From the editor:

The events of the 17th century, connected with the attempt to enslave the Russian Church by the state, led to numerous deviations from the faith of representatives of the hierarchy. This became the reason for the distrust of the church people in the hierarchy. On the other hand, after the split for a century and a half, the Old Believers only thought about how to restore the hierarchical structure of the Church. Today Priest John Sevastyanov, rector , reflects on the peculiarities of priestly service in modern world, about the problems that priests face in their pastoral activities, about the relationship of communities with pastors, temptations and spiritual trials, as well as the level of education of modern pastors.

Priests temporarily without bishops

One of the important aspects of the structure of the Christian Church is the hierarchical principle of church service. The apostles, and then their successors, are the support of the Lord in building up the body of the church. From this follows the fundamental principle of apostolic succession. Hence the right of the hierarchy to represent the voice of the Church. Hence follows the close attention that the Church has always paid to this service. And therefore, in all periods of church history, the state of the hierarchy is an indicator of the standard of living of the entire Church.

The Old Believer period especially showed the importance of hierarchical ministry in the Church. On the one hand, the events of the 17th century, connected with the attempt to enslave the Russian Church by the state, led to numerous deviations from the faith of representatives of the hierarchy. This became the reason for the general distrust of the church people in the hierarchy. On the other hand, after the split for a century and a half, the Old Believers only thought about how to restore the hierarchical structure of the Church.

It should be noted that the period of the existence of the Church without bishops did not pass without a trace for the church consciousness. During this time, along with the thirst for the restoration of a normal church structure, there is a natural addiction to life without a hierarchy. Church leaders are gradually becoming not bishops and priests, but monks and authoritative laity. A very important connection between the clergy and the communities they lead has been transformed. Under persecutory conditions, not a single priest, not a single bishop could be sure that he would serve in one community for a long time. Everyone served like the last time. In addition, the special relationship between the fugitive New Believer priests and the communities, or rather, the trustees of the communities who received them " in great need”, contributed to the development of mercenarism, a special connection between the community and its priest only on the basis of a material contract. And, finally, the influence of the surrounding New Ritual clergy with its bureaucratic idea of ​​the appointment of clergymen, the estate of priestly service, the division of the Church into teaching and learning parts.

This process has led to the fact that the position and importance of the clergy in the Church has gradually changed and continues to change. The very idea of ​​the place of priestly service is changing. And first of all, ideas about the responsibility of clergy are changing, blurred.

The Responsibility of the Hierarchy to the Church People

The question of the responsibility of the clergy seems to be one of the most important in the hierarchical service. How and to whom should bishops, priests and deacons be accountable? Unfortunately, the ancient principles of internal church relations are being eroded. Priests gradually cease to feel their responsibility for the specific community that has chosen them. The ministry of one priest in several communities at once leads to the depersonalization of individual communities into a vague “ flock". The Ancient Principle of a Permanent Place of Service—" the priest has one wife and one church"- becomes irrelevant, even in "peaceful" time, transfers of servants from place to place are allowed. Hierarchical service in the Church is gradually turning into a privilege. All this leads to weakening and even loss of responsibility of ministers for a specific result, for a specific community. And the very result of service is measured only by the years that have passed since the moment of ordination.

This trend led to a counter reduction in the demand of the church people for the quality of the priesthood. It has become generally accepted and acceptable to reduce the role of clergy only to the performance of church sacraments. And since this does not require special intellectual and professional skills, the criterion for choosing ministers was also extremely reduced.

In different periods, in different situations, these problems manifest themselves in different ways. But in general, the trend towards a decrease in the quality of clergy in the Church has been traced for a long time. And one of the important problems in this situation is the lack of a clear idea of ​​the duties of the clergy. Christ left to his disciples the commandments directly related to the organization of the priestly ministry. When the Lord sent the apostles, whose successors are church clergy, He gave them very detailed instructions. And these instructions were not of a general plan - “serve God”, but specific recommendations: where to go, what to take with you, what to say, what to do, how to act in this or that situation. And these specific, clear recommendations used to be a criterion for evaluating the activities of clergymen. But from the moment Jesus Christ gave these recommendations, there has been a constant desire in the Church to simplify and round these requirements. Some of the holy fathers, who are especially concerned about hierarchical ministry in the Church, such as John Chrysostom, Gregory the Dialogist, Gregory the Theologian, tried to sharpen this problem of church life, but the overwhelming trend was aimed at simplifying the ministry of bishops, presbyters and deacons. . And this tendency at all times hindered the life and development of the Church.

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Rights and duties of a priest

The problem of assessing the height and earnestness of priestly service has become significant in recent times. We have a large list of canonical rules protecting the rights and dignity of clergy, especially bishops. But there are not very many rules that define their duties. Moreover, almost all of these rules govern special, emergency situations. Yes, and the existing rules are subject to an unspoken gradation - important and unimportant. For example, in the life of the Church there were tragedies when a clergyman, on the basis of rules, was defrocked for obscene behavior. And how many cases have there been when a priest or bishop, on the basis of the rules, was removed from the ministry because he did not preach? Although both are required by the canonical rules. As a consequence, quite acceptable and in no way influencing the assessment of the activities of the clergy, was the belittling of entrusted communities, the reduction of Christians in churches.

