Parsi Navjote ceremony of admission into the Zoroastrian faith

Priestess of the Egyptian goddess Isis, a religious cult that survived until the 600s A. The Navjote or Sedreh pushi ceremony is the Zoroastrian ritual in which an individual is inducted into the religion Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Isis is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and is celebrated in their mythology as the ideal mother and wife patron of nature and magic friend of slaves sinners D. , Roman statue of the second century A. D. in Museo Archaeologico Regionale, Palermo, Sicily

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. Their office or position is the priesthood, a term which may also apply to such persons collectively.

Priests and priestesses have been known since the earliest of times and in the simplest societies. They exist in some branches of Christianity, Shintoism, Hinduism, and many other religions, as well, and are generally regarded as having good contact with the deities of the religion to which he or she ascribes, often interpreting the meaning of events, performing the rituals of the religion, and to whom other believers often will turn for advice on spiritual matters. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings is the native religion of Japan and was once its State religion. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always

In many religions, being a priest or priestess is a full-time assignment, ruling out any other career. In other cases it is an auxiliary role. For example in early Icelandic history the chieftains were entitled goði, a word which meant "priest", but as in the saga of Hrafnkell Freysgoði, this consisted merely of offering periodic sacrifices to the Norse gods and goddesses, and it was not a full time occupation, nor did it involve any special training or ordination. This article is about the history of Iceland and the areas comprising modern day Iceland. The sagas (from Icelandic saga, plural sögur) are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history about early Viking voyages Hrafnkels saga ( is one of the Icelanders' sagas. It tells of struggles between chieftains and farmers in the east of Iceland in the 10th century In some religions, priesthood is a position inherited in familial lines.

The term, priestess, often is used for women officiating in ancient religious temples and oracles and, in some cultures, they would have preceded priests until later traditions emerged. An oracle is a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinion an Infallible authority usually spiritual in nature

Women officiating in modern Paganism, Neopagan religions such as Wicca, and various Polytheistic Reconstructionism faiths are referred to as priestesses, however, in contemporary Christian churches that ordain women, such as those of the Anglican Communion or the Christian Community, ordained women simply are called, priests. Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an Umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements particularly those influenced by historical Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches The Christian Community (German) is a Christian Denomination.

Those officiating in Judaism, both men and women, are called Rabbi. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master

Ancient religions

Although the historical records are fragmentary and archaeological artifacts are sometimes difficult to interpret without written records, the earliest historical records, those of Egypt indicate that the fertility cults were officiated by women for a great length of time before priests are evident.

Priestess from Crete,
dated 1600 BC

Even into historical times there were cult centers officiated by priestesses for Isis as far away as in Brittan, transplanted by Romans and Greeks into the 600s A. Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the D.

A similar situation seems to prevail in other Mediterranean cultures. Those of Crete show priestesses almost exclusively in what appear to be ceremonial rituals. Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the

The Ancient Greeks recorded the predominance of priestesses in certain cults such as for Athene even after the major cultural change to male deities. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca ATHENA was an Antimatter research project that took place at the AD Ring at CERN. Their early myths relate many mystery cults that involved large numbers of women as participants. Once the paternalistic religions of the east dominated the religions of Greece, however, the oldest oracles remained officiated by a priestess.

The religious practices of the Romans passed through similar phases and also retained the vestiges of the past at their oracles and with the Vestal Virgins retaining their official status without change. 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 Vestigiality describes homologous characters of Organisms which have lost all or most of their original function in a species through

The Yoruba people of western Nigeria practice a indigenous religion with a religious hierarchy of priests and priestesses that dates to A. D. 800-1000. Ifa priests and priestesses bear the titles Babalowo for men and Iyanifa for females. Priests and priestess of the varied Orisha are titled Babalorisa for men and Iyalorisa for women. An Orisha (also spelled Orisa or Orixa) is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare (God in the Yoruba spiritual Initiates are also given an Orisa or Ifa name that signifies under which deity they are initiated. For example a Priestess of Oshun may be named Osunyemi and a Priest of Ifa may be named Ifayemi. (or Oshun) (ɔʃún in Yoruba mythology, is a spirit - Goddess ( Orisha) who reigns over love intimacy beauty wealth and diplomacy This ancient culture continues to this day as initiates from all around the world return to Nigeria for initiation into the traditional priesthood.

