Most commonly, it refers to the ordering of ministry in the church into the threefold order of Episcopate, Diaconate, and Presbyterate which is considered to be divinely instituted and therefore essential to the Church itself. In the Catholic Church, a Bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the priesthood. Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church includes both the orders of bishops and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. In some cases, the term hierarchy is used to refer only to the Magisterium, the official teaching body of the church, the bishops, in which case deacons and presbyters (priests) are excluded. Magisterium is a "teaching authority especially of the Roman Catholic Church"

There is, in addition, a 'ceremonial hierarchy' which indicates the precedence or 'rank' of various ministers and offices in the Church for use during liturgies or other ceremonies where such protocol is helpful.

Contents 1 Episcopate 1.1 Pope 1.2 Patriarchs 1.3 Major Archbishops 1.4 Cardinals 1.5 Primates 1.6 Metropolitans 1.7 Archbishops 1.8 Diocesan Bishops 1.9 Other Bishops 1.10 Positions analogous to that of bishop 1.10.1 Equivalents of Diocesan Bishops in law 2 Presbyterate 2.1 Priests in service outside their diocese 2.2 Positions within a diocese at diocesan level 2.3 Vicars Forane or Deans 2.4 Pastors 2.5 Parochial Vicars 2.6 Honorary titles 3 Diaconate 3.1 Archdeacons 3.2 Subdeacons 4 The Laity 4.1 Lay Ecclesial Ministers 4.2 Lay Ministry/Lay Apostolate 4.3 Religious 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

Episcopate

Main article: Bishop (Catholic Church)

The bishops, who possess the fullness of the priesthood, are as a body (the College of Bishops) considered the successors of the Apostles^[3] and are "constituted Pastors in the Church, to be the teachers of doctrine, the priests of sacred worship and the ministers of governance. In the Catholic Church, a Bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the priesthood. In the Catholic Church, a Bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the priesthood. The term College of Bishops is used in Catholic Theology to describe the bishops, as the successors of the Apostles in communion The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e "^[4] The Pope himself is a bishop (the bishop of Rome) and traditionally uses the title "Venerable Brother" when writing formally to another bishop. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and

The typical role of a bishop is to provide pastoral governance for a diocese. In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. Bishops who fulfill this function are known as diocesan ordinaries, because they have what canon law calls ordinary (i. In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office Canon Law, the Ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system with all the necessary elements courts lawyers judges a fully articulated e. not delegated) authority for a diocese. These bishops may be known as hierarchs in the Eastern Catholic Churches. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See Other bishops may be appointed to assist ordinaries (auxiliary bishops and coadjutor bishops) or to carry out a function in a broader field of service to the Church, such as appointments as papal nuncios or as officials in the Roman Curia. See also Bishop (Catholic Church An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a Diocese because A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop Nuncio is an ecclesiastical Diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word Nuntius, meaning "envoy The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Roman Catholic Church, together with the Pope

Bishops of a country or region form an episcopal conference and meet periodically to discuss current problems. In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the Decisions in certain fields, notably liturgy, fall within the exclusive competence of these conferences. The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. The decisions of the conferences are binding on the individual bishops only if agreed to by at least two-thirds of the membership and confirmed by the Holy See. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic

Bishops are normally consecrated to the episcopate by at least three other bishops,^[4] though for validity only one is needed^[5] and a mandatum from the Holy See is required. ^[6] Consecration to the episcopate is considered the completion of the sacrament of Holy Orders; even when a bishop retires from his active service, he remains a bishop, since the ontological effect of Holy Orders is permanent. On the other hand, titles such as archbishop or patriarch imply no ontological alteration, and existing bishops who rise to those offices do not require further ordination.

Among bishops, various ranks are distinguished. The Pope, as the successor of Saint Peter, is the head of the universal Catholic Church and of the Latin Church. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. Some of the Eastern Catholic churches are headed by a patriarch, a major archbishop, or a metropolitan. Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family In the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop is a title for an hierarch to whose Archiepiscopal see is granted the same jurisdiction in his autonomous In Hierarchical Christian churches the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the Diocesan bishop or Within the Latin Church too, dioceses are normally grouped together as ecclesiastical provinces, in which the bishop of a particular see has the title of metropolitan archbishop, with some very limited authority for the other dioceses, which are known as suffragan sees. An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government so named by analogy with a secular Province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian In Hierarchical Christian churches the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the Diocesan bishop or A suffragan bishop is a Bishop subordinate to a Metropolitan bishop or Diocesan bishop.

Pope

Main article: Pope

What most obviously distinguishes the Catholic Church from other Christian bodies is the link between its members and the Pope. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting the Second Vatican Council’s document Lumen Gentium, states: "The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter’s successor, ‘is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the twenty-two The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. For an English translation of the text see Dogmatic Constitution on the Church ''Lumen Gentium'' ’"^[7]

The Pope is referred to as the Vicar of Christ and the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church. Vicar of Christ (Latin Vicarius Christi) has been used since Pope Gelasius I (served 492 - 496 alongside a few rarer 'vicarial' titles as one of the titles He may sometimes also use the less formal title of "Servant of the Servants of God". Servus Servorum Dei is a Latin phrase meaning Servant of the Servants of God. Applying to him the term "absolute" would, however, give a false impression: he is not free to issue decrees at whim. Instead, his charge forces on him awareness that he, even more than other bishops, is "tied", bound, by an obligation of strictest fidelity to the teaching transmitted down the centuries in increasingly developed form within the Church.

