Orthodox encyclopedic dictionary

Vicar

a bishop assisting the archbishop or metropolitan in the affairs of the administration of the diocese.

Dictionary of Church Terms

Vicar

(Latin viceroy) - a bishop who does not have his own diocese and helps another bishop in the administration.

Orthodox encyclopedia

Vicar

a viceroy, a bishop who, not having his own diocese, helps another bishop to govern his area.

Orthodoxy. Reference dictionary

Vicar

(lat. "governor", "deputy") - a bishop who does not have his own diocese and helps in the administration of another bishop.

Ozhegov Dictionary

VIC A RII, I am, m. In the Orthodox Church: an assistant to a bishop, a bishop without a diocese; in the Protestant Church: Assistant Priest.

Culturology. Reference dictionary

Vicar

(lat. vicarious - deputy) - in the Orthodox Church, a deputy bishop, a bishop without a diocese. In the Protestant Church, an assistant priest.

encyclopedic Dictionary

Vicar

(from Lat. vicarius - deputy, governor), in the Orthodox Church, deputy bishop, bishop without a diocese. In the Protestant Church, an assistant priest.

Efremova's Dictionary

Vicar

1. m.
   1. A bishop who is a deputy or assistant to the bishop who administers the diocese (in the Orthodox Church).
   2. Assistant bishop or parish priest (in the Catholic Church).

Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms

Vicar

♦ (ENG vicar)

(lat. vicarius -replacement)

one who has the right to substitute for another. V Anglican Church this is the name of a priest who serves in a parish as its abbot.

The ancient world. Reference dictionary

(IA Lisovy, KA Revyako. The Ancient World in Terms, Names and Titles: Dictionary-Reference Book on the History and Culture of Ancient Greece and Rome / Scientific Ed. AI Nemirovsky. - 3rd ed. - Minsk: Belarus, 2001)

Ushakov's Dictionary

Vicar

vika riy, vicar, husband. (lat. vicarius - substitute, substitute for someone) ( church.). In the Orthodox Church there is a bishop, subordinate by office to the diocesan bishop.

| In the Catholic Church, an assistant to a bishop or parish priest.

Catholic Encyclopedia

Vicar

(lat. vicarius - "deputy", "governor").

Apostolic Vicar (lat. vicarius apostolicus) - a bishop or priest appointed by the Holy See to administer the apostolic vicariate.

Vicar General (lat. vicarius generalis) - the representative of the diocesan bishop in the field of general administration, in this capacity performs the same function as the ordinary.

Bishop vicar (lat. vicarius episcopalis) - representative of the diocesan bishop in the field of administration;

Parish Vicar (lat. vicarius paroecialis) - a priest, an employee of the parish rector, can be appointed to help him carry out pastoral ministry in the entire parish, in a certain part of it or for a certain group of parishioners, as well as to carry out a certain ministry in several parishes at once. A parish may have one or more parish vicars appointed. The parish vicar is appointed by the diocesan bishop; he is obliged to replace the parish priest in his absence.

Judicial Vicar- a judge in the diocesan court, appointed by the diocesan bishop, constitutes a single court together with the bishop; cannot consider cases that the bishop has reserved for himself.

Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Vicar

From the Latin word vicarius, which means substitute. This word has received special application in relation to officials. Since the time of Constantine the Great, the Roman Empire was divided into four large administrative districts - prefectures, which in turn were subdivided into dioceses. At the head of each prefecture was a praefectus praetorio, and at the head of each diocese was a ruler subordinate to the prefect and called the vicarius (praefectorum). V. was appointed directly by the emperor and, within the limits of his diocese, enjoyed the powers of the prefect in supervising the governors of the provinces (a division of the diocese), however, without the right to remove them from office. But when the prefect himself was present in the diocese, the vicar lost all power. This characteristic feature makes V. a person, as it were, authorized by the prefect, who at any time can destroy these powers. The vicariate office in the church retained the same character, where the term was widely used. In the Roman Catholic Church, first of all, the Pope himself, as the successor of the prince of the apostles Peter, whom Christ appointed as his substitute, is called vicarius Jesu Christi. In turn, the Pope supplies himself with substitutes, who are called apostolic V... (vicarii apostolici), also born legates (legati nati), if this title is associated not with the person of the bishop, but with a certain see, central to the given district, as a result of which every bishop who ascends to this see, eo ipso becomes a papal vicar. Such V. appeared in the 5th century due to the difficulty of relations between distant provinces with Rome. Within more or less vast territories, they were given the exercise, on behalf of the Pope, of some of the highest government rights to convene councils, to consider disputed cases between bishops, to accept appeals, etc. Papal V. were archbishops: Thessalonica for Illyricum, Arelate for Gaul, and Seville for Spain. To the VIII table. the permanent papal V. disappeared and reappeared in the eleventh century, when this title, with more or less extensive powers, was granted to the archbishops of Salzburg, Mainz, Trier, and Hamburg-Bremen. Currently, the appointment of apostolic V. takes place only as an exception, under extraordinary circumstances; only in Austria the head of the military clergy is considered papal V. (vicarius castrensis), and thanks to the successes of the Catholic missionaries, the apostolic V. appeared in Australia, China, the Pacific Islands, and so on. Roman Catholic diocesan bishops also have bishops-vicars (vicarius in pontificalibus), who are otherwise called titular bishops (episcopi titulares), since they only have a title without the corresponding episcopal jurisdiction, as well as bishops in partibus (infidelium to fictitious chairs located in the countries of the infidels. The fact is that the First Ecumenical Council established the principle by virtue of which there should not be two bishops in one diocese. Meanwhile, the bishops of vast dioceses have long needed assistants to the episcopal dignity, who would carry out the functions of their bishop's sacred rites for them. When, in the 13th century, the pagans of Livonia and Prussia expelled many bishops from the newly established dioceses, and at the same time in the East, with the fall of the Latin Empire, there were a significant number of bishops who lost their see, the services of these expelled bishops were used by the bishops of the vast European dioceses. This order of things became permanent, since the Pope, in order to protect his rights to the once existing dioceses of the Catholic Church, gave and still gives successors to the dying bishops of these fictitious dioceses. Thus, in the Roman Catholic Church, the vicar bishop is the assistant to the diocesan in the exercise of his rights of the bishop's sacred rite (j u ra ordinis); he is appointed by the Pope at the suggestion of the diocesan bishop. Has a different meaning general vicar(vicarius generalis). This is the assistant to the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, in the exercise of his governmental rights (jura jurisdictionis). The bishop has the right and duty to personally govern his diocese, therefore he can do without the general V .; The Pope can compel him to enact the latter only if the bishop is not sufficiently familiar with canon law or in the case of the vastness of the diocese. The vicar general must have a doctorate or licentiate in canon law or theology and be well versed in jurisprudence, but no degree of clergy is required of him; it is enough that he generally belonged to the clergy, that is, he had tonsure. The unity of the person is assumed between the authorizing bishop and the general V., accepting the powers, so that both of them are legally considered as one instance and the appeal against the actions of the general V. is sent not to the bishop, but to the next instance - to the archbishop. By virtue of the same unity of persons in the presence of the bishop, that is, when the bishop himself personally performs any governmental act, the general V. does not legally exist. His rights cease immediately with the termination of the rights of the bishop himself; in addition, the bishop may at any time take back the powers given to him. Sometimes the specialization of administrative and judicial matters is allowed, so that only administrative matters are entrusted to General V., for judicial matters there is another assistant, under the name of an official. The legal status of both is the same. In the German dioceses, under the general V., there is usually a whole collegial institution, and where the specialization of administrative and judicial matters took place with the assignment of those and others to various officials - the general V. and the official - there are even two collegiate institutions: the general vicariate and the official or consistory ... Sede vacante, that is, when the episcopal see is vacant, or sede im pedita, that is, when the see is not legally considered vacant, but in fact, the bishop is made unable to exercise his episcopal office (for example, due to imprisonment, capture, but not due to illness, when a coadjutor is appointed), the administration of the diocese passes to the cathedral chapter, which must deliver economy for the administration of the property of the bishopric and capitular vicar(vicarius capitularis) for the exercise of episcopal jurisdiction. Within Ross. the empire under the Roman Catholic diocesan bishops consists of bishops-sufragan (vicarious), who are appointed by the emperor after preliminary intercourse with the Roman curia; on behalf of the diocesan bishop, they can correct the functions of the general V. In the event of the vacancy of the department, the cathedral chapter elects the vicar until the cathedral is replaced. The Western Catholic principle of vicarious jurisdiction is expressed in Russia in the fact that the posts of members are Roman Catholic. consistories cease with the death of the bishop or in the event of his resignation of the episcopal rank, as well as with the termination of the management of the vacant cathedra by the vicar. Finally, in the Roman Catholic Church, parish priests (parochi) can have V. They are permanent (vicarii perpetui), when there are branch churches, chapels in the parish, or when the parish is notable for its crowded population, and temporary (v. Temporarii), appointed in the case of the ensuing inability of the steamman to pass the position, as well as during the vacancy of this position. The latter kind of V. are also known in the Protestant Church. Wed Deneubourg, "Etude canonique sur les vicaires paroissiaux" (Par. 1871).