How can one formulate the duties of a modern clergyman? What exactly should each bishop, priest, or deacon do in his ministry? What is the daily, regular, routine service of a clergyman? The same applies to the control over the activities of the clergy. By what criteria can service be judged? What can be considered satisfactory, and when should the alarm be raised? These are all questions that need to be answered.

Here is an example that can be taken from the secular life of the state. Catherine II at one time introduced a very simple principle for evaluating the activities of provincial leaders. If the population of the province grows, then the activities of local authorities are quite satisfactory. If the number of people decreases, then it's time to make a personnel decision. This is one of the aspects that could, with appropriate reservations, be applied to the evaluation of the priestly ministry.

Does consecration give the right to reverence and honor?

The absence of such clear ideas and requirements not only leads to unintentional inaction and negligence, but also to an unjustified overestimation of the role of service. The transformation of the priesthood into a church privilege leads to an unjustified distortion of intra-church relations. Now, along with consecration, the clergy are automatically given the obligatory honor, reverence and ceremoniality on the part of the laity. Back in the days of Archpriest Avvakum, the attitude towards the clergy was less reverent, more equal.

The subsequent "deficit" of ministers significantly transformed the relationship between clergy and laity. The opinion of the clergyman has become predominant only because it is the opinion of the clergyman. These distortions can lead to situations where the priest can commit obvious violations (for example, baptize not in three immersions), but at the same time the community will agree with this, because “ the abbot is so pleased».

Another problem in the organization of hierarchical ministry in the Church is the lack of an educational qualification for the clergy. It should be noted that this issue was relevant at all times of the existence of the Church. For two millennia, no unequivocal answer has been given: do clergymen need education, and if so, what kind? Many holy fathers gave different answers to this question. And despite no one's recommendations, this side of priestly service was left purely to the personal discretion of the ministers. Practically no one has ever demanded that the clergy receive a systematic education. This was considered to be a very minor factor.

Although it is necessary to recall an interesting historical fact. Both in the 19th and 20th centuries, the persecutors of the Church, among the effective measures to combat religion, prevented the ministry of educated hierarchs, but contributed to the ordination of uneducated candidates to the priesthood. This state of affairs, justified in a time of persecution, cannot possibly be tolerated in a time of public peace. To assume that a person without education can become an adequate preacher is already a manifestation of negligence and neglect.

The prevailing attitude towards the clergy, the deliberately low bar of requirements for candidates even led to the fact that the clergy were taken out of the framework of the modern legal status of the Old Believer communities. According to the modern civil charter, the rector of the community is no longer even a mandatory staff unit. Legally, the community can easily exist without a rector, the main thing is that there should be a chairman.

How to Improve the Quality of Priestly Ministry

Assessing the events taking place in the Church, analyzing the emerging problems of church life, one can notice signs of a smoldering crisis in priestly ministry. It is quite possible that the cause of many church disorganizations is the not fully realized significance of priestly service. Internal personal problems of the pastoral ministry should not be given to public discussion. This question is very subjective and not subject to any generalizations. But the external, organizational side of hierarchical service in the Church should be discussed in a conciliar way and ways of solving existing problems should be sought.

But this should not be done in order to find a reason for some kind of reproach or condemnation. All this must be formulated so that the new generations of clergymen have clear instructions and recommendations for their ministry. The time has come for the entire Church to think about the formulation of a “staffing table” for clergy. So that every bishop, priest and deacon can know exactly what his daily ministry is. How much time he should spend in his temple, how many services and how each clergyman should perform, what education should be minimal for a minister, what yardstick is decisive for assessing the quality of the priesthood, who and how can control its activities.

All of these seemingly bureaucratic issues are actually very important to a fruitful church ministry. Irresponsibility, uncertainty of duties, unintentional negligence always have a detrimental effect on the life and activities of any human society, from the family to the state. And even more so, this applies to the Church - God-established society, which consists of people. And the fact that the Lord, when sending His disciples to preach, gave them specific recommendations for service, and then asked them for an account for their deeds, testifies to the fact that in our time this principle of organizing priestly service is extremely necessary and important. .

All persons who have assumed the clergy rank, in addition to acquiring grace-filled gifts for serving in the Church, are endowed with certain rights and obligations in church-legal terms. A person who is in a sacred rank is surrounded by special reverence on the part of believers. But at the same time, one should not forget that the central Person in the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ (and the Holy Trinity as a whole). It is to the Most Holy Trinity that it is worthy to give the highest degree of worship.

The rights of the clergy

The whole system of rights for clergy took shape over many years after the birth of the Christian Church. Naturally, the development of the legal relations of the clergy was influenced by various historical epochs and those states in which the Orthodox Church existed.

1. The canons protect the inviolability of the person of a bishop with special prohibitions for those who encroach on it. Canon 3 of the Council of Hagia Sophia forbids a layman to raise his hand against a bishop under threat of anathema (church excommunication). According to the laws of the Byzantine Empire, and later the Russian state, insulting a clergyman while serving them was regarded as a qualified crime. Modern civil legislation does not provide for this privilege of the clergy, equalizing the rights of clergy and laity.

