Hierarchy of monks. Church ranks in the Orthodox Church. Orders in Orthodoxy

The hierarchy of the Christian church is called the “three-order” because it consists of three main levels:
– diaconate,
- priesthood,
- bishops.
And also, depending on their attitude to marriage and lifestyle, the clergy is divided into “white” - married, and “black” - monastic.

Representatives of the clergy, both “white” and “black,” have their own structures of honorary titles, which are awarded for special services to the church or “for length of service.”

Hierarchical what degree	"Secular clergy	"Black" clergy	Appeal
		Hierodeacon	Father deacon, father (name)
	Protodeacon	Archdeacon	Your Excellency, Father (name)
Priesthood	Priest (priest)	Hieromonk	Your Reverence, Father (name)
	Archpriest
		Abbess	Venerable Mother, Mother (name)
	Protopresbyter	Archimandrite	Your Reverence, Father (name)
Bishopric			Your Eminence, Most Reverend Vladyka, Vladyka (name)
		Archbishop
		Metropolitan	Your Eminence, Most Reverend Vladyka, Vladyka (name)
		Patriarch	Your Holiness, Most Holy Lord

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

Priest(priest) with the authority of his bishops and on their “instructions” can perform all divine services and Sacraments, except for Ordination (Priesthood - Ordination to the priesthood), the consecration of the World (Incense oil) and the antimension (a quadrangular plate made of silk or linen material with sewn-in particles of relics , where the Liturgy is celebrated).
Archpriest- senior priest, the title is given for special merits, is the rector of the temple.
Protopresbyter- the highest title, exclusively honorary, given for special church merits on the initiative and decision of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
Hieromonk- a monk who has the rank of priest.
Abbot- abbot of the monastery, in women's monasteries - abbess.
Archimandrite- monastic rank, given as the highest award to the monastic clergy.
Bishop(guardian, overseer) - not only performs the Sacraments, the Bishop also has the power to teach others through Ordination the grace-filled gift of performing the Sacraments. The bishop is the successor of the apostles, having the grace-filled power to perform all seven sacraments of the Church, receiving in the Sacrament of Ordination the grace of archpastorship - the grace of governing the Church. The episcopal degree of the sacred hierarchy of the church is the highest degree on which all other degrees of the hierarchy (presbyter, deacon) and lower clergy depend. Ordination to the rank of bishop occurs through the Sacrament of the Priesthood. The bishop is elected from the religious clergy and ordained by the bishops.
An archbishop is a senior bishop who oversees several ecclesiastical regions (dioceses).
Metropolitan is the head of a large ecclesiastical region uniting dioceses (metropolis).
Patriarch (forefather, ancestor) is the highest title of the head of the Christian church in the country.
In addition to the sacred ranks in the church, there are also lower clergy (service positions) - altar servers, subdeacons and readers. They are classified as clergy and are appointed to their positions not through Ordination, but by bishop’s or abbot’s blessing.

Altar boy- the name given to a male layman who helps the clergy at the altar. The term is not used in canonical and liturgical texts, but became generally accepted in this meaning by the end of the 20th century. in many European dioceses in the Russian Orthodox Church. The name “altar boy” is not generally accepted. In the Siberian dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church it is not used; instead, a more traditional term is usually used in this meaning sexton, and novice. The sacrament of priesthood is not performed over the altar boy; he only receives a blessing from the rector of the temple to serve at the altar. The responsibilities of the altar server include monitoring the timely and correct lighting of candles, lamps and other lamps in the altar and in front of the iconostasis, preparing the vestments of priests and deacons, bringing prosphora, wine, water, incense to the altar, lighting coal and preparing the censer, giving payment for wiping the lips during Communion, assisting the priest in performing the sacraments and services, cleaning the altar, if necessary, reading during the service and performing the duties of a bell ringer. The altar server is prohibited from touching the throne and its accessories, as well as from moving from one side of the altar to the other between the throne and the Royal Doors. The altar server wears a surplice over lay clothes.

