Order of Precedence (Catholic Church)
Encyclopedia
The order of precedence
in the Catholic Church
is contingent upon the organization of the hierarchy
, including both the Hierarchy of Order and the Hierarchy of Jurisdiction, as well as various honorary titles.
This page is intended as a simple list reflecting the order of precedence established by the Holy See
. For more detailed information on the Catholic Church, or descriptions of the ministers and offices listed below, please go to those pages.
Order of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
in the Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
is contingent upon the organization of the hierarchy
Catholic Church hierarchy
The term Hierarchy in the Catholic Church has a variety of related usages. Literally, "holy government", the term is employed in different instances. There is a Hierarchy of Truths, which refers to the levels of solemnity of the official teaching of the faith...
, including both the Hierarchy of Order and the Hierarchy of Jurisdiction, as well as various honorary titles.
This page is intended as a simple list reflecting the order of precedence established by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. For more detailed information on the Catholic Church, or descriptions of the ministers and offices listed below, please go to those pages.
Order of precedence
- The PopePopeThe Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
- PatriarchPatriarchOriginally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
s- The CopticCoptic Catholic ChurchThe Coptic Catholic Church is an Alexandrian Rite particular Church in full communion with the Pope of Rome. Historically, Coptic Catholics represent a schism from the Coptic Orthodox Church, leaving that church in order to come into full communion with the Bishop of Rome.The current Coptic...
Patriarch of Alexandria - The Melkite GreekMelkite Greek Catholic ChurchThe Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
Patriarch of Antioch, of Alexandria and Jerusalem Ad honoremAd honoremAd honorem is a Latin phrase that literally can be translated as "to the honor". When used today, it generally means "for the honor of"; that is, not seeking any material reward. It is commonly used in universities for some unpaid teaching positions.... - The MaroniteMaronite ChurchThe Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See of Rome . It traces its heritage back to the community founded by Maron, a 4th-century Syriac monk venerated as a saint. The first Maronite Patriarch, John Maron, was elected in the late 7th...
Patriarch of Antioch AND The Syrian Patriarch of Antioch (by date of elevation) - The Chaldean Patriarch of Babylonia
- The Armenian Patriarch of Cilicia
- The Coptic
- CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
s- Cardinal-Bishops
- Dean of the Sacred College
- Vice-Dean of the Sacred College
- Other Cardinal-Bishops of Suburbicarian SeesSuburbicarian dioceseThe seven suburbicarian dioceses are Roman Catholic dioceses located in the vicinity of Rome, whose bishops form the highest-ranking order of Cardinals, the Cardinal Bishops....
(by date of elevation)
- Cardinal-presbyters (by date of elevation, and then by order of listing in the consistory)
- Cardinal Protopresbyter
- Other Cardinal-Presbyters
- Cardinal-Deacons (by date of elevation, and then by order of listing in the consistory)
- Cardinal Protodeacon
- Other Cardinal-Deacons
- Cardinal-Bishops
- Major ArchbishopMajor Archbishopright|200 px|thumb|Archbishop [[Sviatoslav Shevchuk]], Major Archbishop of Kyiv-HalychIn the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop is a title for an hierarch to whose archiepiscopal see is granted the same jurisdiction in his autonomous particular Church that an Eastern patriarch has in...
s- The Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych (Ukrainian Greek Catholic ChurchUkrainian Greek Catholic ChurchThe Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
) - The Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly (Syro-Malabar Church)
- The Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (Syro-Malankara Catholic ChurchSyro-Malankara Catholic ChurchThe Syro-Malankara Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See...
) - The Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Julia (Romanian Greek Catholic Church)
- The Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
- Primates or Presidents of the National Conference of Bishops
- Titular Patriarchs
- The Latin Patriarch of JerusalemLatin Patriarch of JerusalemThe Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
- The Latin Patriarch of VenicePatriarch of VeniceThe Patriarch of Venice is the ordinary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. The bishop is one of the few Patriarchs in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church...
- The Latin Patriarch of the West IndiesPatriarch of the West IndiesThe Titular Patriarchate of the West Indies is a Latin Rite Titular Patriarchate of the Roman Catholic Church. It is vacant since the death of its last holder in 1963.-Attempt to create a jurisdictional Patriarchate in the Spanish Indies:...
(vacant since 1963) - The Latin Patriarch of LisbonPatriarch of LisbonThe Patriarch of Lisbon is an honorary title possessed by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon.The first patriarch of Lisbon was D. Tomás de Almeida, who was appointed in 1716 by Pope Clement XI...