2. Both in Byzantium and in Rus', the clergy were often subject only to the ecclesiastical authorities (even in criminal cases). In the Russian state, this privilege was almost completely abolished in the era of the Holy Synod, and after the separation of the Church from the state, it was completely abolished. At the same time, it should be noted that according to the canons of the Church, any privilege can be used at any time if the laws of the state comply with it. It is important to understand that the Church stands above the state and therefore its canons are not subject to the trends of this or that historical epoch, or this or that political regime.

The clergy deserve special veneration within the Church. According to the tradition established in the Church, the laity, clergy and deacons ask for blessings from presbyters and bishops, and presbyters from bishops. In mutual relations between clergy, the privilege of honor belongs to the one who is in a higher rank of service. For clerics who are in the same sacred rank, according to the 97th canon of the Council of Carthage, the primacy of honor is determined by the eldership of consecration. This tradition has spread widely in Russia. With all this, it is worth noting that, according to the canons of the Church, lower clerics are forbidden to show respect to higher spiritual ranks through immoderate signs of respect that are contrary to the very spirit of Christianity. First of all, there should be simply a respectful and respectful attitude towards a person of a spiritual rank (highest rank).

Responsibilities of the Clergy

In addition to certain rights, clergy must also fulfill certain duties. These duties are connected with the way of their life and with the moral standards of behavior that they must observe. The basic rule of conduct for clergymen is the following: everything that is forbidden to be done by a candidate for the clergy is forbidden to be done by an already active clergyman.

All the rights of clergy are strictly regulated by various Church Councils and rules.

So, the 42nd and 43rd canons of the Holy Apostles are strictly forbidden for all church clergymen to indulge in wine drinking (drunkenness) and gambling. For violation of these rules, a clergyman may be defrocked.

Canon 62 of the Council of Trulli forbids clergy (as well as laymen) from participating in pagan festivities, dressing up as the opposite sex, and donning masks.

The 27th canon of the Holy Apostles forbids clergy to raise a hand against a person, even a delinquent.

A number of church canons forbid clerics from participating in certain reprehensible events, such as: horse racing and various "disgraceful games" (Canon 24 of the Trullo Council), visiting drinking establishments (Canon 54 of the Holy Apostles), arranging riotous feasts at home (canon 55 of the Laodicean Council), widowed or unmarried clerics - keeping outside women at home (canon 3 of the First Ecumenical Council), etc.

A number of canons are devoted to the appearance of a clergyman and are mandatory. So, according to the 27th rule of the Trullo Council, a clergyman is forbidden to dress in indecent clothes. This rule reads: “Let no one who is in the clergy put on indecent clothes, either while in the city or on the way; but let each of them use the garments already determined for those who are in the clergy. If anyone does this, let him be excommunicated from the priesthood for one week. Further, according to the 16th canon of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, clergymen are forbidden to walk in luxurious costumes: “All luxury and decoration of the body are alien to the priestly rank and state. For this reason, bishops or clerics who adorn themselves with bright and magnificent clothes, let them correct themselves. And if they remain in that, subject them to penance, who also use fragrant oils.

The Church also takes the family life of a clergyman seriously. Unmarried priests are prohibited from marrying. As the 26th Apostolic Canon says, “We command that of those who have entered the clergy, the celibate, those who wish, only readers and singers enter into marriage.” Canon 10 of the Council of Ancyra allowed deacons to marry even after ordination, but on condition that such an intention was announced to the bishop before ordination. However, Canon 6 of the Council of Trulli strictly forbade marriage not only for deacons, but even for subdeacons after their appointment. Clerical marriage must be strictly monogamous. The second marriage of widowed clergymen and clergymen is unconditionally prohibited. For a cleric, the so-called passive bigamy is also unacceptable. The 8th canon of the Neo-Caesarean Council reads: “If the wife of a certain layman, having committed adultery, is openly convicted of that, then he cannot come into church service. If, after the ordination of her husband, she falls into adultery, then he must divorce her. If he cohabits, he cannot touch the service entrusted to him. If the violation of marital fidelity by the wife of a clergyman is incompatible with the priesthood, then the violation of it by the clergyman himself, as well as the fornication of a celibate clergyman, is all the more unacceptable.

In general, it should be noted that there are quite a lot of these rules and canons, but they are all aimed at achieving one result - preserving the purity of the priestly service and warning the laity from falling into various worldly temptations.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the rights and obligations of clergy in their participation in the divine services of the Church.

Deacon service is the initial stage of the priesthood in the Church. In this regard, the deacon, in many ways, is an assistant to higher priestly ranks in the performance of divine services. According to their original meaning, deacons serve at the Lord's Supper, that is, at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. According to church canons, the deacon during the celebration of divine services is completely subordinate to the presbyter or bishop. The main functions of a deacon are: to prepare sacred vessels, to offer prayers both in private and in public, with the permission of the presbyter, to teach and instruct the laity in the faith, to interpret various passages from the Holy Scriptures for them. A deacon does not have the right to perform any divine service without the participation of a presbyter or bishop, since he is, first of all, an assistant. It should also be noted that a deacon, without the blessing of a priest, cannot put on his vestments before the start of the service. Without a presbyterian or episcopal blessing, a deacon does not have the right to burn incense and pronounce litanies. As for marital status, a deacon can be married, but only once, and before the Sacrament of Hirotonia. This rule is connected with the fact that in the Sacrament of Consecration a person (candidate for clergy) enters into a spiritual marriage with the Christian flock.