In the Old Russian Church, the bishops had a viceroy, who was his main representative in the field of court and administration. Initially, it was a spiritual person, but at the end of the 14th century, when a special service class was formed under the bishops in the person of the bishops' boyars and the children of the boyars, a secular person could also be the governor. The existence of the bishop boyars came to an end at the beginning of the 18th century. The institution of vicar bishops only in recent times has been widely developed. In pre-Petrine Russia, under only one metropolitan of Moscow and later under the patriarch of Moscow, there was an assistant with an episcopal dignity, the bishop of Sarsky and Podonsky, who was renamed Metropolitan Krutitsky under the patriarchs, who, after the fall of the Sarai horde, began to live in Moscow on Krutitsy, without ceasing, however, to be a bishop his former diocese. At the council of 1667, it was supposed to appoint auxiliary bishops to all four metropolitans who would live in the monasteries they had designated. This assumption did not come true, just as the aspirations of the Supreme Privy Council to transfer the administration of the dioceses of the members of the Holy Synod into the hands of specially appointed vicars did not come true. In 1 6 98, Peter the Great allowed the Kiev Bishop Barlaam Yasinsky "for the weakness of his health" to elect and consecrate a bishop-coadjutor to himself, so that this privilege would extend to his successors as well. Towards the end of the XVIII table. there were vicar bishops in the dioceses of Novgorod, Moscow and Kiev. In the current century, cases of identifying vicars as bishops who are auxiliary to diocesan bishops have become more frequent, and in 1865 it was permitted to establish vicariates in all dioceses, where local sources of their maintenance can be indicated without burdening the state treasury, namely, fairly wealthy monasteries. A vicar bishop is consecrated as a bishop of one of the cities of the given diocese; but this does not mean that a bishop who receives his title from this or that city should have in his ecclesiastical administration this city and the district belonging to it. The vicar is only an assistant to the diocesan bishop, primarily in the exercise of the rights of the sacred rite; his participation in diocesan administration is not determined by any firm rules. Usually, at the discretion of the diocesan bishop, he is entrusted with a preview, and sometimes the approval of the consistory journals and minutes; further, he is given cases on the accession of the Gentiles to the Orthodox Church, on the issue of peace, consecrated antimensions, birth certificates, passports to clergy, on the tradition of church repentance according to reports from public places, etc. n. With the vacancy of the episcopal see in the diocese in which there is V., the decrees from the Holy Synod go to the name of Bishop-V. Due to exceptional local circumstances, some vicar bishops with spiritual boards subordinate to them actually conduct church administration in a well-known local area. Such are the vicar of the Kholmsk-Warsaw diocese - the bishop of Lublin, who exercises administration and spiritual judgment within the former Greco-Uniate Kholm diocese, and the vicar of the Irkutsk diocese - Bishop Chita, who is in charge of diocesan affairs of the Trans-Baikal region. The vicar of the Riga diocese, Bishop of Revel, who is not subordinate to his diocesan bishop and is in the episcopal office in Japan, where he resides, is in a completely exceptional position. At present, under the Metropolitan of Novgorod, St. Petersburg and Finland there are 4 vicars - one for the diocese of Novgorod and 3 for the diocese of St. Petersburg; under the Metropolitans of Moscow and Kiev - 3 vicars each; 5 dioceses (Vyatka, Georgian, Irkutsk, Lithuanian and Kherson) have 2 vicars each and 21 dioceses have one vicar each. On the position of vicar bishops from the canonical point of view, cf. N. Suvorov, "The course of church law" (Yarosl., 1890, part II).

there are quite a few ministers with special ranks, to the common man, incomprehensible without explanation. One such ecclesiastical office is the vicar, mentioned more often in Catholicism than in Orthodoxy.

Who is a vicar in the Orthodox Church

In general terms, the vicar is a substitute (especially if we take into account the Latin origin of this word, denoting just the above word). The position of vicar in the church implies the fulfillment of some particularly important duties associated with the assistance of the chief minister of the cathedral - the bishop or bishop.

In the Orthodox Church, the vicar (or bishop) is the primary assistant to the priest. At the same time, an important feature of this position is that a vicar cannot have his own diocese.

Vicar - a position in the Orthodox Church, equated to a deputy clergyman

It is characteristic that after several years in this position, the vicar can still become a priest, in the event that the bishop and the diocese support this proposal. Therefore, the position is not permanent.

In addition, in exceptional cases, the vicar may be entrusted with the administration of a certain part of the diocese, more often when the priest is absent from the church for some reason. Moreover, in the history of Orthodoxy, cases are described when a vicar was appointed manager over an entire city and his direct responsibilities included control over the conduct of divine services in city churches.

Read about the ministers of the church:

Important! In the church, a vicar can also designate as vicar bishop or vicar bishop, emphasizing the nature of the office - replacing the main minister.

Some Orthodox churches use a different name for this office, namely: chorebishop. This term appeared in Russia during the reign of Peter I and finally took root in the reign of Catherine the Great.