In Catholic theology, the bishop who is the successor of Saint Peter in the episcopal see of Rome is viewed as the head of the College of Bishops,^[8] as Saint Peter was the chief of the Apostles;^[9] and communion with him is considered essential for the existence of the College of Bishops. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective An episcopal see is the ecclesiastical domain of authority of a Bishop. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 The term Communion is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common ^[10] He has direct authority, not an authority mediated through other bishops, over the whole Church. ^[8][11]

The title of Pope (derived from a word, known in Greek as far back as Homer’s Odyssey 6:57, for "Father") is the most common title for the Bishop of Rome, and, in the traditional Latin abbreviation PP (sometimes lower-case), is used in his official signature, e. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The Bishop of Rome is the bishop of the Holy See, more often referred to in the Catholic tradition as the Pope. g. "Benedictus PP XVI". The honorary title prefixed to his name is "His Holiness".

In certain limited and extraordinary circumstances, this papal primacy, which is referred to also as the Petrine authority or function, involves papal infallibility, i. The primacy of the Roman Pontiff is the apostolic authority of the Pope ( Bishop of Rome) from the Holy See, over the several churches Papal infallibility is the Dogma in Catholic theology that by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of e. the definitive character of the teaching on matters of faith and morals that he propounds solemnly as visible head of the Church. In Catholicism, a dogmatic definition is an extraordinary infallible statement published by a Pope or an Ecumenical council concerning a matter In any normal circumstances, exercise of this authority will involve previous consultation of all Catholic bishops (usually taking place in holy synods or an ecumenical council). A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: "The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful – who confirms his brethren in the faith – he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the twenty-two . . The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,’ above all in an Ecumenical Council. Magisterium is a "teaching authority especially of the Roman Catholic Church" This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. "^[12] These are two ways in which the pastors of the Church exercise the charism of infallibility with which Christ has endowed them for the purpose of guarding from deviation and decay the authentic faith of the definitive covenant that God has established in Christ with his people. Religious meaning A charism (plural charismata. From the Greek charis - grace the divine influence on the receiver's heart and its reflection in his Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) ^[13] In other words, they are two ways of ensuring that "the gates of Hell will not prevail" (Matthew 16:18) against the Church. The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel

The Pope resides in the Vatican City, an independent state within the city of Rome, set up by the 1929 Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and Italy. Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory The Lateran Treaty is one of the Lateran Pacts of 1929 or Lateran Accords, three agreements made in 1929 between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Ambassadors are accredited not to Vatican City State but to the Holy See, which was a subject of international law even before the state was instituted. The body of officials that assist the Pope in governance of the Church as a whole is known as the Roman curia. The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Roman Catholic Church, together with the Pope The term "Holy See" (i. e. of Rome) is generally used only of Pope and curia, because the Code of Canon Law, which concerns governance of the Latin Church as a whole and not internal affairs of the see (diocese) of Rome itself, necessarily uses the term in this technical sense. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church.

The present rules governing the election of a pope are found in the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. Universi Dominici Gregis is an Apostolic Constitution of the Roman Catholic Church issued by Pope John Paul II on February 22, ^[14] This deals with the powers, from the death of a pope to the announcement of his successor’s election, of the cardinals and the departments of the Roman curia; with the funeral arrangements for the dead pope; and with the place, time and manner of voting of the meeting of the cardinal electors, a meeting known as a conclave. A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect the Pope (or Bishop of Rome) who is considered by Catholics to be the Successor This word is derived from Latin com- (together) and clavis (key) and refers to the locking away of the participants from outside influences, a measure that was introduced first as a means instead of forcing them to reach a decision.

A pope has the option of resigning. (The term "abdicate" is not normally used of popes. ) The two best known cases are those of Pope Celestine V in 1294 (who, though the poet Dante Alighieri pictured him condemned to hell for this action, was canonized in 1313) and Pope Gregory XII, who resigned in 1415 to help end the Great Western Schism. Pope Gregory XII (died October 18, 1417) born Angelo Correr or Corraro, Pope from 1406 to 1415 succeeded Pope The Great Schism of Western Christianity or Papal Schism (also known as the Western Schism) was a split within the Roman Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417

Patriarchs

The head of some autonomous (in Latin, sui iuris) particular Churches consisting of several local Churches (dioceses) have the title of Patriarch. Gregory III (Laham ( Arabic, غريغوريوس الثالث لحام)(b Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Sui iuris, commonly also spelled sui juris, is a Latin phrase that literally means “of one’s own right” A particular Church is in Catholic theology and canon law, an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognized as the equivalent of a bishop Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family ^[15] The Pope himself was also called the Patriarch of the West, as head of the Latin Rite or Western particular Church, but this title is no longer in use. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. Eastern patriarchs are elected by the synod of bishops of their particular Church. A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application ^[16]

The Patriarchs who head autonomous particular Churches are:

• The Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria (Coptic Catholic Church)^[17]
• The Syrian Catholic Patriarch of Antioch (Syrian Catholic Church)^[18]
• The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch (Melkite Greek Catholic Church)^[19]
• The Maronite Patriarch of Antioch (Maronite Church)^[20]
• The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylonia (Chaldean Catholic Church)^[21]
• The Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia (Armenian Catholic Church)^[22]

These have authority not only over the bishops of their particular Church, including metropolitans, but also directly over all the faithful. This is a list of The Coptic Catholic Patriarchs of Alexandria. The Coptic Catholic Church is an Alexandrian Rite Sui juris Particular Church in Full communion with the Pope of Rome rather This is a list of Syrian Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch. They are head of the Syrian Catholic Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in union with Rome The Syriac Catholic Church, or Syrian Catholic Church is a Christian church in the Levant having This is a list of Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch. Meaning of church name Melkite comes from the Syriac word malko for "imperial" which was originally a Pejorative term for Middle-Eastern This is a list of the Maronite Patriarchs of Antioch, who have led the Maronite Catholic Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches, in full communion with the Maronites ( الموارنة,, Syriac: ܡܪܘܢܝܐ, Latin: Ecclesia Maronitarum) are members of one of the Syriac This is a list of The Chaldean Catholic Patriarchs of Babylon, the leaders of the Chaldean Catholic Church and one of the Patriarchs of the east of the Catholic The Chaldean Catholic Church or the Chaldean Church of Babylon (الكنيسة الكلدانية) is an Eastern particular church of the This is a list of The Armenian Catholic Patriarchs of Cilicia. (Refer to List of Armenian Catholic Patriarchs of Cilicia) The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic church Sui juris within ^[23] Eastern Catholic patriarchs have precedence over all other bishops, with the exceptions laid down by the Pope. ^[24] The honorary title prefixed to their names is "His Beatitude".

There are also additional patriarchs in the Latin Rite Church. They include the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Patriarch of Venice, the Patriarch of Lisbon, and the Patriarch of the East Indies. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title given to the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem The Patriarch of Venice is one of the few Patriarchs in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. The Patriarch of Lisbon (Latin Patriarch Ulixbonensis sive Lisbonensis) is an honorary title possessed by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon. The Patriarch of the East Indies in the Catholic Hierarchy is the title of the Archbishop of Goa and Damão in India; another title of his is All of these offices are honorary, and the patriarchs are not the heads of autonomous particular Churches. ^[25] The Patriarch of the East Indies is the archbishop of Goa, while the other patriarchs are the archbishops of the named cities. Goa ( Konkani: गोंय /ɡɔ̃j/ is India 's smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest in terms of population. The title of Patriarch of the West Indies was in the past granted to some Spanish bishops (not always of the same see), but is long in abeyance. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

Major Archbishops

Other autonomous particular Churches are headed by a Major Archbishop. Lubomyr Husar MSU (Любомир Гузар (born 26 February 1933) is the Major archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church In the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop is a title for an hierarch to whose Archiepiscopal see is granted the same jurisdiction in his autonomous ^[26] The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church uses the title Catholicos for their major archbishop. The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (also known as Malankara Syrian Catholic Church Malankara Syriac Catholic Church) Catholicos (plural Catholicoi) is a title used by the Patriarch (head/regional head Bishop) of any of certain Eastern churches ^[27] With few exceptions, the authority of a major archbishop in his sui iuris Church is equivalent to that of a patriarch in his Church. ^[28] This less prestigious office^[29] was established in 1963 for those Eastern Catholic Churches which have developed in size and stability to allow full self-governance if historical, ecumenical, or political conditions do not allow their elevation to a patriarchate.

At present, there are four Major Archbishops:

• The Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)^[30]
• The Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly (Syro-Malabar Church)^[31]
• The Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (Syro-Malankara Catholic Church)^[32]
• The Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Julia (Romanian Greek Catholic Church)^[33]

Cardinals

Main article: Cardinal (Catholicism)

Cardinals are appointed by the Pope, who generally chooses bishops that head departments of the Roman Curia or important episcopal sees throughout the world. History Before the Union of Brest See also History of Christianity in Ukraine The Ukrainian Catholic church did not exist as such until the The following were the Archbishops of Ernakulam-Angamaly'; beginning with the year 1923 they were also Heads of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is a Chaldean Rite Major Archiepiscopal Church in Full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. This is a list of Major Archbishops of Trivandrum ( Thiruvananthapuram) listed below from the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (also known as Malankara Syrian Catholic Church Malankara Syriac Catholic Church) This is a list of Bishops of Făgăraş and Alba Julia listed below in Romanian Catholic Church United with Rome. The Romanian Church United with Rome Greek-Catholic (Biserica Română Unită cu Roma Greco-Catolică is an Eastern Rite or Greek-Catholic Church ranked as a Major Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, SDB (born 2 December 1934) is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. Dicastery (from Greek δικαστήριον, law-court from δικάστης, judge/juror is an Italicism sometimes used in English to refer to the An episcopal see is the ecclesiastical domain of authority of a Bishop. As a whole, the cardinals make up the College of Cardinals which advises the pope, and those cardinals under the age of 80 at the death of a pope elect his successor. The College of Cardinals (verbose Sacred College of the Holy Roman Church, Sancta Romana Ecclesia, S A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect the Pope (or Bishop of Rome) who is considered by Catholics to be the Successor