The second, in terms of importance, place in the church hierarchy is occupied by presbyters. Presbyters also have their own specific rights and duties in the performance of divine services. The basic rights of the presbyter are the ability to make the following actions: the right to perform Church services and the Sacraments (except for the Sacrament of Consecration), to teach the faithful the pastoral blessing and to teach the laity the truths of the Christian faith. The priest receives all these rights from the bishop in the sacrament of ordination to presbyter. A presbyter who is under prohibition is deprived of the right to perform divine services. A presbyter who has been transferred to the clerkship, temporarily deprived of his rank or under a ban, has no right to wear a cassock, other insignia of priestly distinction, a priestly cross, and also cannot bless the faithful.

The highest level of the priestly hierarchy is the episcopal office. According to the gifts of grace, all bishops are equal among themselves, i.e., all have the episcopal degree and are bishops, the sovereign distributors of gifts of grace, the first and main performers of divine services. Only the bishop, as the successor to the apostolic authority, has the right to celebrate the Sacrament of Priesthood, to consecrate the chrism for the Sacrament of Chrismation, and the thrones or antimensions for the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. In his diocese, he has the right to appoint clergy and clergy to parishes and move them, as well as to reward or exact.

The bishop from the first centuries of Christianity was the head of the Christian community, as evidenced by the books of the New Testament (see Acts 20:28; 1 ​​Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:6-7). Later, in the process of becoming a church legal statute, they received more names: patriarch, metropolitan, archbishop and vicar. In the Russian Orthodox Church, the patriarch has the right to wear a white hood with zions, metropolitans wear a white hood with a cross, archbishops wear a black hood with a cross, and bishops wear a black hood without a cross.

By church law

Rights and obligations of clerics

1. The nature and triplicity of priestly ministry

The rights and duties of clerics flow from the nature of the priesthood. "... The priesthood is the continuation and participation in the one and only priesthood of Christ, which is bestowed upon the Church." In the ministry of Christ "... there are three ministries: 1) prophetic, 2) high priestly, and 3) royal." "According to the expression of the Apostle Paul, shepherds are co-workers ... servants of Christ ... mediators and continuers of the work of Christ (see: 1 Cor. 3, 9-10; 4, 1-2, 9; 2 Cor. 5, 20)". They are the vehicles of His threefold action, His spirit. "In the Mystery of the Priesthood, the shepherd receives the gift of bearing the image of Christ; he must be a living icon of Christ." As a living image of Christ, the priest carries out the three ministries of Christ in the community, the priest at the level of the parish, and the bishop - the dioceses. The tripartite ministry of a priest consists of: 1) preaching the word of God, 2) celebrating the Sacraments, and 3) managing (a parish or a diocese). The essence, i.e., the inner content, of the priestly service is the grace-filled mediation of the shepherd for the flock before God in the matter of the rebirth of people, and its main task and ultimate goal is to restore the connection of a person with God and other people. The ministry of a priest consists in the creation in oneself and in one's community of the Kingdom of Heaven. His main task is to ensure that his tripartite ministry corresponds to its essence and ultimate goal, that is, to perform it "... in the spirit of Christ's priesthood and Christ's Kingdom." in spirit and truth. If the priestly ministry does not correspond to its essence and its purpose, then from the great power of sanctifying the world it turns into a great power of temptation. For "every sacred action is a great spiritual reality, the incarnation of the Spirit of Truth." "External, formal, soulless use of sacred objects, actions and words (that is, the performance of priestly duties - author's note) accumulates deadly negative energy in the world." The priesthood is the power of the love of the cross, poured out into the world by our Savior and poured out on the faithful through the priests, on whom it descends in ordination. If priestly service is performed not in the spirit of Christ's love for people and not in truth, then it turns into a graceless priesthood. A priest who does not have the spirit of Christ does not bring people to Christ, but drives them away from Him. Placed to be a mediator between the Lord and the faithful, such a priest becomes a whitewashed wall (that is, fine in appearance) between the Lord and the people. In order for the tripartite ministry of the priest - preaching, secret action and management - not to be reduced to simple teaching, fulfillment of demands and management, its content and goal must be Christ and His invisible Kingdom. Therefore, the first duty of a priest is to take care of his inner state, to strive for Christ and be in Him. All Christians are called to this, but the priest, in view of his position in the Church, bears a special responsibility for this.

