Clergy Etiquette

Information on the forms of addresses and salutations for Orthodox Christian Clergy.

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
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