Subdeacon- a clergyman in the Orthodox Church, serving mainly with the bishop during his sacred rites, wearing in front of him in the indicated cases the trikiri, dikiri and ripidas, laying the eagle, washes his hands, vests him and performs some other actions. In the modern Church, a subdeacon does not have a sacred degree, although he wears a surplice and has one of the accessories of the deaconate - an orarion, which he wears crosswise over both shoulders and symbolizes angelic wings. Being the most senior clergyman, the subdeacon is an intermediate link between clergy and clergy. Therefore, the subdeacon, with the blessing of the serving bishop, can touch the throne and the altar during divine services and at certain moments enter the altar through the Royal Doors.

Reader- in Christianity - the lowest rank of clergy, not elevated to the degree of priesthood, reading the texts of the Holy Scriptures and prayers during public worship. In addition, according to ancient tradition, readers not only read in Christian churches, but also interpreted the meaning of difficult-to-understand texts, translated them into the languages ​​of their area, delivered sermons, taught converts and children, sang various hymns (chants), engaged in charity work, had other church obediences. In the Orthodox Church, readers are ordained by bishops through a special rite - hirothesia, otherwise called “ordaining”. This is the first initiation of a layman, only after which can he be ordained as a subdeacon, and then ordained as a deacon, then as a priest and, higher, as a bishop (bishop). The reader has the right to wear a cassock, belt and skufia. During tonsure, a small veil is first put on him, which is then removed and a surplice is put on.
Monasticism has its own internal hierarchy, consisting of three degrees (belonging to them usually does not depend on belonging to one or another hierarchical degree itself): monasticism(Rassophore), monasticism(small schema, small angelic image) and schema(great schema, great angelic image). The majority of modern monastics belong to the second degree - to monasticism proper, or the small schema. Only those monastics who have this particular degree can receive Ordination to the rank of bishop. To the name of the rank of monastics who have accepted the great schema, the particle “schema” is added (for example, “schema-abbot” or “schema-metropolitan”). Belonging to one degree or another of monasticism implies a difference in the level of strictness of monastic life and is expressed through differences in monastic clothing. During monastic tonsure, three main vows are made - celibacy, obedience and non-covetousness (the promise to endure all sorrow and hardship of monastic life), and a new name is assigned as a sign of the beginning of a new life.

In order to get a more detailed understanding of who conducts services in the church or who speaks on television from the Russian Orthodox Church, it is necessary to know exactly what ranks there are in the Church and the Monastery, as well as their hierarchy. We recommend that you read

In the Orthodox world, Church ranks are divided into ranks of white clergy (Rites of the Church) and ranks of black clergy (Monastic ranks).

CHURCH OFFICERS OR WHITE CLERGY

CHURCH OFFICES – ALTARNIK
In the worldly understanding, recently the Church rank of Altarnik has begun to disappear, and instead of it the rank of Sexton or Novice is increasingly mentioned. The tasks of the Altarman include the duties of carrying out the instructions of the rector of the temple; as a rule, such duties include maintaining a candle fire in the temple, lighting lamps and other lighting devices in the altar and iconostasis, they also help the priests put on clothes, bring prosphora, incense to the temple and perform other menial work. The altar boy can be recognized by the fact that he wears a surplice over his secular clothes. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with CHURCH OFFICERS – READER
This is the lowest rank of the church and the reader is not included in the priesthood. The reader's duties include reading sacred texts and prayers during worship. In case of advancement in rank, the reader is ordained subdeacon. CHURCH OFFICES – HYPODIACON
It is something of an intermediate rank between the laity and the clergy. Unlike the readers and altar servers, the subdeacon is allowed to touch the throne and the altar, as well as enter the altar through the royal gate, although the subdeacon is not a clergyman. The duties of this Church rank include assisting the Bishop in Divine services. We recommend that you read CHURCH OFFICES – DEACON
The lowest level of clergy, as a rule, the duties of deacons include helping priests in worship, although they themselves do not have the right to perform public worship and be representatives of the church. Since a priest has the opportunity to perform rituals without a deacon, the number of deacons is currently being reduced, as the need for them is no longer needed. CHURCH OFFICES – PROTODEACON OR PROTODEACON
This rank indicates the chief deacon in cathedrals; as a rule, such a rank is assigned to a deacon after at least 15 years of service and is a special reward for service.