2. Basic Pastoral Virtues That Make Priestly Service According to Its Nature

The main pastoral virtues by which the spirit of life in Christ is acquired are prayerfulness, love, humility and patience. The life of a shepherd should be prayer. "... The home prayer for a shepherd should be the breath of his soul, without which he could not live." The priest "...should primarily before the flock live in conversation with God and communion with Him." He must develop in himself “a filial attitude to prayer, not forced, but free standing before God…”, “to compel not to the rule, but to prayerful standing, to begging for the gift of prayer itself.” Without a personal deed of prayer, "... it is impossible for a single shepherd to kindle in himself the grace of ordination, or to be inspired by a pastor." "The shepherd-prayer brings great public benefit, raising the general prayerful mood in the flock." “In all activities of the shepherd-prayer, the Lord Savior and bringing people to the salvation of God become the motive of labors.” If the priest does not carry out the feat of personal prayer, then he does not gain the experience of living communion with God, but “from the pastor’s inability to lead the prayer feat of the faithful, from the inability to inspire them to communion with God, the fire of grace goes out in them…”

“... The highest of all earthly callings, the most responsible of all kinds of ministries - the priesthood - is primarily a ministry of love ... The priest, the first of all the disciples of Christ, must put on love, which, according to the word of the Apostle, is the totality of perfection (see Col. 3 , fourteen)". In consecration, the priest is given the gift of pastoral love, i.e. the ability to overcome one's individualism, to transfer one's life into others and for the sake of the Lord to live in them and for them. This gift is manifested in the fact that the priest's consciousness "... of the duty to take care of others more than of himself" becomes aggravated. He is now obliged to take care not only of his own salvation, but of the salvation of all entrusted to him by the Lord. This gift is warmed up mainly by self-compulsion to love. The priest is obliged to put the spiritual benefit of the parishioners above his own personal benefit even if it is spiritual. He must learn to willingly sacrifice his peace, time and strength for their sake, in spite of selfish feelings of discontent, to force himself to moderate outward courtesy and affection. Through this activity, genuine responsiveness gradually increases in him and passes into a sincere mood. “The source of pastoral love for people lies in love for God, for the sake of which every true shepherd strives to purify himself from passions.” An important means of kindling grace-pastoral love is prayer for the grace-filled strengthening of love. “Especially at the beginning of the service, every pastor-primate, according to Lestvichnik, “should also pray that everyone should have compassion and disposition in proportion to their dignity.” The Pharisees are a clear evidence of the need for a shepherd to love. They fulfilled “... the formal requirements of the law, while losing sight of its essence, which consists in love for God and neighbor. Exposing themselves as judges and defenders of the law…”, in the name of the law they misinterpreted, they raised the Giver of this law to the Cross. That is, if the shepherd neglects love, he becomes its persecutor and crucifier.

Humility is the basis, foundation and depth of love. "In time of spiritual discovery, it precedes love." “The essence of humility lies in self-denial and renunciation of self-will, which is absolutely necessary for pastoral ministry.” If the priest does not have a sense of his own unworthiness, then gradually he begins to place himself at the center of the life of the community instead of Christ, "to spread his human influence around himself" and "dominate over those around him." Rising in his opinion above the parishioners and becoming more and more alienated and moving away from them, the priest breaks spiritual unity with them and turns into a leader.

Patience of sorrows for a priest is not just a general Christian commandment, but a pastoral duty. “...By taking upon himself the sins of his parish and outsiders who give themselves to its leadership...”, the priest becomes a partaker of Christ's sorrow for the whole world. The task of the pastoral ministry is to free and protect oneself and people from the devil. He enters into a sharper fight against evil. Therefore, “sorrows are a direct distinction of pastoral ministry.” "... To be a truly good shepherd is a cross of crosses." But in these sorrows he is internally renewed. "... A pastor not only should not run away from sorrows or grumble at them, but joyfully endure them with faith in God's help and with confidence in their saving need."

3. The tripartite ministry of clerics

1. Pastoral teaching. Word teaching. The Lord proclaimed the truth to the people and gave the apostles the commandment: "...go and make disciples of all peoples..." (Matt. 28:19). Therefore, "the truth and preaching it to people is the fundamental task of pastoral ministry." The sermon is "... an integral part of the priestly ministry." According to the teaching of the word of God, church canons and the instructions of the church charter, the preaching of the word of God is the main duty of pastoral ministry. Truth exists as a word about God, i.e. as a theoretical teaching, and as a life in God. The word about God is the most important, but the initial degree of knowledge of the truth. Its goal is to come to an experiential knowledge of God, which alone is true knowledge of God, for Christ is the truth and He is known only through communion with Him and the fulfillment of His will. The task of the priest is to convey to believers the truth about God, to call them to an experiential knowledge of God and to help them in acquiring this experience of life in God.

In order for the word of the priest to edify those who hear, the following is necessary:

what he says, he must understand and assimilate from his personal experience. For “the Tradition of the Church cannot be understood rationally, through external knowledge, but only on the basis of personal experience. Only in the communion of faith is it possible to internally, personally assimilate its foundations and unite with the Teacher of faith. As the Savior said: “The words that I speak to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63), so the words of a shepherd should be an expression of his experience of life in God;

“... his word, just inspired and heard or prepared in advance” should come “... from the heart, from the fullness of faith, from the sweet desire to console, strengthen, enlighten and warm a person”;

the shepherd himself must experience what he is talking about, for “only that pastoral word enlightens and strengthens, which enlightens and strengthens the shepherd himself, is a lesson for him.” That is, he really must speak from the heart. Then his word will be received by the heart;

the shepherd must humbly realize that the only true Teacher is the Lord, and if He does not act through his word, then the priest himself cannot be of benefit to those who listen.