The cardinalate is not an integral part of the theological structure of the Catholic Church, but largely an honorific distinction that has its origins in the 1059 assignation of the right of electing the Pope exclusively to the principal clergy of Rome and the bishops of the seven suburbicarian dioceses. The seven suburbicarian dioceses are Roman Catholic Dioceses located in the Suburbs that surround Rome, reserved for the highest order of Because of their resulting importance, the term "cardinal" (from Latin "cardo," meaning "hinge") was applied to them. In the twelfth century the practice of appointing ecclesiastics from outside Rome as cardinals began. Each cardinal is still assigned a church in Rome as his "titular church" or is linked with one of the suburbicarian dioceses. Of these sees, the Dean of the College of Cardinals holds that of Ostia, while keeping his preceding link with one of the other six sees. The Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals is the President of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, and as such always holds the rank The Bishop of Ostia is the ecclesiastical head of the Catholic Diocese of Ostia, one of the seven Suburbicarian sees of Rome Traditionally, only six cardinals held the rank of Cardinal Bishop, but when Eastern patriarchs are made cardinals, they too hold the rank of Cardinal Bishop, without being assigned a suburbicarian see, still less a church in Rome. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. The other cardinals have the rank either of Cardinal Priest or Cardinal Deacon, the former rank being normally assigned to bishops in charge of dioceses, and the latter to officials of the Curia and to priests raised to the cardinalate. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church.

Since a reform by Pope Paul VI a priest who has been nominated a cardinal is required to be ordained a bishop. Pope (In previous centuries there were cases of cardinals who only had minor orders. The minor orders are the lowest ranks in the Christian clergy. ) Very few such priests have asked for and obtained dispensation from this recent requirement; Avery Cardinal Dulles, SJ, and Albert Cardinal Vanhoye, SJ, are recent examples. Avery Dulles SJ (born August 24, 1918) is a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and currently the Laurence J The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order Albert Vanhoye, SJ (born July 23, 1923 at Hazebrouck France) is a priest of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits and

Primates

The Latin-Rite title of Primate has in some countries been granted to the bishop of a particular (usually metropolitan) see. Primate (from the Latin Primus, "first" is a title or rank bestowed on some Bishops in certain Christian churches It once involved authority over all the other sees in the country or region, but now involves no more than a "prerogative of honor", except in special cases. ^[34] Today, Primates are usually designated to an archbishop or bishop who serves with the first diocese created within the country, or an archbishop/bishop who serves with the oldest diocese within the country. Exceptions exist, such as in Poland, where the Primate is the archbishop of the oldest archdiocese (Gniezno, founded in 1000), and not the oldest diocese (Poznań, founded in 968). Ever since Poland officially adopted Latin Christianity in 966, the Catholic Church has played an important religious cultural and political role in the country See also Archcathedral Basilica of St Peter and St Paul Poznań

Metropolitans

A Latin-Rite Metropolitan is the bishop of the principal (the "metropolitan") see of an ecclesiastical province composed of several dioceses. In Hierarchical Christian churches the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the Diocesan bishop or An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government so named by analogy with a secular Province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian The metropolitan receives a pallium from the pope as a symbol of his office. This article refers to the religious garment called a "pallium" The metropolitan bishop has limited oversight authority over the suffragan dioceses in their province, including ensuring that the faith and ecclesiastical discipline are properly observed. In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. ^[35] He also has the power to name a diocesan administrator for a vacant suffragan see if the diocesan council of consultors fails to properly elect one. A vicar capitular is a provisional Ordinary of a Roman Catholic Particular church. Sede vacante is the vacancy of the Episcopal see of a Particular church in the Canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. ^[36] His diocesan tribunal additionally serves by default ecclesiastical court of appeal for suffragans (court of second instance),^[37] and the metropolitan has the option of judging those appeals personally. Court of Appeal, Court of Appeals, and Appellate Division redirect here for a list of specific courts using those titles see Court of Appeal ^[38]

Eastern-Rite Metropolitans in patriarchal or major archiepiscopal churches have a similar level of authority as Latin-Rite metropolitans, subject to the specific laws and customs of their sui iuris church. ^[39] Eastern Rite Metropolitans who head a metropolitan sui iuris church have much greater authority within their church, although it is less than that of a major archbishop or patriarch. ^[40]

All Metropolitans have the title of Archbishop, and the metropolitan see is referred to as an archdiocese or archeparchy, a title held not only by the 525 metropolitan sees but also by 76 other sees. In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated Bishop. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and others this means that they lead In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop.

Archbishops

The title of archbishop is held not only by bishops who head metropolitan sees, but also by those who head archdioceses that are not metropolitan sees (most of these are in Europe and the Levant^[41]). See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the In addition, it is held by certain other bishops, referred to as "Titular Archbishops" (see "Other Bishops" below) who have been given no longer extant archdioceses as their titular sees – many of these serve in administrative or diplomatic posts, for instance as papal nuncios or secretaries of curial congregations. Nuncio is an ecclesiastical Diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word Nuntius, meaning "envoy A congregation is a type of Dicastery (department with a jurisdiction of the Roman Curia, the central administrative organism of the Catholic Church. The bishop of a non-archiepiscopal see may be given the personal title of archbishop without also elevating his see (such a bishop is known as an archbishop ad personam), though this practice has seen significantly reduced usage since the Second Vatican Council. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church.

