Forms of Addresses and Salutations for Orthodox Clergy
The Clergy of the Orthodox church are set apart through the Sacrament of Ordination or the "laying-on-of hands" and are divided into three orders:
1. Deacons; 2. Presbyters or Priest (hiereas); 3. Bishops (Episkopos)
An Orthodox presbyter is either married (usually serving as a parish priest) or celibate, generally belonging to a monastic order (hieromonachos) called "Archimandrite". Bishops are usually chosen from the ranks of the Archimandrites.
An Orthodox bishop, depending on his jurisdiction and rank, may be called Bishop (usually auxiliary to an Archbishop); Metropolitan (head of a large city or a Diocese); Archbishop (head of an Orthodox country or capital city); Patriarch (head of an ancient or ethnic Church). The bishops of the ancient Sees of Rome and Alexandria are also called Popes. Orthodox clergy of all orders wear the cassock (rasso) in public, but when participating in a church service wear the the vestment of their own order and rank. In some Balkan countries (including Greece) they also wear a black cylinder-like hat (kalimafi) on top of which the celibates (except deacons) wear a black veil dropping down the back (Epanokalimafkon).
The form of address for Orthodox clergy varies according to order, rank, and level of education. The most common forms are the following:
Gr. = Greek Sl. = Slavonic
| Addressee's Title |
Form of Address |
Salutation |
|
1. The Ecumenical
Patriarch of
Constantinople
|
His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch
Gr. Panagiotatos
Sl. Sviatieishyi
|
Your All Holiness
Panagiotate
Vashe Sviaschenstvo
|
|
2. Other Patriarchs
|
His Beatitude the Patriarch
of ________
Gr. Makariotatos
Sl. Ego Blazhenstvo
|
Your Beatitude,
Makariotatev
Vashe Blazhenstvo
|
|
3. Archbishops of independent Churches, Greece, Cyprus, etc.
|
His Beatitude, the
Archbishop of ___
|
(as above)
|
|
4. Archbishops of Crete, America, Australia, England (under Ecumenical Patriarchate)
|
His Eminence
Gr. Sevasmiotatos,
Sl. Ego Vysoko Preosviashchenstvo
|
Your Eminence
Sevasmiotate
Vashe Vysokopreos-
viashchenstvo
|
|
5. Metropolitans
|
(as above)
|
(as above)
|
|
6. Titular Metropolitan
|
His Excellency.
Gr. Panierotatos
Sl. Ego Preosviashchenstvo
|
Your Excellency,
Panierotate
Vashe
Preosviashscentstvo
|
|
7. Bishop
|
The Right Reverend (Rt. Rev.) Bishop of ____
Gr. Theophilestatos.
Sl. Preosviashchenyishy Vladyka
|
Your Grace,
Theophilestate,
Vladyka.
|
|
8. Titular Bishop
|
(as above)
|
(as above)
|
|
9. Archimandrite
|
The Very Reverend Father.
Gr. Apanosiotatos
Sl. Otets Protopresvyter
Gr. Panosiologiotatos
|
Dear Reverend, or
Dear Father
Panasiotate
Dorogoe
Panasiologiotate
|
|
10. Presbyter (Priest)
-married
-married theologian
-celibate
-celibate theologian
|
Reverend Father
Gr. Aidesimotatos
Gr. Aidesimologiotatos
Sl. Otets Protoierei
Gr. Osiotatos
Gr. Osiologiotatos
|
Dear Reverend, or
Dear Father
Aidesimotate
Aidesimologiotate
Uvazhaemyi
Osiotate
Osiologiotate
|
|
11. Deacon
-Theologian
|
Reverend Father
Gr. Evlavestatos
Gr. Ierologiotatos
Sl. Ierodiakon
|
Dear Reverend, or
Dear Father Evlavestate
Ierologiotate Bogoslov
|
|
12. Abbot
|
The Right
Reverend Abbot
Gr. Igoumenos
Sl. Igoumen
|
Dear Reverend
Father, or Dear
Father
Agie Igoumene
Bogoslov
|
|
13. Abbess
|
The Reverend Mother
Superior
Gr. Igoumeni
|
Reverend Mother
Hagia Igoumeni
|
|
14. Monk
|
Brother
Gr. Adelphos
Sl. Monach
|
Dear Brother
Adelphe
|
|
15. Nun
|
Sister
Gr. Adelphi
Sl. Monaschka
|
Dear Sister
Adelphi
Monashka
|
|
16. Spiritual Father
|
Gr. Geron
Sl. Vladyka
|
Geronta
Vladyka
|
|