In Judaism

In Judaism, the Kohanim (singular כּהן kohen, plural כּהנִים kohanim, whence the family names Cohen, Cahn, Kahn, Kohn, Kogan, etc. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן "priest" pl כּהנִים kohanim or cohanim) has a separate status in Judaism. ) are hereditary priests through paternal descent. These families are from the tribe of the Levi'im (Levites) (whence the family names Levy, Levi, Levin, Lewin, Lewis, etc. In the Jewish tradition a Levite ( is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. ), and are traditionally accepted as the descendants of Aaron. This article is about Aaron the Levite in the Hebrew Bible, the Qu'ran, and other sources

The position of a Kohen's hands when he raises them to bless a Jewish congregation

During the times of the two Jewish Temples in Jerusalem, they were responsible for daily and special Jewish holiday offerings and sacrifices within the temples known as the korbanot. A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן "priest" pl כּהנִים kohanim or cohanim) has a separate status in Judaism. The Priestly Blessing, (ברכת כהנים translit Birkat Kohanim) also known in Hebrew as Nesiat Kapayim, ( lit. Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name For the Gregorian dates of Jewish Holidays see Jewish holidays 2000-2050. Korban ( Hebrew: "sacrifice" קרבן (plural Korbanot קרבנות in Judaism, is the term for a variety of sacrificial offerings

Since the demise of the Second Temple, and therefore the cessation of the daily and seasonal temple ceremonies and sacrifices, Kohanim in traditional Judaism (Orthodox Judaism and to some extent, Conservative Judaism) have continued to perform a number of priestly ceremonies and roles such as the Pidyon HaBen (redemption of a first-born son) ceremony and the Priestly Blessing, and have remained subject, particularly in Orthodox Judaism, to a number of special rules, including restrictions on marriage, ritual purity, and other requirements. The Second Temple (בית המקדש romanized 'Beit HaMikdash' meaning 'Holy House' was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem which stood between 516 BCE and 70 CE A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן "priest" pl כּהנִים kohanim or cohanim) has a separate status in Judaism. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized Conservative Judaism (also known as Masorti Judaism in Israel and Europe) is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out Pidyon HaBen, (פדיון הבן trans Redemption of the Son) is a ritual in Judaism whereby a firstborn son is redeemed from a Kohen in order The Priestly Blessing, (ברכת כהנים translit Birkat Kohanim) also known in Hebrew as Nesiat Kapayim, ( lit. Orthodox Judaism regards the Kohanim as being held in reserve for a future restored Temple. This article is about a potential but unbuilt future temple For Herod the Great 's massive renovation of the Second Temple see Herod's Temple. In all branches of Judaism, Rabbis do not perform such priestly roles as propitiation, sacrifice, or sacrament. Rather, a Rabbi's principal religious function is to serve as an authoritative judge and expositor of Jewish law. Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law Rabbis have also generally come to perform clerical and social leadership roles such as congregational leadership and pastoral counseling. Judaism does not, however, reserve such roles to rabbis.

In Christianity

Two different Greek words have traditionally been translated into English as priest (Greek was the language in which the New Testament was composed, hence its importance in understanding early Christian practice). Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Both words occur in the New Testament, which draws a distinction not always observed in English. The first, presbyteros (Ancient Greek: πρεσβύτερος), Latinized as presbyter, is traditionally translated priest and the English word priest is indeed etymologically derived from this word; literally, however, this word means elder, and is used in neutral and non-religious contexts in Greek to refer to seniority or relative age. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations then a synonym of episkopos (which has now come to mean Bishop Etymology is the study of the History of Words &mdash when they entered a language from what source and how their form and meaning have changed over time It is the term used in Anglicanism, Catholicism, and Orthodoxy to refer to one given the sacrament of Holy Orders in that degree.

A Roman Catholic priest, Saint Josemaría Escrivá, celebrating Mass. Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (January 9 1902 &ndash June 26 1975 (also known as José María or Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albás, born The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church.