"Each successor of apostolic grace receives in the sacrament of the priesthood a special gift of preaching - from heart to heart, from mouth to mouth." The priest is obliged to kindle in himself this gift of grace through the study of the truth and teaching it to believers. Ap. Paul commands St. Timothy always learn in the word of God (1 Tim. 4, 13-16) and be a teacher (2 Tim. 2, 24). The 2nd canon of the VII Ecumenical Council prescribes that “... whoever has to be elevated to the bishopric knows the psalter, so that in this way he will instruct his people ... So that he will be tested ... whether he wants to read the sacred rules, the Gospel, the book of the Apostle and all divine Scripture. Read with interpretation, so that you know the meaning of each word and be able to teach the people entrusted to him ... ”According to Canon 19 of the VI Ecumenical Council,“ the primate of the church, mainly on Sundays, must teach dogmas, and interpret them not from himself, but as understood by the Divine Fathers. According to the 58th Apostolic Canon, a bishop or priest, if he does not care about the teaching of the people, is excommunicated, and if he does not fulfill this even after excommunication, then he is subject to expulsion. Deacons have the right to participate in the ministry of the word.

The bishop, or priest, must always be a preacher of the truth. “To rite the Truth: to manifest it in relation to all cases and circumstances of life. Witness the truth of Christ in all human ways. And in order to be a witness to the truth, he must live according to this truth. "Preaching without reinforcing it in your life is like a picture of bread instead of bread." Just as Christ is the incarnate truth, so the priest, being the living image of Christ, must embody the truth in his deeds and in his life. "The priest must be a teacher of holiness and a teacher of repentance, a bearer of grace and a living proof of the relentless sojourn of God in the world."

There are three main forms of preaching the word of God: liturgical (during public or private worship), lectures (outside the church), and private conversation. Private conversation archbishop. John (Shakhovskoy) calls the witness form of preaching - "... in houses (and during the years of persecution in courts)". The lecture form of preaching (or teaching the law) consists in the systematic teaching of the Law of God to children or adults, that is, the foundations of faith and morality. The most convenient and common form for this is Sunday school. “...Sunday school is the foundation of the parish, our future, the future of the entire Church, largely depends on the activities of Sunday schools.” Therefore, teaching the law is “one of the important and most responsible duties of a priest…” “The clergy, as a grace-filled ability to guide people in spiritual life, is not an institutional, but a rare, personal gift from God.”

According to the Book of the Offices of Parish Elders, there are five types of teaching that a pastor must carry out in his work: 1) teach the faith and perfect the parishioners in it, 2) expose and eradicate the godless, heretical and superstitious, 3) correct those corrupted in lawlessness 4) to instruct and affirm the faithful and honest in a virtuous life, 5) to console and uplift the sad and despairing.

"The chief of today's disasters is the massive moral corruption of youth and children." Therefore, "every priest should consider it his first duty to preach an uncompromising opposition to moral corruption." One of the main tasks of pastors is to work with youth. “Pastors need to learn to talk to the youth and not shy away from this dialogue.”

Self-education. Self-education is one of the duties of a priest, for ignorance is the cause of many mistakes, delusions and sins. The Lord said through the prophet Hosea: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: since you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from serving as a priest before Me…” (Hosea 4:6). “... Every priest, more than any other Christian, must constantly work on his education and replenish his spiritual baggage, improve his knowledge in accordance with the demands of the time. You need to be well-read in spiritual literature, to know the ancient holy fathers and the remarkable Russian spiritual writers close to us in time, the saints, the elders, who left us great spiritual treasures. You need to know about the main achievements of modern church-historical, dogmatic science, biblical studies, liturgical theology. In our time, “a clergyman must have a broad outlook, deep knowledge in various fields, the ability to delve into even those issues that go beyond his “professional” interests and duties.”

Execution of the Mysteries. In consecration, the bishop receives from God the authority to perform all seven Sacraments of the Church, the priest - six (except for the sacrament of the Priesthood), and the deacon - to officiate during the performance of the Sacraments. The bishop and the priest also receive the right to preside at divine services. In the full sense of the word, "... the priest is not the performer, but the performer of the Sacraments." priestly ministry cleric

The priest and the deacon are obliged to know the teaching of the Church about the Sacraments, the order and features of their celebration, set forth in the Handbook of the Holy Church Servant, compiled by S.V. churches of the saints to perform and prepare for the priestly service ... ”The Sacraments must be performed reverently, attentively and thoughtfully, with deep faith and lively prayer to God acting in the Sacraments. During the performance of the Sacraments and rites, "... first of all, Baptism, Repentance and Marriage, as well as the rite of burial ... the heart of a person in a special way is open to the saving action of the grace of God." If a priest performs a sacred act without reverence, without attention to God and man, then by such an attitude he can alienate a person from the Church. Before the Liturgy, i.e. before the divine service, during which the highest of all the Sacraments, the Eucharist, is performed, the priest is obliged to prepare himself with fasting and prayer established by the Church. “Great is the significance of the sacramental ministry of the priest. This is truly a divine service done by Christ Himself. But in order for the grains of God's grace to bear plentiful and appropriate fruits, it is necessary to prepare the soil for sowing, it is necessary to teach the flock to worthily accept the grace-filled gifts of the Sacraments, it is necessary to teach the flock the ways to achieve unity with God. That is, the priest is responsible for ensuring that the believers, for whose sake he performs the Sacraments, consciously and worthily participate in them. The task of a pastor is to help his flock gain experience of life in the Church, "... which is acquired mainly through participation in the liturgical, Eucharistic life of the Church."