Responsibilities

As one of the important clerical ranks, the vicar has quite a lot of responsibilities related to his ministry in a particular parish. These include:

• Assistance to the bishop in the administration of the diocese.
• Control over the execution of decrees and orders of the bishop.
• Compilation of reviews (or other written documents) serving as a response to the leaders of other parishes of the diocese, addressed mainly to the bishop and agreed upon at the end of the compilation with him.

The duties of the vicar include helping the priest during divine services and other sacred rites.

• Visiting parishes, monasteries of your diocese and performing divine services in them.
• Control over the activities of monasteries, church parishes.
• Providing the diocese and the bishop with proposals regarding the appointment or, conversely, removal from office of clerics and chairmen of parish councils.
• Nominates candidates for ordination.
• Recommends for admission to educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church.
• Makes proposals for the organization of church parishes and monasteries.
• Sends clerics for temporary service to the temple for no more than a month.
• Responsible for the educational level of all confessors, including church workers, directs them to training and conducts training seminars himself.
• Proposes to the diocese for consideration a proposal for a reward for the ministers of parishes and monasteries.
• Responsible for drawing up a vacation schedule for ministers and submits it to the diocesan department annually.
• Accepts complaints against clergy for consideration and resolves conflicts that arise.
• Responsible for the financial aspects of the parish, submitting reports to the diocese.

Meaning

Proceeding from the duties of the vicar, it can be concluded that without his participation any questions concerning the parish clergy of the diocese are not resolved.

And assisting in the administration of the ruling bishop. The vicar may be delegated to manage a part of the diocese within certain boundaries (vicariate). Unlike a reigning bishop, who bears a title corresponding to his place of residence and the territory under his canonical jurisdiction, a vicar can carry the title:

• corresponding to the territory of the part of the diocese (vicariate) transferred to it for administration;
• in a city located within the diocese, in which there may (but not necessarily) be the place of residence or the place of periodic service of the vicar, who in fact is the assistant to the diocesan bishop on general diocesan issues;
• by the name of a previously abolished see, regardless of the diocese or locality where he actually serves. Such a vicar may be called titular;

in the catholic church ( See article Auxiliary) a bishop who does not have his own diocese and assists in the administration of the diocesan bishop (synonymous terms: Auxiliarius, auxiliary bishop, assistant bishop); also a full-time parish priest assisting the abbot.

The term is English. vicar in the Church of England in fiction is often translated as "vicar", which is essentially incorrect, since the English term denotes a parish priest, moreover, historically younger in relation to Rector... The Anglican analogue of the Russian term "vicar (vicar bishop)" in English is Suffragan bishop; in the Catholic Church - Auxiliary bishop.

see also

Orthodox clergy
Priests
Bishops
Priests
Deacons
Clergymen

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Synonyms:

See what "Vicar" is in other dictionaries:

- (Latin vicarius interceding place). 1) a bishop who does not have his own diocese and assists the local metropolitan or archbishop in carrying out their duties. 2) in ancient Rome, the person who ruled the region in the absence of the prefect. Dictionary… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

From the Latin word vicarius, which means deputy. This word was especially used in relation to officials. Since the time of Constantine the Great, the Roman Empire was divided into four large administrative districts of the prefecture, which, in ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Cm … Synonym dictionary

VIKARI, vicar husband. governor, assistant, comrade; here, about an official spiritual person of the highest rank. Vicarious, mediocre: referring to the vicar or his place. Vikarsky, referring to the dignity of this, title, place. Vicariousness cf. position and title is. ... ... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

- (from the Latin vicarius deputy, vicegerent), in the Orthodox Church, an assistant to the bishop who manages a diocese, a bishop without a diocese. In the Protestant Church, the assistant priest ... Modern encyclopedia

- (from the Latin vicarius deputy governor), in the Orthodox Church a deputy bishop, a bishop without a diocese. In the Protestant Church, the assistant priest ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

VICARIUS, vicar, husband. (Latin vicarius substituting, replacing someone) (church). In the Orthodox Church, a bishop, subordinate by office to the diocesan bishop. || In the Catholic Church, an assistant to a bishop or parish priest. Sensible ... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

VICARIUS, me, husband. In the Orthodox Church: an assistant to a bishop, a bishop without a diocese; in the Protestant Church: Assistant Priest. Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (Latin vicarious - deputy) - in the Orthodox Church, a deputy bishop, a bishop without a diocese. In the Protestant Church, an assistant priest. The Big Explanatory Dictionary of Cultural Studies .. Kononenko BI .. 2003 ... Encyclopedia of Cultural Studies

Vicar- (from the Latin vicarius deputy, vicegerent), in the Orthodox Church, an assistant to the bishop who manages a diocese, a bishop without a diocese. In a Protestant church, an assistant priest. ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

VICARIUS- (Latin vicarius deputy) bishop, who is an assistant to the bishop (Orthodox Church); assistant bishop or parish priest (Catholic Church) ... Legal encyclopedia

Books

• Description of the Moscow Epiphany Monastery. , Moscow vicar Bishop Nikodim of Dmitrov. The book is a reprinted edition of 1877. Despite the fact that serious work has been done to restore the original quality of the publication, on some pages ...