- The Latin Patriarch of the East IndiesPatriarch of the East IndiesThe Titular Patriarch of the East Indies in the Catholic hierarchy is the title of the Archbishop of Goa and Damão in India; another title of his is that of the Primate of the East. Unlike the patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches sui juris, the Patriarch of the East Indies enjoys a purely...
- The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
- Metropolitan Archbishops
- Diocesan ArchbishopDiocesan bishopA diocesan bishop — in general — is a bishop in charge of a diocese. These are to be distinguished from suffragan bishops, assistant bishops, coadjutor bishops, auxiliary bishops, metropolitans, and primates....
s - Coadjutor Archbishops
- Titular Archbishops
- Diocesan Archbishop
- BishopBishop (Catholic Church)In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
s- Diocesan BishopDiocesan bishopA diocesan bishop — in general — is a bishop in charge of a diocese. These are to be distinguished from suffragan bishops, assistant bishops, coadjutor bishops, auxiliary bishops, metropolitans, and primates....
s - Coadjutor BishopCoadjutor bishopA coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
s - Titular BishopTitular bishopA titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
s (includes auxiliariesAuxiliary bishopAn auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
, curia staffRoman CuriaThe Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
, and diplomatsForeign relations of the Holy SeeThe Holy See—which must be clearly distinguished from the city-state of Vatican City—has long been recognised as a subject of international law and as an active participant in international relations...
)
- Diocesan Bishop
- Superiors GeneralSuperior generalA Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of Religious Orders - Prelate nullius
- ArchimandriteArchimandriteThe title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
- Abbot nullius
- AbbotAbbotThe word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
- Exarch apostolicExarchIn the Byzantine Empire, an exarch was governor with extended authority of a province at some remove from the capital Constantinople. The prevailing situation frequently involved him in military operations....
- Vicar apostolic
- Prefect apostolicApostolic prefectAn apostolic prefect is a priest who heads what is known as an apostolic prefecture, a missionary area where the Catholic Church is not yet sufficiently developed to have it made a diocese....
- Apostolic administratorApostolic AdministratorAn apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
- Prelate of Personal prelaturePersonal prelaturePersonal prelature is an institutional structure of the Roman Catholic Church which comprises a prelate, clergy and possibly laity who undertake specific pastoral activities. Personal prelatures, similar to dioceses and military ordinariates, are under the governance of the Vatican's Congregation...
- Protonotary apostolicProtonotary apostolicIn the Roman Catholic Church, protonotary apostolic is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of prelates in the Roman Curia or, outside of Rome, an honorary prelate on whom the pope has conferred this title and its special privileges.-History:In later antiquity there were in...
(MonsignorMonsignorMonsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
)- De Numero
- Supranumerary
- Religious superior/ProvostProvost (religion)A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
- Vicars General or ArchdeaconArchdeaconAn archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
s - Vicars episcopal or Diocesan Directors of MinistriesChristian ministryIn Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
- Honorary Prelates of His Holiness (Monsignor)
- Vicars forane, Deans, CanonCanon (priest)A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
s, and Diocesan Consultors - ArchpriestArchpriestAn archpriest is a priest with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches, although it may be used in the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church instead of dean or vicar forane.In the 16th and 17th centuries, during...
s - Chaplains of His HolinessChaplain of His HolinessA Chaplain of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges, such as regards ecclesiastical dress....
(Monsignor) - PastorPastorThe word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
s or Pastoral Life Coordinators - HieromonkHieromonkHieromonk , also called a Priestmonk, is a monk who is also a priest in the Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholicism....
s (priests of religious orders) - Priest administrators
- Parochial vicars or Pastoral associates
- Permanent deacons
- Pastoral assistants
- Transitional deaconTransitional deaconIn the Roman Catholic Church, a transitional deacon is a celibate man who has been ordained a deacon and who intends to become a priest. Transitional deacons are usually ordained to the diaconate after they complete their third year at the theological seminary. For several centuries, all Roman...
s - SubdeaconSubdeacon-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
s (in Eastern Churches) - Religious BrotherBrother (Catholic)A religious brother is a member of a Roman Catholic religious order who commits himself to following Christ in consecrated life of the church by the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience. A layman , he usually lives in a religious community and works in a ministry that suits his talents and gifts...
s and Sisters - Scholastics
- Catechists (Commissioned/Certified)
- AcolyteAcolyteIn many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone who performs ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. In other Christian Churches, the term is more specifically used for one who wishes to attain clergyhood.-Etymology:...
(Installed) - LectorLectorLector is a Latin term for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages the word has come to take various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as , , and . It has various specialized uses:...
(Installed) - Seminarians, Deacon candidates, and other theology students