CHURCH OFFICERS – PRIEST
Currently, this rank is held by priests, and is designated as a junior title of priest. Priests, receiving power from bishops, have the right to conduct church ceremonies, teach people the Orthodox faith and perform other sacraments, but at the same time priests are prohibited from conducting ordination as priests. CHURCH OFFICERS – ARCHOPRISH
Practically the same as the priest, with the only exception that the archpriest is, as it were, senior over the priests and is usually the rector of the temple. We recommend that you read CHURCH OFFICES – PROTOPRESTER
The highest Church rank in the white clergy is not, as it were, a separate rank and is awarded only as a reward for the most deserved deeds before the Orthodox faith and is appointed only by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

Monastic orders or black clergy

CHURCH OFFICES – HIERODEACON: He is a monk with the rank of deacon.
CHURCH OFFICES – ARCHIDEACON: He is a senior hierodeacon.
CHURCH OFFICES – HIEROMONCH: He is a monastic priest with the right to perform Orthodox sacraments.
CHURCH OFFICES – IGUMENE: He is the abbot of an Orthodox monastery.
CHURCH OFFICES – ARCHIMADRID: The highest degree in the monastic ranks, but occupying a step lower than bishop.
CHURCH OFFICES – BISHOP: This rank is supervisory and has the third degree of priesthood and can also be called a bishop.
CHURCH OFFICES – METROPOLITAN: The highest title of bishop in the church.
CHURCH OFFICES – PATRIARCH: The most senior rank of the Orthodox Church.

A priest in the Orthodox Church is not just a “priest”. An uninitiated person realizes that there are many degrees of priesthood in the church: it is not for nothing that one Orthodox priest wears a silver cross, another a gold one, and a third one also decorated with beautiful stones. In addition, even a person who does not delve deeply into the Russian church hierarchy knows from fiction that the clergy can be black (monastic) and white (married). But when faced with such Orthodox Christians as an archimandrite, a priest, or a protodeacon, the overwhelming majority of people do not understand what we are talking about and how the listed clergy differ from each other. Therefore, I offer a short overview of the orders of Orthodox clergy, which will help you understand the large number of clergy titles.

Priest in the Orthodox Church - black clergy

Let's start with the black clergy, since monastic Orthodox priests have much more titles than those who have chosen family life.

• Patriarch is the head of the Orthodox Church, the highest ecclesiastical rank. The Patriarch is elected at a local council. A distinctive feature of his vestment is a white headdress (kukol), crowned with a cross, and a panagia (an image of the Virgin Mary decorated with precious stones).
• A metropolitan is the head of a large Orthodox ecclesiastical region (metropolis), which includes several dioceses. Currently, this is an honorary (as a rule, award) rank, immediately following the archbishop. The Metropolitan wears a white hood and panagia.
• An archbishop is an Orthodox clergyman who has been in charge of several dioceses. Currently a reward. The archbishop can be distinguished by his black hood, decorated with a cross, and a panagia.
• A bishop is the head of an Orthodox diocese. He differs from the archbishop in that there is no cross on his hood. All patriarchs, metropolitans, archbishops and bishops can be called in one word - bishops. All of them can ordain Orthodox priests and deacons, consecrate, and perform all other sacraments of the Orthodox Church. The ordination of bishops, according to church rule, is always carried out by several bishops (the council).
• An archimandrite is an Orthodox priest in the highest monastic rank, preceding that of a bishop. Previously, this rank was assigned to the abbots of large monasteries; now it is often of an award nature, and one monastery can have several archimandrites.
• Hegumen is a monk in the rank of an Orthodox priest. Previously, this title was considered quite high, and only abbots of monasteries had it. Today this is no longer important.
• Hieromonk is the lowest rank of monastic priest in the Orthodox Church. Archimandrites, abbots and hieromonks wear black vestments (cassock, cassock, mantle, black hood without a cross) and a pectoral (breast) cross. They can perform church sacraments, except for ordination to the priesthood.
• Archdeacon is the senior deacon in an Orthodox monastery.
• Hierodeacon - junior deacon. Archdeacons and hierodeacons differ in appearance from monastic priests in that they do not wear a pectoral cross. Their vestments during worship also differ. They cannot perform any church sacraments; their functions include concelebrating with the priest during the service: proclaiming prayer requests, bringing out the Gospel, reading the Apostle, preparing sacred vessels, etc.
• Deacons, both monastics and those belonging to the white clergy, belong to the lowest level of the priesthood, Orthodox priests to the middle, and bishops to the highest.