The document was approved by the definition of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on December 27, 2011 ().

I. General Provisions

I.1. The vicariate of the diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereinafter - "vicariate") is a canonical subdivision of the diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereinafter - "diocese"), uniting one or several deaneries of the diocese.

I.2. The vicariate has no legal personality.

I.3. The vicariate carries out its activities in accordance with the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, adopted by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000 (hereinafter - the "Canonical Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church"), the charter of the diocese, decisions of Local and Bishops' Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, decrees and orders of the Patriarch, decisions of the Holy Synod, decrees and orders of the diocesan bishop and these Regulations.

I.4. The Vicariate complies with the laws of the host country.

II. Vicariate administration

II.1. The diocesan bishop has supreme authority over the administration of the vicariate.

The vicar bishop manages the vicariate for the delegation of powers from the diocesan bishop.

III. Vicar bishop (vicar)

III.1. The vicar bishop is appointed to office (dismissed from office) on the proposal of the diocesan bishop by the decision of the Holy Synod.

The vicar bishop assists the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The powers of the vicar bishop administering the vicariate are determined by these Regulations, as well as by written or oral instructions of the diocesan bishop.

Also, vicar bishops who do not manage vicariates can be appointed to help the diocesan bishop. The powers of those are determined by written and oral instructions of the diocesan bishop.

III.2. The title of vicar bishop is established by the definition of the Holy Synod. The vicar bishop of the diocese of the city of Moscow is called: “ name, san, title, Vicar of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia "; the vicar bishop of another diocese is called: “ name, san, title, vicar naming diocese ".

III.3. The vicar bishop is ex officio a member of the diocesan council and the diocesan assembly of the diocese with a casting vote.

III.4. The name of the vicar bishop is ascended at divine services in the main church of the city, by which he is titled, after the name of the diocesan bishop according to the formula “and Mr. san, (title,) name».

III.5. The vicar bishop has his own letterhead and personal seal, the samples of which are approved by the diocesan bishop.

III.6. Vicar bishop, administrator of the vicariate:

a) exercise control over the execution of the decrees and orders of the diocesan bishop;

b) draws up responses to the appeals of the heads of the canonical divisions of the vicariate addressed to the diocesan bishop on issues that, according to the statutes of the canonical divisions, require the consent (blessing) or approval of the diocesan bishop;

c) attends parishes, diocesan monasteries and other canonical divisions of the vicariate and performs divine services in them;

d) exercise control over the activities of deaneries, parishes, diocesan monasteries and other canonical subdivisions of the vicariate;

e) submit to the diocesan bishop proposals concerning the appointment and transfer of clergy, the appointment or removal from office of the chairmen of the parish councils of the parishes of the vicariate;

f) send, with his opinion, to the diocesan bishop the candidates presented by the Vicariate Council for ordination to the priesthood, as well as for admission to the spiritual educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church;

g) send with his opinion to the diocesan bishop reports from the governors, hegumen and abbesses of the monasteries that are part of the vicariate, about monastic tonsure and about admission to the number of inhabitants (nuns) of the monastery;

h) submit to the diocesan bishop for consideration proposals on the establishment of parishes, diocesan monasteries and other canonical subdivisions of the vicariate, as well as on questions of changing the composition of parish meetings and parish councils of parishes of the vicariate;

i) by his order sends, if necessary, the clergy of the vicariate for temporary service in another parish for a period of not more than a month;

j) for temporary service in another parish for a longer period, sends clergy on the basis of the instructions of the diocesan bishop;

k) is responsible for raising the educational level of the clergy and church workers of the vicariate, including conducting pastoral seminars;

l) submit for consideration to the diocesan bishop duly motivated proposals for awarding church awards to clergy and laity of parishes, diocesan monasteries and other canonical subdivisions of the vicariate;

m) approves the vacation schedule for the clergy of the canonical divisions of the vicariate and submits it to the diocesan administration no later than January 1 of the current year;

note: the vacation schedule must be consistent with the calendar of general diocesan events and duties of deaneries for general diocesan obediences, given by the diocesan administration to the vicar bishop no later than December 1 of the previous calendar year;

n) approves leave requests submitted by clergymen of the vicariate on the basis of an approved schedule;

o) bless short-term vacations for exceptional circumstances, as well as pilgrimage trips of clerics of canonical divisions of the vicariate for no more than 10 days, provided that such clerics find a full replacement, in case of their summoning to general diocesan events or obedience;

p) consider complaints against officials of the canonical divisions of the vicariate and resolve any misunderstandings that arise if they do not require formal church proceedings;