The second word, hiereus (Ancient Greek: ιερεύς), Latin sacerdos, refers to priests who offer sacrifice, such as the priesthood of the Jewish Temple, or the priests of pagan gods. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world The New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews draws a distinction between the Jewish priesthood and that of Christ; it teaches that the sacrificial atonement by Jesus Christ on Calvary has made the Jewish priesthood redundant. The Epistle to the Hebrews (abbr Heb for Citations is one of the books in the New Testament. Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " The atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) "Golgotha" redirects here For other uses see Golgotha (disambiguation. Thus, for Christians, Christ himself is uniquely hiereus. Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, and Anglicans (especially Anglo-Catholics) therefore, believe that priests and bishops share in the one priesthood of Christ through the sacrament of Holy Orders, and are empowered to offer the one sacrifice of Jesus in the Eucharist which, as the Book of Hebrews says, is offered "once for all" (Hebrews 10:10), being identical with the very sacrifice of the Cross: the Mass, or Divine Liturgy, as the Eucharistic celebration is known, is therefore literally a re-presentation (making present again) of Christ's single sacrifice. The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism (or sometimes possibly incorrectly High Church &mdashsee below describe people A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those The Epistle to the Hebrews (abbr Heb for Citations is one of the books in the New Testament. The Christian cross is the best-known Religious symbol of Christianity. According to this theology, Christ himself is both the Priest and the Sacrifice. The priest does not offer Christ again in sacrifice; but rather, in the Eucharist, the Church mystically enters into that same sacrifice that was made once for all on Golgotha. "Golgotha" redirects here For other uses see Golgotha (disambiguation. Only in this sense is the priest also a sacerdos (sacrificer), and so the term appears in works of theology but is not the usual term now used for the office. These faiths teach that through the offering of the Eucharist, the priest who celebrates and the congregation which is present participate in Christ's redemptive work, for themselves, for the good of the Church, and for the whole world.

Some clergy and religious, such as these, who are Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross and live in the Netherlands, wear distinctive clothing which distinguishes them from other clergy, whether secular or religious

At some point in the late first century or early second century of the Christian era, Greek-speaking Christians began using hierós 'holy (person)' to refer first to bishops, and then by extension to the presbyters under them, but still drawing a distinction between the Jewish priesthood, pagan priesthoods, and the one priesthood of Christ. The Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross, commonly called Crosiers are a Roman Catholic religious order. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight The Didache, for example, refers to "prophets" (13:3) as "high priests" (and later stating, in 15:2, that "bishops" are functionally equivalent to prophets, thus extending the term "priest" to them as well). The Didache ( Koine Greek:, Didachē, meaning "Teaching" ˈdɪdəkiː in English ðiðaˈxi in Modern Greek) is the common name of a brief The Letter of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians, written in the late First Century CE, draws an analogy between the ministry of the Jewish priests and Christian bishops. Saint The usual term for bishop, however, is episcopus, the Latin word from which the English "bishop" is derived, and which is itself derived from the Greek word επίσκοπος, epískopos, "overseer" or "supervisor. " In Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Anglicanism, and associated Churches, the terms "presbyter" and "priest" (both words are ultimately derived from LL presbyter, from the Greek πρεσβύτερος, presbýteros, "elder") are thus virtually interchangeable (although bishops, obviously, are also included in this concept of priesthood). The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Independent Catholic Churches are Christian denominations (or congregations) which claim apostolic succession Vulgar Latin (in Latin sermo vulgaris, "folk speech" is a Blanket term covering the popular Dialects and Sociolects of the Latin Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Priests, like deacons, are clergymembers and can only be ordained by a bishop. 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 Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. An Orthodox priest's wife is called presbytéra, while a deacon's wife bears no special title.

Roman Catholic and Orthodox

Main article: Priesthood (Catholic Church)

Eastern Orthodox priest wearing epitrachelion (stole) and epimanikia (cuffs), Mtskheta, Republic of Georgia. The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church includes both the orders of bishops and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world The Epitrachelion (from the Greek, "around the neck" often called simply a stole in casual English-language usage is the liturgical Vestment Epimanikia (singular epimanikion) are liturgical Vestments of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches. Mtskheta (მცხეთა one of the oldest cities of the country of Georgia (in Kartli province of Eastern Georgia is located approximately 20 kilometers northeast Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between

The most significant liturgical acts reserved to priests in these traditions are the administration of the Sacraments (known as the "Sacred Mysteries" by Eastern Christians), including the celebration of the Mass or Divine Liturgy (the terms for the celebration of the Eucharist in the Western and Eastern traditions, respectively), and the Sacrament of Penance, also called Confession. A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those The confession of one's Sins is a religious practice important to many faiths e The confession of one's Sins is a religious practice important to many faiths e The sacraments of Anointing of the Sick (Unction) and Confirmation or Chrismation are also administered by priests, though in the Western tradition Confirmation is most often celebrated by a bishop. Anointing of the Sick is distinguished from other forms of religious Anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning in that it is intended as its name Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for Chrismation is the name given in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight In the East, Chrismation is performed by the priest immediately after Baptism, and Unction is normally performed by several priests (ideally seven), but may be done by one if necessary. In the West, Holy Baptism can be celebrated by anyone and Matrimony may be witnessed by a deacon, but most often these are also normally administered by a priest. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** In the East, Holy Baptism and Marriage (which is called "Crowning") may only be performed by a priest. If a person is baptized in extremis (i. e. , when in fear of immediate death), only the actual threefold immersion together with the scriptural words (Matthew 28:19) may be done by a layperson or deacon. The remainder of the rite, and Chrismation, must still be done by a Priest, if the person survives. The only sacrament which may only be celebrated by a bishop is that of Ordination (cheirotonia, "Laying-on of Hands"), or Holy Orders. 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