Orthodox clergyman - white clergy

• An archpriest is the senior Orthodox priest in a church, usually the rector, but today in one parish, especially a large one, there may be several archpriests.
• Priest - junior Orthodox priest. White priests, like monastic priests, perform all sacraments except ordination. Archpriests and priests do not wear a mantle (this is part of the monastic vestment) and a hood; their headdress is a kamilavka.
• Protodeacon, deacon - respectively senior and junior deacons among the white clergy. Their functions fully correspond to the functions of monastic deacons. White clergy are not ordained as Orthodox bishops only if they accept monastic orders (this often happens by mutual consent in old age or in the case of widowhood, if the priest has no children or they are already adults.

There are three degrees of priesthood in the Orthodox Church: deacons; elders(or priests, priests); bishops(or bishops).

The clergy in the Orthodox Church is divided into white(married) and black(monastic). Sometimes, as an exception, persons who are not married and have not taken monastic vows are ordained to the priesthood; they are called celibates. According to the canons of the Church, only monastics.

Deacon translated from Greek means minister. This is a clergyman of the first (junior) degree. He is a co-servant with priests and bishops during the celebration of the Sacraments and other sacred rites, but does not perform any divine services independently. The senior deacon is called protodeacon.

The deacon is ordained (ordained) by the bishop during the celebration of the liturgy.

During the service the deacon is dressed in surplice(long clothes with wide sleeves). A long wide ribbon called orari. When pronouncing the litanies, the deacon holds the orarion with his right hand, raising it upward as a sign that our prayer should ascend upward to God. The orarion also symbolizes angelic wings, for, according to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom, deacons represent the image of angelic service in the Church. The deacon puts on his hands instruct- sleeves covering the wrists.

Priest (presbyter)- second degree of priesthood. He can perform all the Sacraments except the Sacrament ordination. Priests are ordained only after ordination to the diaconate. The priest is not only a performer of sacred rites, but also a shepherd, spiritual leader and teacher for his parishioners. He preaches, teaches and instructs his flock.

To serve the liturgy, the priest dresses in special clothes. Podryznik- a long shirt that resembles a surplice. The white color of the cassock symbolically indicates the purity of life and the spiritual joy of serving the liturgy. Stole is a symbol of the priest's grace. Therefore, without it, the priest does not perform a single sacred rite. The epitrachelion has the appearance of an orarion folded in half. This means that a priest has greater grace than a deacon. The epitrachelion depicts six crosses - according to the number of six Sacraments that he can perform. The seventh Sacrament—ordination—can only be performed by a bishop.

The priest puts on the epitrachelion belt- as a sign of your readiness to always serve God. How can a priest receive a reward for services to the Church? legguard And club(symbol of the spiritual sword that crushes all evil).

Like the deacon, the priest puts on instruct. They symbolize the bonds by which Jesus Christ was bound. Over all other vestments, the priest puts on felonion, or chasuble. It is a long, wide garment with a cutout for the head and a large opening at the front, reminiscent of a cape. The phelonion symbolizes the scarlet robe of the suffering Savior, and the ribbons sewn on it represent the streams of blood that flowed through His clothes.

Over the chasuble the priest puts on confidant(i.e. chest) cross.

Priests may be awarded for special merits kamilavka- a cylindrical velvet headdress. As a reward, the priest may be given a yellow four-pointed cross instead of a white eight-pointed cross. A priest can also be awarded the degree of archpriest. Some especially honored archpriests are given a cross with decorations and a miter - a special headdress with icons and decorations - as a reward.

Bishop- third, highest degree of priesthood. The bishop can perform all the Sacraments and sacred rites. Bishops are also called bishops And saints(holy bishops). Also called bishop lord.

Bishops have their own degrees. Senior bishops are called archbishops, followed by metropolitans. The most senior bishop—the head, the primate of the Church—has the title of patriarch.

A bishop, according to church rules, is ordained by several bishops.