c) imposes punishments on clergy without their being prohibited from serving in the clergy, or with being prohibited from serving for a period of not more than a week, in the event that they commit single, not malicious (or through negligence) offenses against the church deanery; informs the diocesan bishop about such cases;

r) if there is a need for formal ecclesiastical proceedings on incoming complaints or misunderstandings, as well as in cases where, in his opinion, the imposition of canonical restraint on a cleric is required, report this to the diocesan bishop;

y) in the event of a flagrant violation of church discipline by a cleric or an official of the canonical subdivision of the vicariate, temporarily suspends this person from service or from the performance of official duties and within a week (and in the absence of a diocesan bishop from the diocese, taking into account the time of his absence) reports this to the diocesan the bishop for his final decision;

t) if necessary, participates in parish meetings, or sends a representative to participate in them;

u) submit, with his opinion, to the diocesan bishop for approval, the minutes of the parish meetings of the parishes of the vicariate;

v) monitors the observance of financial discipline within the vicariate and takes measures to correct detected violations, and in case of gross violations, reports to the diocesan bishop;

w) Submits an annual report on the activities of the parishes of the vicariate to the diocesan bishop.

III.7. To carry out his activities, the vicar bishop:

a) convene a meeting of clergymen of the vicariate;

b) creates a council and a clerical service for the vicariate.

The assembly of clergymen of the vicariate and the council of the vicariate are advisory bodies under the vicar bishop.

Without the consent of the vicar bishop, and in matters subject to the competence of the diocesan bishop - without his consent, not a single decision of the vicariate meeting or the vicariate council can be implemented.

IV. Meeting of clergymen of the vicariate

IV.1. The assembly of clergymen of the vicariate consists of clergymen of all canonical subdivisions of the vicariate who are not prohibited from ministry and who have not been prosecuted by the ecclesiastical court.

IV.2. Meeting of clergymen of the vicariate:

a) elects the confessor of the vicariate;

b) elects one clergyman from each deanery included in the vicariate to the council of the vicariate;

c) examines and discusses the annual report on the activities of the parishes of the vicariate;

d) determines the main directions of the vicariate's activities;

e) adopts the staffing table of the vicariate's secretariat;

f) determines the canonical unit (or canonical subdivisions) of the vicariate, in the staff of which the staff of the vicariate's secretariat will be included and takes care of the material support of the activities of the structures of the vicariate;

g) in cooperation with specialized diocesan subdivisions, examines the issues of liturgical activity of parishes of the vicariate;

h) considers other issues referred to the general meeting of clergy of the vicariate by the diocesan or vicar bishop for study.

IV.3. Meetings of the assembly of clergymen of the vicariate are chaired by the vicar bishop as needed, but at least once a year.

Meetings of the assembly of clergymen of the vicariate may be chaired by the diocesan bishop.

The quorum of the meeting is at least 2/3 of the clergy members of the congregation.

The decisions of the meeting of clergymen of the vicariate are taken by a simple majority of votes of the clergy present at the meeting who are members of the meeting. In case of equality of votes, the vote of the chairman is decisive.

The decisions of the meeting of clergymen of the vicariate are recorded in the minutes of the meeting, which are signed by the presiding officer and the secretary. The secretary of the clergy meeting of the vicariate is elected by the assembly on the proposal of the presiding officer.

The decisions of the assembly of clergymen of the vicariate come into force after their approval by the diocesan bishop.

V. Council of the Vicariate

V.1. The vicariate council includes:

a) vicar bishop;

b) Deanery deaneries that are part of the vicariate;

c) the confessor of the vicariate;

d) one clergyman from each deanery that is part of the vicariate upon the election of the meeting of clergymen of the vicariate;

e) at the discretion of the vicar bishop - up to three clerics, whose competence makes it necessary for their participation in the council.

The vicariate council is chaired by the vicar bishop. The secretary of the vicariate council is a member of the vicariate council appointed to this position by order of the vicar bishop.

The composition of the vicariate council is approved by the diocesan bishop.

V.2. Vicariate Council:

a) considers issues of pastoral, liturgical, spiritual and educational, educational, social, youth, missionary, disciplinary, administrative, financial and economic activities of the canonical divisions of the vicariate;

c) submit for consideration to the diocesan bishop candidates for ordination to the priesthood or to ordination as a reader;

note: appointing cases considered by the vicariate council and accompanied by a recall of the vicar (paragraph (e) of Article III.7 of these Regulations) are submitted directly to the diocesan bishop, without additional consideration by the diocesan council or other bodies of diocesan administration, except for those cases when the diocesan bishop considers it is necessary to request the recall of such bodies;

d) in cooperation with the diocesan board of trustees, takes care of needy clergymen (including supernumerary ones), employees of the canonical divisions of the vicariate, as well as retired clergy of the vicariate;

e) in cooperation with the diocesan revision commission, oversee the activities of parish councils;

f) in cooperation with the diocesan court and the diocesan disciplinary commission, consider issues of ecclesiastical discipline of clergy and officials of the canonical divisions of the vicariate;

g) submit to the diocesan bishop proposals on issues related to the possession, use and disposal of the property of the canonical divisions of the vicariate;

h) within the vicariate, discusses plans for the construction, major repairs and restoration of churches with the subsequent sending of conclusions to the diocesan bishop;

i) organizes training for the staff of the vicariate's parishes and oversees the activities of these staff;

j) Provides practical assistance to the vicar bishop in implementing the decisions of the hierarchical governing bodies of the Russian Orthodox Church.