Church administration ministry. The bishop and priest (rector of the parish) is responsible for church administration. The ultimate goal of this ministry is to build the Kingdom of Heaven in the community entrusted to the shepherd. “... A bishop is first and foremost a ... pastor and tenderly loving father, and not an administrator and boss who exercises impersonal and cold leadership that is not based on love and does not develop the fellowship of personalities.” “The bishop must show love to the clergy who are under him, and they, in turn, are obliged to obey him as a “father”, “for the people of the Lord are entrusted to him, and he will give an answer for their souls.”

"... A parish is not a temple building, but a church community united by Christian love and organized by the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit." “The parish life is a ladder to the Kingdom of God. The upbringing of this Kingdom and the teaching of this Kingdom is in the thoughts, feelings and will of a person. The task of the priest is to unite the parishioners around him into one friendly family. For this, “the priest, who, by the gift of the grace of the priesthood, is the image of Christ, must remember that each person who came to the temple was called by Christ Himself, and with each he is obliged to find personal contact.” The priest has the right (and according to Patriarch Alexy II and Patriarch Kirill, this is his duty) to organize catechism, missionary and social activities at his parish. “Through charitable works, members of the Church feel like one family in Christ.”

Appearance of the shepherd

A priest is not a profession, it is a calling to serve God and in God to each neighbor, it is a way of life and disposition of the soul corresponding to this calling. This must also be consistent with appearance. The shepherd wears priestly clothing, which for him is a constant reminder of grace, the holiness and purity of his ministry, keeping him from sin and worldly deeds, and for people this is a reminder "... that the priesthood does not end in the temple." “According to the 16th canon of the VII Ecumenical Council, clerics are forbidden to be swanky and pompous in clothing…” it is allowed for us and clerics…”

Pastoral Purity

Pastoral purity is "... the correct behavior of a shepherd in the world, corresponding to his ministry." According to the canons, clerics are forbidden drunkenness and gambling (42nd Apostle canon), visiting innkeepers (54th Apostle canon), usury (4th right of the Laod Council) and worldly trade, especially wine (18th right. Karf. Sob.; 9th right. Trull. Sob.). Clerics are forbidden to raise a hand against a person, even a delinquent, to arrange feasts at their homes (canon of the 55th Council of Laodicea), to hold public and state positions (6th, 81st Apost. right; 11th right. Dvukr. Sob.), engage in entrepreneurship (3rd canon of the IV Ecumenical Council). Everything that is incompatible with their calling to be a direct conductor of God's actions and a living witness of God's presence in the world must be eliminated from the life of clergy. Clerics do not have the right to marry after ordination. The sacrament of ordination is performed in the same way as Marriage: with the singing of the same troparions. Only the protege does not go around the lectern, but around the throne. This is a sign that he is receiving the grace that betroths him to the church community. Now he serves the Lord and people in Him. The throne becomes the center of his life. After that, he can no longer enter into the Sacrament of Marriage, which would oblige him to please his wife. According to the canons, if a cleric commits a serious sin: murder, even involuntary, fornication, adultery, theft, he is deposed from his rank. Passive bigamy is also unacceptable for a cleric, i.e. cohabitation with a wife who has fallen into adultery (8th right. Neokesar. Cathedral). Priests are forbidden to eat food alone with women (22nd canon of the 7th Ecumenical Council).

Veneration of shepherds

The Apostle Paul teaches in the Epistle to Timothy: “It is worthy that elders who lead should be given double honor…” (1 Tim. 5:17). Blessings are taken from bishops and priests. Priests have the right to bless deacons and laity, while bishops have the right to bless priests. Priests are called "fathers" because they show God's Fatherhood to the world, they are conductors of love for the world of the Heavenly Father, Who sent His Son and the Holy Spirit to earth to save people. Respecting the priests “... people respect first of all the grace of God and - themselves, resorting to this source of grace. The unforgivable mistake of a shepherd is to attribute this respect of people to himself and nourish his self-esteem with this respect. Just as the Lord performs the Sacraments through a priest, so He also receives through Him the honor bestowed upon the holy dignity. The task of the priest is to pass it on to the Lord, and not to appropriate it for himself and thereby not bring condemnation upon himself. Any disrespect must be attributed to oneself as a reminder of one's unworthiness, and any respect to the Lord, as a reminder that He also acts through unworthy priests.

Clerics must honor each other as well. The primacy of honor for bishops is determined by the seniority of consecration and the significance of the chairs they occupy, and for presbyters, deacons, and lower clerics, by rank, award, position, seniority of consecration (or ordination) and education. "The advantages of certain episcopal sees, recognized by the sacred canons, are not the advantages of domination and power, but - services that are freely determined by necessity itself." Thus, the honor given to clerics indicates their service.

List of used sources and literature

I. Sources

Bible. Books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament / In Russian translation with parallel passages. M., Russian Bible Society, 1995.