The bishop dresses in all the vestments of a priest, only instead of a phelonion he puts on a sakkos, a garment resembling a short surplice. The main sign of episcopal power is put on him - omophorion. It is a wide ribbon lying on the shoulders - it symbolizes that lost sheep that the Shepherd Christ found and took on His ramen (shoulders).

Worn on the bishop's head miter, it simultaneously depicts the royal crown and the Savior’s crown of thorns.

On his vestments, the bishop, together with the cross, wears the image of the Mother of God, called Panagia(translated from Greek All Holy). In his hands, as a sign of hierarchal authority, the bishop holds a rod or staff. They place it under the feet of the bishop during divine services. Orlets— round rugs with the image of an eagle.

Outside of worship, all clergy wear cassock(lower long clothes with narrow sleeves) and cassock(outerwear with wide sleeves). Priests usually wear skufyu(pointed cap) or kamilavka. Deacons most often wear only a cassock.

Over the cassock, priests wear a pectoral cross, bishops wear a panagia.

A common way to address a priest in everyday settings is: father. For example: “Father Peter”, “Father George”. You can also contact the priest simply: “ father", but the name is not called then. It is also customary to address the deacon: “Father Nikolai”, “Father Rodion”. The following appeal also applies to him: “ father deacon».

They address the bishop: “ lord" For example: “Lord, bless!”

To take a blessing from a bishop or priest, you need to fold your palms in the shape of a boat so that your right hand is on top, and bow to the blessing. When the clergyman makes the sign of the cross and blesses you, you need to kiss his right hand. Kissing the priest's hand, which occurs when he gives a cross or blesses, in contrast to a simple greeting, has a special spiritual and moral meaning. Receiving grace from God through the cross or priestly blessing, a person mentally kisses the invisible right hand of God, which gives him this grace. At the same time, kissing the hand of a priest expresses respect for the rank.

In Orthodoxy, there is a distinction between white clergy (priests who did not take monastic vows) and black clergy (monasticism)

The ranks of the white clergy:
:

Altar boy is the name given to a male layman who helps the clergy at the altar. The term is not used in canonical and liturgical texts, but became generally accepted in this meaning by the end of the 20th century. in many European dioceses in the Russian Orthodox Church the name “altar boy” is not generally accepted. In the Siberian dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church it is not used; instead, in this meaning, the more traditional term sexton, as well as novice, is usually used. The sacrament of priesthood is not performed over the altar boy; he only receives a blessing from the rector of the temple to serve at the altar.
the duties of the altar server include monitoring the timely and correct lighting of candles, lamps and other lamps in the altar and in front of the iconostasis; preparation of vestments for priests and deacons; bringing prosphora, wine, water, incense to the altar; lighting the coal and preparing the censer; giving a fee for wiping the lips during Communion; assistance to the priest in performing the sacraments and requirements; cleaning the altar; if necessary, reading during the service and performing the duties of a bell ringer. The altar server is prohibited from touching the altar and its accessories, as well as moving from one side of the altar to the other between the altar and the Royal Doors. The altar server wears a surplice over secular clothing.

Reader (psalmist; earlier, until the end of the 19th century - sexton, lat. lector) - in Christianity - the lowest rank of clergy, not elevated to the degree of priesthood, reading the texts of the Holy Scriptures and prayers during public worship. In addition, according to ancient tradition, readers not only read in Christian churches, but also interpreted the meaning of difficult-to-understand texts, translated them into the languages ​​of their area, delivered sermons, taught converts and children, sang various hymns (chants), engaged in charity work, had other church obediences. In the Orthodox Church, readers are ordained by bishops through a special rite - hirothesia, otherwise called “ordaining”. This is the first ordination of a layman, only after which can he be ordained as a subdeacon, and then ordained as a deacon, then as a priest and, higher, as a bishop (bishop). The reader has the right to wear a cassock, belt and skufia. During tonsure, a small veil is first put on him, which is then removed and a surplice is put on.