Roman Catholic priests in clerical clothing, Vienna, 2005

In these traditions, only men who meet certain requirements may become priests. Clerical clothing is non- liturgical Clothing worn exclusively by Clergy. Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. In Roman Catholicism the canonical minimum age is twenty-five. Canon law is internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Anglican Communion of churches Bishops may dispense with this rule and ordain men up to one year younger. Dispensations of more than a year are reserved to the Holy See (Can. 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 1031 §§1, 4. ) A Catholic priest must be incardinated by his bishop or his major religious superior in order to engage in public ministry. 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 In Orthodoxy, the normal minimum age is thirty (Can. 9 of Neocaesarea) but a bishop may dispense with this if needed. In neither tradition may priests marry after ordination. In Roman Catholic Church, priests in the Latin Rite, which covers the vast majority of Roman Catholicism, must be celibate except under special rules for married clergy converting from certain other Christian confessions. Clerical celibacy is the practice in various religious traditions, in which Clergy, Monastics and those (of either sex in religious orders adopt a ^[1][2] Married men may become priests in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches but in neither case may they marry after ordination, even if they become widowed. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See It is also important to note that candidates for the episcopacy are only chosen from among the celibate.

Anglican or Episcopalian

The role of a priest in the Anglican Communion is largely the same as within the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Christianity, save that Canon Law in almost every Province of Anglicanism restricts the administration of confirmation to the bishop, just as with ordination. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about Canon law is internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Anglican Communion of churches Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight 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 Whilst Anglican priests who are members of religious orders must remain celibate, the secular clergy (bishops, priests, and deacons who are not members of religious orders) are permitted to marry before or after ordination. A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion usually Celibacy refers to the lack of participation in Sexual intercourse. In the Catholic Church, secular clergy are religious ministers such as deacons and priests who do not belong to a religious order. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight 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 Anglican Church, unlike the Roman Catholic or Eastern Christian traditions, has allowed the ordination of women as priests in some provinces since the late 20th Century. Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about The twentieth century of the Common Era began on This practice remains controversial, however, and a number of provinces retain an all-male priesthood. As Anglicanism represents a broad range of theological opinion, its presbyterate includes priests who consider themselves no different in any respect from those of the Roman Catholic Church, and a minority who prefer to use the title presbyter in order to distance themselves from the more sacrificial theological implications which they associate with the word "priest". Whilst priest is the official title of a member of the presbyterate in every Anglican province worldwide, the ordination rite of certain provinces (including the Church of England) recognizes the breadth of opinion by adopting the title The Ordination of Priests (also called Presbyters). The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican

Protestant

The general priesthood or the priesthood of all believers, is a Christian doctrine derived from several passages of the New Testament. The universal priesthood or the priesthood of all believers, as it would come to be known in the present day is a Christian doctrine believed to be derived from several A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth It is a foundational concept of Protestantism. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. ^[3] It is this doctrine that Martin Luther adduces in his 1520 To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation in order to dismiss the medieval Christian belief that Christians were to be divided into two classes: "spiritual" and "temporal" or non-spiritual. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (An den christlichen Adel deutscher Nation is the first of three tracts written by Martin Luther in 1520

Ordained Protestant clergy often have the title of pastor, minister, etc. 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 Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. 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

Dress

Dress worn by the Vestal Virgins of Ancient Rome. In Ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins ( sacerdos Vestalis) were the virgin Holy female Priests of Vesta, the Goddess of the Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC

The dress of religious workers in ancient times may be demonstrated in frescoes and artifacts from the cultures. The dress is presumed to be related to the customary clothing of the culture, with some symbol of the deity worn on the head or held by the person. Sometimes special colors, materials, or patterns distinguish celebrants, as the white wool veil draped on the head of the Vestal Virgins. In Ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins ( sacerdos Vestalis) were the virgin Holy female Priests of Vesta, the Goddess of the

Priestess officiating before an altar while nude to demonstrate purity, Attic red-figure kylix by Chairias, c. 510-500 BC, Ancient Agora Museum in Athens

Occasionally the celebrants at religious ceremonies shed all clothes in a symbolic gesture of purity. This was often the case in ancient times. An example of this is shown to the left on a Kylix dating from c. 500 BC where a priestess is featured. Modern religious groups tend to avoid such symbolism and some may be quite uncomfortable with the concept.