Diocesan Bishops

The Bishop or Eparch of any see, even if he does not also hold a title such as Archbishop, Metropolitan, Major Archbishop, Patriarch or Pope, is the centre of unity for his diocese or eparchy, and, as a member of the College of Bishops, shares in responsibility for governance of the whole Church (cf. In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. Eparchy is an Anglicized Greek word authentically Latinized as eparchia and loosely translating as 'rule over something' but has the following Catechism of the Catholic Church, 886). The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the twenty-two As each local particular Church is an embodiment of the whole Catholic Church, not just an administrative subdivision of something larger, the bishop who is its head is not a delegate of the Pope. Instead, he has of himself primary teaching, governance and sanctifying responsibility for the see for which he has been ordained bishop.

Within each diocese, even if the Eucharist is celebrated by another bishop, the necessary communion with the Bishop of the diocese is signified by the mention of his name. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those In Eastern-Rite eparchies the name of the patriarch, major archbishop or metropolitan is also mentioned, because these also have direct responsibility within all the eparchies of the particular Church in question. For the same reason, every Catholic celebration of the Eucharist has a mention of the Pope by name.

Ordination to the episcopate is the fullness of the priesthood and the completion of the sacrament of Holy Orders. The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church includes both the orders of bishops and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. In a general sense the term Holy Orders refers to those in the Christian religion who have been ordained in Apostolic Succession. Bishops are considered the successors of the apostles.

Other Bishops

A Diocesan Bishop may have Assistant Bishops. The Coadjutor Bishop of a see has the right of succession on the death or resignation of the Diocesan Bishop, and, if the see is an archdiocese, holds the title of Archbishop. A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop Similarly, a retired Diocesan Bishop keeps his connection with the see to which he was appointed, and is known as Bishop (or Archbishop) Emeritus of that see. Emeritus (ɨˈmɛrɨtəs is an Adjective that is used in the title of a retired Professor, Bishop or other professional On the other hand, an Auxiliary Bishop, who may also hold posts such as vicar general or episcopal vicar, is appointed bishop of a titular see, a see that in the course of history has ceased to exist as an actual jurisdictional unit. See also Bishop (Catholic Church An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a Diocese because A vicar general (often abbreviated VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority A vicar general (often abbreviated VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority A titular see in the Roman Catholic Church is a Diocese or Archdiocese that now exists in title only

The titular sees - which may be metropolitan, archiepiscopal or simply episcopal - assigned to such bishops were once known as sees in partibus infidelium, because they were situated in areas lost to Christianity as a result of Muslim conquests. Now former sees even in Christian countries are assigned as titular sees. These sees are also assigned to bishops who serve in the Roman Curia, as Papal Nuncios, or as equivalents of Diocesan Bishops in law (see below), such as Vicars Apostolic and Apostolic Exarchs. The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Roman Catholic Church, together with the Pope Nuncio is an ecclesiastical Diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word Nuntius, meaning "envoy

The term "Titular Bishop" is frequently used for such bishops, but is, strictly speaking, inaccurate, since they are indeed bishops, even if they do not serve the see to which they are appointed, and are not merely holders of an honorary title of bishop. They are members of the College of Bishops as much as the Diocesan Bishops.

In most English-speaking countries, the honorary title prefixed to the name of a bishop is "The Most Reverend". However, in Great Britain and in those countries most strongly influenced by English (not Irish) practice, "The Most Reverend" is reserved for archbishops, and other bishops are called "The Right Reverend".

Positions analogous to that of bishop

Within the Catholic Church the following posts have similarities to that of a diocesan bishop, but are not necessarily held by a bishop.

Equivalents of Diocesan Bishops in law

Canon 368 of the Code of Canon Law lists five Latin-Rite jurisdictional areas that are considered as equivalent to a diocese. These are headed by:

• A Territorial Prelate, formerly called a Prelate nullius dioceseos (of no diocese), in charge of a geographical area that has not yet been raised to the level of diocese
• A Territorial Abbot, in charge of an area, which in mission countries can be quite vast, associated with an abbey
• A Vicar Apostolic (normally a bishop of a titular see), in charge of an apostolic vicariate, usually in a mission country, not yet ready to be made a diocese
• A Prefect Apostolic (usually not a bishop), in charge of an apostolic prefecture, not yet ready to be made an apostolic vicariate
• A Permanent Apostolic Administrator, in charge of a geographical area that for serious reasons cannot be made a diocese. A territorial prelate is in Catholic usage a Prelate whose geographic jurisdiction called territorial prelature, does not belonging to any Diocese A territorial abbot or abbot nullius (short for abbot of an abbey nullius diœceseos, Latin "belonging to no diocese" heads a territorial

To these may be added:

• An Apostolic Exarch or Ordinary for Eastern-Rite Faithful
• A Military Ordinary
• A Personal Prelate, in charge of a group of persons without regard to geography: the only personal prelature existing is that of Opus Dei. This article is about Byzantine governors and ecclesiastical ranks A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction responsible for the pastoral care of Christians serving in the armed forces of a nation A prelate is a high-ranking member of the Clergy who either is an Ordinary or ranks in precedence with ordinaries Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, is a part of the Roman Catholic Church that teaches the Catholic belief that everyone
• An Apostolic Administrator of a Personal Apostolic Administration: only one exists, the Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney
• A Superior of an autonomous mission

Of somewhat similar standing is the Diocesan Administrator (formerly called a Vicar Capitular) elected to govern a diocese during a vacancy. The Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney was established on A mission sui iuris, or in Latin missio sui iuris, also known as an independent mission, is a rare type of Catholic missionary pseudo-diocesan jurisdiction A vicar capitular is a provisional Ordinary of a Roman Catholic Particular church. Apart from certain limitations of nature and law, he has, on a caretaker basis, the same obligations and powers as a Diocesan Bishop (canons 427-429 of the Code of Canon Law). Occasionally an Apostolic Administrator is appointed by the Holy See to run a vacant diocese, or even a diocese whose bishop is incapacitated or otherwise impeded.

Other important titles or functions usually, but not necessarily, held by (arch)bishops include those of Apostolic Delegate, Apostolic Nuncio, Papal Legate, Patriarchal Vicar, Pontifical Delegate. Nuncio is an ecclesiastical Diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word Nuntius, meaning "envoy Nuncio is an ecclesiastical Diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word Nuntius, meaning "envoy A Papal Legate – from the Latin authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the Pope to Foreign nations or to some part of the Catholic A Pontifical Delegate is a cleric who is delegated by the Pope

Presbyterate

Main article: Priesthood (Catholic Church)

Bishops are assisted by priests and deacons. The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church includes both the orders of bishops and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions All priests and deacons are incardinated in a diocese or religious order. Incardination and its antonym Excardination derive from the Latin cardo, a pivot socket or hinge (also the root of cardinal--hence the Latin verbs incardinare Parishes, whether territorial or person-based, within a diocese are normally in the charge of a priest, known as the parish priest or the pastor. A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches

In the Latin Rite or particular Church, only celibate men, as a rule, are ordained as priests, while the Eastern Rites, again as a rule, ordain both celibate and married men. Among the Eastern particular Churches, the Ethiopic Catholic Church ordains only celibate clergy, while also having married priests who were ordained in the Orthodox Church, while other Eastern Catholic Churches, which do ordain married men, do not have married priests in certain countries. The Ethiopian Catholic Church is a Metropolitan Sui iuris Eastern Particular Church within the Catholic Church and uses The Western or Latin Rite does sometimes, but very rarely, ordain married men, usually Protestant clergy who have become Catholics. All Rites of the Catholic Church maintain the ancient tradition that, after ordination, marriage is not allowed. Even a married priest whose wife dies may not then marry again.

The Catholic Church and the ancient Christian Churches see priestly ordination as a sacrament dedicating the person ordained to a permanent relationship of service, and, like Baptism and Confirmation, having an ontological effect on the person. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active It is for this reason that a person may be ordained to each of the three orders only once. They also consider that priestly ordination can be conferred only on males.

Priests in service outside their diocese

Although priests are incardinated into a diocese or order, they may obtain the permission of their diocesan ordinary or religious superior to serve outside the normal jurisdiction of the diocese or order. These assignments may be temporary or more permanent in nature.

Temporary assignments may include studying for an advanced degree at a Pontifical University in Rome. A pontifical university is a Roman Catholic University established by and directly under the authority of the Holy See. They may also include short-term assignments to the faculty of a seminary located outside the diocese's territory. A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is a specialized and often live-in Higher education institution for the purpose of instructing students

Long-term assignments include serving the universal church on the staff of a dicastery or tribunal of the Roman Curia or in the diplomatic corps of the Holy See. Dicastery (from Greek δικαστήριον, law-court from δικάστης, judge/juror is an Italicism sometimes used in English to refer to the The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Roman Catholic Church, together with the Pope They may also be appointed the rector or to long-term teaching assignments to the faculty of a seminary or Catholic university. The word rector ("ruler" from the Latin regere and Rector meaning "Teacher" In Latin has a number of different meanings but all of them indicate an academic Priests may also serve on the staff of their episcopal conference, as military chaplains in the military ordinariates, or as missionaries. In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the A chaplain is typically a Priest, Pastor, ordained Deacon, Rabbi, Imam or other member of the Clergy serving a group of A missionary is a member of a Religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith someone who proselytizes.

Positions within a diocese at diocesan level

The diocesan bishop appoints a vicar general to assist him in the governance of the diocese. A vicar general (often abbreviated VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority Usually, only one vicar general is appointed; particularly large dioceses may have more than one vicar general. (canon 475 of the Code of Canon Law) A Diocesan Bishop can also appoint one or more episcopal vicars for the diocese. A vicar general (often abbreviated VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority They have the same ordinary power as a vicar general, however, it is limited to a specified division of the diocese, to a specific type of activity, to the faithful of a particular rite, or to certain groups of people. (canon 476 of the Code of Canon Law) Vicars General and Episcopal Vicars may be priests or bishops. In the Eastern Catholic Churches, they are called Protosyncelli and Syncelli (canon 191 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches).