Subdeacon (Greek Υποδιάκονος; in common parlance (obsolete) subdeacon from the Greek ὑπο - “under”, “below” + Greek διάκονος - minister) - a clergyman in the Orthodox Church, serving mainly under the bishop during his ceremonies yay, wearing in front In the indicated cases, the trikiriy, dikiriy and ripida, laying the eagle, washes his hands, clothes him and performs some other actions. In the modern Church, the subdeacon does not have a sacred degree, although he wears a surplice and has one of the accessories of the deaconate - an orarion, which is worn crosswise over both shoulders and symbolizes angelic wings. Being the most senior clergyman, the subdeacon is an intermediate link between clergy and clergy. Therefore, the subdeacon, with the blessing of the serving bishop, can touch the throne and the altar during divine services and at certain moments enter the altar through the Royal Doors.

Deacon (lit. form; colloquial deacon; ancient Greek διάκονος - minister) - a person serving in church service at the first, lowest degree of the priesthood.
In the Orthodox East and in Russia, deacons still occupy the same hierarchical position as in ancient times. Their job and significance is to be assistants during worship. They themselves cannot perform public worship and be representatives of the Christian community. Due to the fact that a priest can perform all services and services without a deacon, deacons cannot be considered absolutely necessary. On this basis, it is possible to reduce the number of deacons in churches and parishes. We resorted to such reductions to increase the salary of priests.

Protodeacon or protodeacon is the title of the white clergy, the chief deacon in the diocese at the cathedral. The title of protodeacon was complained of in the form of a reward for special merits, as well as to deacons of the court department. The insignia of a protodeacon is the protodeacon’s orarion with the words “Holy, holy, holy.” Currently, the title of protodeacon is usually given to deacons after 20 years of service in the priesthood. Protodeacons are often famous for their voice, being one of the main decorations of the divine service.

Priest (Greek Ἱερεύς) is a term that passed from the Greek language, where it originally meant “priest,” into Christian church usage; literally translated into Russian - priest. In the Russian Church it is used as a junior title for a white priest. He receives from the bishop the authority to teach people the faith of Christ, to perform all the Sacraments, except the Sacrament of Ordination of the priesthood, and all church services, except for the consecration of antimensions.

Archpriest (Greek πρωτοιερεύς - “high priest”, from πρώτος “first” + ἱερεύς “priest”) is a title given to a member of the white clergy as a reward in the Orthodox Church. The archpriest is usually the rector of the temple. Ordination to the archpriest occurs through consecration. During divine services (except for the liturgy), priests (priests, archpriests, hieromonks) wear a phelonion (chasuble) and stole over their cassock and cassock.

Protopresbyter is the highest rank for a member of the white clergy in the Russian Church and in some other local churches. After 1917, it is assigned in isolated cases to priests of the priesthood as a reward; is not a separate degree. In the modern Russian Orthodox Church, the award of the rank of protopresbyter is carried out “in exceptional cases, for special church merits, on the initiative and decision of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

Black clergy:

Hierodeacon (hierodeacon) (from the Greek ἱερο- - sacred and διάκονος - minister; Old Russian “black deacon”) - a monk in the rank of deacon. The senior hierodeacon is called the archdeacon.

Hieromonk (Greek: Ἱερομόναχος) - in the Orthodox Church, a monk who has the rank of priest (that is, the right to perform the sacraments). Monks become hieromonks through ordination or white priests through monastic tonsure.

Hegumen (Greek ἡγούμενος - “leading”, female abbess) is the abbot of an Orthodox monastery.

Archimandrite (Greek αρχιμανδρίτης; from Greek αρχι - chief, senior + Greek μάνδρα - corral, sheepfold, fence meaning monastery) - one of the highest monastic ranks in the Orthodox Church (below the bishop), corresponds to the mitred (awarded with a miter) pro priest and protopresbyter in the white clergy.

Bishop (Greek ἐπίσκοπος - “supervisor”, “supervisor”) in the modern Church is a person who has the third, highest degree of priesthood, otherwise a bishop.

Metropolitan (Greek: μητροπολίτης) is the first episcopal title in the Church in antiquity.

Patriarch (Greek Πατριάρχης, from Greek πατήρ - “father” and ἀρχή - “domination, beginning, power”) is the title of the representative of the autocephalous Orthodox Church in a number of Local Churches; also the title of senior bishop; historically, before the Great Schism, it was assigned to the five bishops of the Universal Church (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem), who had the rights of the highest church-governmental jurisdiction. The Patriarch is elected by the Local Council.