V.3. Meetings of the council of the vicariate are held as and when necessary, but at least four times a year, under the chairmanship of the vicar bishop.

Meetings of the vicariate council may be chaired by the diocesan bishop. The quorum of the meeting is at least 2/3 of the members of the vicariate council.

The decisions of the vicariate council are taken by a simple majority of votes of the members of the vicariate council present at the meeting. In case of equality of votes, the vote of the chairman is decisive.

The decisions of the vicariate council are recorded in the minutes of the vicariate council, which are signed by the presiding officer and secretary of the vicariate council.

The decisions of the vicariate council come into force after their approval by the diocesan bishop.

V.4. Members of the vicariate council carry out their activities on the vicariate council free of charge.

Vi. Vicariate Secretariat

VI.1. The head of the vicariate's secretariat is subordinate to the vicar bishop and is appointed by him to the office.

VI.2. The vicariate secretariat may include:

a) clerk;

b) legal officer of the vicariate;

c) an accountant;

d) construction and restoration officer;

e) an officer for religious education and catechesis;

f) Parish Missionary Officer;

g) a youth worker;

h) employee for charity and social service;

i) other employees necessary for the implementation of the tasks assigned to the vicariate.

VI.3. The canonical subdivision (or canonical subdivisions) of the vicariate, in the staff of which the staff of the vicariate apparatus are included, is determined (determined) by the order of the vicarious bishop on the basis of the decision of the meeting of clergy of the vicariate, approved by the diocesan bishop.

VI.4. The document circulation of the canonical divisions of the vicariate with the diocesan administration is carried out through the secretariat of the vicariate.

Reports and petitions of clergy and officials of the canonical divisions of the vicariate, received by the secretariat of the vicariate, but requiring the decision of the diocesan bishop, are sent to the diocesan administration through the secretariat of the vicariate, if necessary - with the recall of the vicar bishop.

Copies of decrees and orders of the Diocesan Bishop concerning

opening or closing of vicariate parishes;

appointment and transfer of clergy of the vicariate, as well as their reward or imposition of bans on them;

the appointment or removal from office of the chairmen of the parish councils of the vicariate's parishes;

approval of the vacation schedule for clergymen of the vicariate

- are communicated by the diocesan chancellery to the vicar bishop, as well as to the secretary of the diocese.

Copies of the orders of the vicar bishop

on the granting of a short-term leave to the clergyman of the vicariate for exceptional circumstances;

on imposing on a clergyman a vicariate of interdictions or a short-term ban in ministry

- sent by the secretariat of the vicariate to the diocesan bishop.

VI.5. The specialized staff of the vicariate coordinate the activities of the respective staff of the canonical divisions of the vicariate.

Every Orthodox person meets with the clergy who speak in public or conduct services in the church. At first glance, you can understand that each of them wears some special rank, because it is not for nothing that they have differences in clothes: different colors of robes, hats, someone has jewelry made of precious stones, while others are more ascetic. But not everyone is given to understand the ranks. To find out the main dignities of clergy and monks, consider the ranks of the Orthodox Church in ascending order.

It should be said right away that all ranks are divided into two categories:

1. Secular clergy. These include ministers who can have a family, wife, and children.
2. Black clergy. These are those who accepted monasticism and renounced worldly life.

Secular clergy

The description of people who serve the Church and the Lord comes from the Old Testament. The scripture says that before the birth of Christ, the prophet Moses appointed people who were to communicate with God. It is with these people that today's hierarchy of ranks is associated.

Altar boy (novice)

This person is a worldly assistant to the clergyman. His responsibilities include:

If necessary, the novice can ring the bells and read prayers, but he is strictly forbidden to touch the throne and walk between the altar and the Royal Doors. The altar boy wears the most ordinary clothes, he puts on the surplice upstairs.

This person is not elevated to the rank of clergy. He should read prayers and words from scripture, interpret them to ordinary people and explain to children the basic rules of a Christian's life. For special zeal, a priest can ordain a psalmist to a subdeacon. From church clothes, he is allowed to wear a cassock and a skufia (velvet cap).