Diocesan bishops are required to appoint a judicial vicar to whom is delegated the bishop's ordinary power to judge cases (canon 1420 of the Code of Canon Law, canon 191 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches). In the Latin church, the judicial vicar is also called officialis. An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it in an Organisation or The person holding this post must be a priest, have earned a doctorate in canon law (or at least a license), be at least thirty years old, and, unless the smallness of the diocese or the limited number of cases suggests otherwise, must not be the vicar general. Doctor of Canon Law ( Latin: Juris Canonici Doctor; JCD) is the Doctoral -level Terminal degree in the studies of The verb license or grant license means to give permission The noun license is the document demonstrating that permission As one of the jobs of the judicial vicar is to preside over collegiate tribunals, many dioceses have adjutant judicial vicars who can preside over collegiate tribunals in place of the judicial vicar and must have the same qualifications.

The diocesan bishop appoints a chancellor, possibly a vice-chancellor, and notaries to the diocesan chancery. Chancellor or chancellour (archaic ( Latin: cancellarius) is an official Title used in countries whose civilization has arisen These officials maintain the records and archives of the diocese. They also serve as the secretaries of the diocesan curia. A Curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people i The bishop also appoints a finance officer and a finance council to oversee the budget, temporal goods, income, and expenses of the diocese.

The bishop also appoints priests and other members of the faithful various advisory bodies. Thess includes the college of consultors (who elect the diocesan administrator in the event of the vacancy of the see), the presbyteral council, the diocesan synod, and the pastoral council. A consultor is one who gives council ie a counselor In the Catholic Church, it is a specific title for various advisory positions in the Roman Curia A vicar capitular is a provisional Ordinary of a Roman Catholic Particular church. A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application

Vicars Forane or Deans

"The Vicar Forane known also as the Dean or the Archpriest or by some other title, is the priests who is placed in charge of a vicariate forane" (canon 553 of the Code of Canon Law), namely of a group of parishes within a diocese. "Forane" redirects here For the veterinary anesthetic see Isoflurane. A dean, in a church context is a Cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy Unlike a regional Episcopal Vicar, a Vicar Forane acts as a help for the Parish Priests and other priests in the vicariate forane, rather than as an intermediate authority between them and the Diocesan Bishop.

Pastors

"The parish priest or pastor is the proper pastor of the parish entrusted to him. A pastor is an official person within a Protestant group of people and related to the positions of Priest or Bishop within the Anglican, Roman Catholic He exercises the pastoral care of the community entrusted to him under the authority of the Diocesan Bishop, whose ministry of Christ he is called to share, so that for this community he may carry out the offices of teaching, sanctifying and ruling with the cooperation of other priests or deacons and with the assistance of lay members of the Christian faithful, in accordance with the law" (canon 519 of the Code of Canon Law).

For lack of priests, sometimes a parish may be entrusted for a time, short or long, to a priest who is not its Parish Priest or Pastor, or to a deacon or a religious, male or female, or even to a lay person. These do not thereby become the Pastor of the parish.

Parochial Vicars

"Whenever it is necessary or opportune for the due pastoral care of the parish, one or more Assistant Priests can be joined with the Parish Priest. As cooperators with the Parish Priest and sharers in his concern, they are, by common counsel and effort with the Parish Priest and under his authority, to labour in the pastoral ministry" (canon 545 of the Code of Canon Law). In some English-speaking countries, Parochial Vicars are called Associate Pastors or Assistant Priests.

Honorary titles

The honorary title of Monsignor may be conferred by the Pope upon a diocesan priest (not a member of a religious institute) at the request of the priest's bishop. Monsignor, pl monsignori is the form of address for those members of the Clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain Ecclesiastical The priest so honored is considered to be a member of the papal household. The Prefecture for the of the Pontifical Household or Papal Household, formerly known as Maestro di Camera del Papa is an office of the Roman Curia. The title goes with any of the following three awards:

• Chaplain of His Holiness (called Papal Chamberlain until a 1969 reform),^[42] the lowest level, distinguished by purple buttons and trim on the black cassock, with a purple sash. The cassock, an item of Clerical clothing, is a long close-fitting ankle-length Robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox
• Honorary Prelate (until 1969 called Domestic Prelate), the middle level, distinguished by red buttons and trim on the black cassock, with a purple sash, and by choir dress that includes a purple cassock.
• Protonotary Apostolic, the highest level, with the same dress as that of an Honorary Prelate, except that the non-obligatory purple silk cape known as a ferraiuolo may be worn also.

In some dioceses, priests serving as vicars general are also given the honorary title of Monsignor. This is true even if they have not been appointed to the papal household.

Some of the Eastern Catholic Churches of Syriac tradition use the title Chorbishop, roughly equivalent to the Western title of Monsignor. A chorbishop is a rank of Christian clergy below Bishop. The name chorepiscope or chorepiscopus (pl chorepiscopi) is taken from the Other Eastern Catholic Churches bestow the honorific title of Archimandrite upon unmarried priests as a mark of respect or gratitude for their services. The title Archimandrite ( Greek: - archimandrites) primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches Married presbyters may be honored with the position of Archpriest, which permits the priest to wear a mitre. "Forane" redirects here For the veterinary anesthetic see Isoflurane.