The retention of long skirts and vestments among many ranks of contemporary priests when they officiate may be interpreted to express the ancient traditions of the cultures from which their religious practices arose. A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped Garment that hangs from the Waist and covers all or part of the Legs In European culture, skirts are usually Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religions especially the Latin Rite and other Roman Catholics

In most Christian traditions, priests wear clerical clothing, a distinctive form of street dress. Clerical clothing is non- liturgical Clothing worn exclusively by Clergy. Even within individual traditions it varies considerably in form, depending on the specific occasion. In Western Christianity, the stiff white clerical collar has become the nearly universal feature of priestly clerical clothing, worn either with a cassock or a clergy shirt. Western Christianity is a term used to cover the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church A clerical collar is a piece of Clerical clothing. It is a Detachable collar that buttons onto a Clergy shirt or rabbat (vest being fastened by two metal 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 Clerical clothing is non- liturgical Clothing worn exclusively by Clergy. The collar may be either a full collar or a vestigial tab displayed through a square cutout in the shirt collar.

Eastern Christian priests mostly retain the traditional dress of two layers of differently cut cassock: the rasson (Greek) or podriasnik (Russian) beneath the outer exorasson (Greek) or riasa (Russian). Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about If a pectoral cross has been awarded it is usually worn with street clothes in the Russian tradition, but not so often in the Greek tradition.

Hindu priest placing garlands on statue of Shiva's bull Nandi. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Nandi ( Sanskrit: नंदी is the bull which Shiva rides and the gate keeper of Shiva in Hindu mythology

Distinctive clerical clothing is less often worn in modern times than formerly, and in many cases it is rare for a priest to wear it when not acting in a pastoral capacity, especially in countries that view themselves as largely secular in nature. There are frequent exceptions to this however, and many priests rarely if ever go out in public without it, especially in countries where their religion makes up a clear majority of the population. Pope John Paul II often instructed Catholic priests and religious to always wear their distinctive (clerical) clothing, unless wearing it would result in persecution or grave verbal attacks. Pope

Christian traditions that retain the title of priest also retain the tradition of special liturgical vestments worn only during services. Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religions especially the Latin Rite and other Roman Catholics Vestments vary widely among the different Christian traditions.

Assistant priest

An assistant priest is a priest in the Anglican and Episcopal churches who is not the senior member of clergy of the parish to which they are appointed, but is nonetheless in priests' orders; there is no difference in function or theology, merely in 'grade' or 'rank'. Some assistant priests have a "sector ministry", that is to say that they specialize in a certain area of ministry within the local church, for example youth work, hospital work, or ministry to local light industry. They may also hold some diocesan appointment part-time. In most (though not all) cases an assistant priest has the legal status of assistant curate, although it should also be noted that not all assistant curates are priests, as this legal status also applies to many deacons working as assistants in a parochial setting. From the Latin curatus (compare Curator) a curate is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'' ''of souls'' of a 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 corresponding term in the Roman Catholic Church is "parochial vicar" - an ordained priest assigned to assist the pastor (Latin: parochus) of a parish in the pastoral care of parishioners. Normally, all pastors are also ordained priests although occasionally an auxiliary bishop will be assigned that role.

See also

General

• Clergy
• Holy Orders

Priestly offices of various religions and denominations

Taoist priestess lighting candles. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. In a general sense the term Holy Orders refers to those in the Christian religion who have been ordained in Apostolic Succession. Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions

Extant

• Brahmin
• Vedic priesthood
• Archpriest
• Hieromonk
• Vicar
• Priesthood (Community of Christ)
• Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)
• Shaman
• Mobad

Historical

• Goði
• Druid
• Oracle
• Vestal Virgin
• Pontifex Maximus
• Flamen
• Hierodule

Issues

"Consulting the Oracle"
by John William Waterhouse, showing eight priestesses in a temple of prophecy

• Presbyterorum Ordinis, decree on the priesthood from the Second Vatican Council
• Ordination of women
• Priest shortage
• Ritualism
• Sacerdotalism

Related

• Priesthood of all believers
• Pastor
• List of fictional clergy and religious figures

References

External links

• Description of the problem of Roman Catholic and Old Catholic reunion with respect to the female priesthood
• 1911 Britannica article on the priesthood
•   "Priest". Catholic Encyclopedia. The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia (1913). New York: Robert Appleton Company.  
• OsunPriestess.com A site by an initiated priestess of Osun, with blogs, documentaries and details about initiating in Nigeria.