This person also does not have a sacred dignity. But he can wear surplice and orarion. If the bishop blesses him, then the subdeacon can touch the throne and enter the altar through the Royal Doors. Most often, the subdeacon helps the priest to perform the service. He washes his hands during the divine services, gives him the necessary items (trikiry, ripids).

Church dignities of the Orthodox Church

All of the above ministers of the church are not clergymen. These are simple peaceful people who want to get closer to the church and the Lord God. They are accepted for their positions only with the blessing of the priest. To consider the ecclesiastical dignities of the Orthodox Church from the lowest.

The position of the deacon has remained unchanged since ancient times. He, as before, must help in the divine service, but he is forbidden to independently perform church services and represent the Church in society. His main responsibility is reading the Gospel. Currently, the need for the services of a deacon is no longer needed, so their number in churches is steadily declining.

This is the most important deacon at a cathedral or church. Previously, this rank was received by the protodeacon, who was distinguished by a special zeal for service. To determine that the protodeacon is in front of you, it is worth looking at his vestments. If he is wearing an orarion with the words “Holy! Holy! Holy, ”so it is he who is in front of you. But at present this dignity is given only after the deacon has served in the church for at least 15–20 years.

It is these people who have a beautiful singing voice, know many psalms, prayers, and sing at various church services.

This word came to us from the Greek language and in translation means "priest". In the Orthodox Church, this is the smallest priesthood. The bishop gives him the following powers:

• perform divine services and other sacraments;
• to carry the teaching to people;
• to carry out communion.

The priest is forbidden to consecrate antimensions and to administer the ordinance of the ordination of the priesthood. Instead of a hood, his head is covered with a kamilavka.

This dignity is given as a reward for some kind of merit. The archpriest is the most important among the priests and also the rector of the church. During the performance of the sacraments, the archpriests put on the robe and the epitrachelion. Several archpriests can serve in one liturgical institution.

This dignity is given only by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia as a reward for the kindest and most useful deeds that a person has done in favor of the Russian Orthodox Church. This is the highest rank in the white clergy. It will no longer be possible to deserve a rank above, since then there are ranks who are forbidden to create a family.

Nevertheless, in order to get promoted, many abandon worldly life, family, children and go into monastic life forever. In such families, the spouse most often supports the husband and also goes to the monastery to take a monastic vow.

Black clergy

It includes only those who have taken monastic tonsure. This hierarchy of ranks is more detailed than that of those who preferred family life to monastic life.

This is a monk who is a deacon. He helps priests to conduct ordinances and perform services. For example, he brings out the vessels necessary for rituals or pronounces prayer requests. The most senior hierodeacon is called "archdeacon".

This is a person who is a priest. He is allowed to perform various sacred ordinances. This dignity can be obtained by priests from the white clergy who have decided to become monks, and those who have passed ordination (giving a person the right to perform the sacraments).

This is the abbot or abbess of a Russian Orthodox monastery or temple. Previously, most often, this rank was given as a reward for services to the Russian Orthodox Church. But since 2011, the patriarch made a decision to grant this rank to any abbot of the monastery. At dedication, the abbot is presented with a staff, with which he must go around his possessions.

This is one of the highest dignities in Orthodoxy. Upon receiving it, the clergyman is also awarded a miter. The archimandrite wears a black monastic robe, which distinguishes him from other monks in that he has red tablets on him. If, moreover, the archimandrite is the abbot of a temple or monastery, he has the right to wear a wand - a staff. He is supposed to be addressed "Your High Reverend".

This dignity belongs to the category of bishops. When ordained, they received the highest grace of the Lord and therefore can perform any sacred rite, even ordain deacons. According to church laws, they have equal rights, the archbishop is considered the oldest. According to ancient tradition, only a bishop can bless a service with the help of an antimis. This is a quadrangular scarf, into which part of the relics of a saint is sewn.

Also, this clergyman controls and takes care of all monasteries and churches that are located on the territory of his diocese. The generally accepted address to the bishop is "Vladyka" or "Your Eminence".

This is a high-ranking clergy or the highest title of a bishop, the most ancient on earth. He is subordinate only to the patriarch. It differs from other dignitaries in the following details in clothing:

• has a blue robe (bishops have red ones);
• a white cowl with a cross trimmed with precious stones (the others have a black cowl).

This dignity is given for very high merit and is a badge of distinction.

Highest dignity in the Orthodox Church, the chief priest of the country. The word itself combines two roots "father" and "power". He is elected at the Council of Bishops. This dignity is lifelong, only in the most rare cases is it possible to depose and excommunicate. When the seat of the patriarch is empty, a locum tenens is appointed as an interim executor, who does everything the patriarch has to do.

This position bears responsibility not only for itself, but also for the entire Orthodox people of the country.

Ascending ranks in the Orthodox Church have their own clear hierarchy. Despite the fact that we call many clergy "father", every Orthodox Christian should know the main differences between dignities and positions.