Diaconate

Deacons are ordained ministers of the Church who are co-workers with the bishop alongside presbyters, but are intended to focus on the ministries of direct service and outreach rather than pastoral leadership. Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions They are usually related to a parish, where they have a liturgical function as the ordinary minister of the Gospel and the Prayers of the Faithful, They may preach homilies, and in the Roman rite, may preside at non-Eucharistic liturgies such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals. This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, and in the Eastern Orthodox Church The liturgical rite of the Church of Rome is called the Roman Rite. In the Eastern Catholic Churches, in the absence of a priest, deacons do not vest and may only lead services as a reader, never presiding at weddings or funerals. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See

They may be seminarians preparing for ordination to the priesthood, "transitional deacons"; or they may be "permanent deacons", not intending to be ordained as priests. In the Roman Catholic church a transitional deacon is a celibate man who has been ordained a Deacon and who intends to become a Priest Deacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind but which varies among theological and denominational traditions To be ordained deacons, the latter must be at least 25 years old, if unmarried; if married, a prospective deacon must be at least 35 years old and have the consent of his wife. In the Latin rites, married deacons are permanent deacons.

Archdeacons

The office of vicar general, currently held by bishops or priests, was originally the role of the chief deacon of a diocese, known as the archdeacon. A position of archdeacon is a senior position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, and in some other Christian denominations above that of most

Subdeacons

One of the 'minor orders' suppressed in the Roman Catholic Church, the order of subdeacon is still used in some of the Eastern Catholic Churches and in traditional Catholic groups. The minor orders are the lowest ranks in the Christian clergy. The liturgical rite of the Church of Rome is called the Roman Rite. Subdeacon (or sub-deacon is a title used in various branches of Christianity. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical

The Laity

Most of the people of God are the laity, those Christians whose primary vocation is to bring the gospel message "into the world". The origin of the term "laity" comes from the Greek "Laos theon" meaning "people of God". While the role of the laity is primarily focused extrinsic to the structure of the church, they do have a responsibility to cooperate in the governance of the church through various means.

Lay Ecclesial Ministers

Lay Ecclesial Ministers are people who are not ordained (and so considered "lay") but who have a vocation to ecclesial ministry more similar to that of deacons and priests than to that of most laity (and so considered "ecclesial ministers"). Lay Ecclesial Ministry is the relatively new category of pastoral ministers in the Catholic Church who serve the Church but are not ordained These are people who often serve as chaplains, campus minsters, pastoral associates, and may even serve as de facto pastor of a parish (often called Pastoral Life Director, Pastoral Coordinator, or similar) when a qualified priest is not available.

Lay Ministry/Lay Apostolate

Lay Ministry refers to all the work of the laity whose primary vocation is not in the ecclesial structure of the church but who may serve in a single ministry to build up the life of the church. This can include Catechists, acolytes, lectors, initiation sponsors, pastoral care ministers, and members of parish and diocesean consultative bodies.

The consultative leadership of the church, in both the diocese and the parish, usually comprises a Pastoral Council and a Finance Council, as well as several Commissions usually focusing on major aspects of the church's life and mission, such as Faith Formation or Christian Education, Liturgy, Social Justice, Ecumenism, or Stewardship.

Religious

Also belonging to the laity are the "religious", persons that dedicate themselves to God in the Consecrated life (commonly referred to as the "religious life", or "monastic life"), whether living in community or as a consecrated hermit, consecrated virgin or consecrated widow/widower (see main article Consecrated life). The Consecrated Life in the Christian tradition especially the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Anglican Church and to some extent other Christian denominations The Consecrated Life in the Christian tradition especially the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Anglican Church and to some extent other Christian denominations The Consecrated Life in the Christian tradition especially the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Anglican Church and to some extent other Christian denominations

See also

• Anglican ministry

References

External links

• Explanations of the hierarchy
  • Book II: The People of God Liber II. De Populo Dei, Part II: The Hierarchical Constitution from the Code of Canon Law on the Holy See official website
  • Catholic Encyclopedia "hierarchy" article

• Directory of officials
  • Catholic-Hierarchy.org. This article refers to hierarchy in the Catholic Church. For hierarchy in other communions with a "catholic" character please see articles on the churches Canon Law, the Ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system with all the necessary elements courts lawyers judges a fully articulated The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic This is an online database of bishops and dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church. A Computer Database is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. It contains geographical, organizational and address information on each Catholic diocese in the world, including Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with the Holy See, such as the Maronite Catholic Church or the Syro-Malabar Church. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See Full communion is a term used in Christian Ecclesiology to describe the relationship of communion, with mutually recognized sharing of the same essential The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Maronites ( الموارنة,, Syriac: ܡܪܘܢܝܐ, Latin: Ecclesia Maronitarum) are members of one of the Syriac The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is a Chaldean Rite Major Archiepiscopal Church in Full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. It also gives biographical information on current and previous bishops of each diocese, such as dates of birth, ordinations and (when applicable) death. In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies Not officially sanctioned by the church, the website is run as a private project by David M. Cheney in Kansas City. For the sources used by Cheney in his compilation, see http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/sources.html.
  • Giga-Catholic

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