Rules of the Saints Ecumenical Councils with interpretations. Part 1. Council Rules 1-7. - Tutaev: Orthodox Brotherhood of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb, 2001. - Reprint of the publication of the Moscow Society of Spiritual Enlightenment Lovers. - 1438 p.

II. Literature

Aksenov Roman, priest "Feed My Sheep": The Teaching on the Shepherd of St. John of Kronstadt. - Klin: Christian Life Foundation, 2002. - 142 p.

Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Church and spiritual revival of Russia. Words, speeches, messages, appeals (2000-2004). T. 3. Part 1. - M.: Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, 2004. - 544 p.

Veniamin (Milov), bishop. Pastoral theology with asceticism. - M.: Publishing House of the Moscow Compound of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 2002. - 350 p.

Vladimirov Artemy, prot. Evangelical Mercy in the Life of a Shepherd. - M.: Publishing House of the Orthodox Brotherhood of St. Filaret of Moscow, 2001. - 31 p.

George (Kapsanis), archim. Pastoral ministry according to the sacred canons. - M .: Publishing House "Holy Mountain", 2006. - 301 p.

John (Shakhovskoy), archbishop. San Francisco. Philosophy of the Orthodox Pastor. - Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 2007. - 159 p.

Konstantin (Zaitsev), archim. Pastoral Theology: A Course of Lectures Delivered at Holy Trinity Theological Seminary. - With. Reshma, Editorial "Light of Orthodoxy", 2002. - 364 p.

indicating the topic right now to find out about the possibility of obtaining a consultation.

It would be correct to say that those people who work in churches and benefit the Church are serving, and rather difficult, but very charitable.

For many people, the Church remains hidden in darkness, and hence some people often have a distorted understanding of it, an incorrect attitude towards what is happening. Some expect holiness from those who serve in temples, others asceticism.

So, who serves in the temple?

Perhaps I will start with the ministers, so that it is easier to perceive further information.

Those who serve in temples are called clergymen and clergymen, all clergymen in a particular temple are called clergy, and together clergymen and clergymen are called the clergy of a particular parish.

clergymen

Thus, the clergy are people who are consecrated in a special way by the head of the metropolis or diocese, with the laying on of hands (ordination) and the adoption of holy spiritual dignity. These are people who have taken an oath, as well as having a spiritual education.

Careful selection of candidates before ordination (initiation)

As a rule, candidates are ordained to the clergy after a long examination and preparation (often 5-10 years). Previously, this person underwent obedience at the altar and has a testimonial from the priest from whom he obeyed in the church, then he undergoes a protege confession with the confessor of the diocese, after which the metropolitan or bishop decides whether a particular candidate is worthy of ordination.

Married or Monk ... But married to the Church!

Before ordination, the protege is determined whether he will be a married minister or a monk. If he is married, then he must marry in advance, and after checking the relationship for a fortress, ordination is performed (priests are forbidden to be intruders).

So, the clergy received the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sacred service of the Church of Christ, namely: to perform divine services, teach people the Christian faith, good life, piety, manage church affairs.

There are three degrees of priesthood: bishops (metropolitans, archbishops), priests, deacons.

Bishops, Archbishops

The bishop is the highest rank in the Church, they receive the highest degree of Grace, they are also called bishops (the most deserved ones) or metropolitans (who are the head of the metropolis, i.e. the main ones in the region). Bishops may perform all seven of the seven sacraments of the Church and all Church services and rites. This means that only bishops have the right not only to perform ordinary divine services, but also to consecrate (ordain) priests, as well as to consecrate chrism, antimensions, temples and thrones. Bishops govern priests. Bishops are subject to the Patriarch.

Priests, Archpriests

A priest is a clergyman, the second sacred rank after a bishop, who has the right to independently perform six sacraments of the Church out of seven possible, i.e. The priest may perform sacraments and church services with the blessing of the bishop, except for those that are supposed to be performed only by the bishop. More worthy and deserving priests are awarded the title of archpriest, i.e. the senior priest, and the chief among the archpriests is given the title of protopresbyter. If the priest is a monk, then he is called a hieromonk, i.e. monks, for their length of service they can be awarded the title of abbot, and then the even higher title of archimandrite. Especially worthy archimandrites can become bishops.

Deacons, Protodeacons

A deacon is a clergyman of the third, lower priestly rank who assists a priest or bishop in worship or the performance of sacraments. He serves during the celebration of the sacraments, but he cannot perform the sacraments on his own. Accordingly, the participation of a deacon in worship is not necessary. In addition to helping the priest, the task of the deacon is to call the worshipers to prayer. His distinguishing feature in vestments: He dresses in a surplice, on the hands of a handrail, on his shoulder a long ribbon (orarion), if the deacon has a wide ribbon and cross-linked, then the deacon has an award or is a protodeacon (senior deacon). If the deacon is a monk, then he is called a hierodeacon (and the senior hierodeacon will be called an archdeacon).

Ministers of the church who do not have a holy order and help in the ministry.

Hippodiacons

Hippodiacons are those who help in the bishop's service, they vest the bishop, hold the lamps, move the eagles, bring the official at a certain time, and prepare everything necessary for the service.

Readers (readers), singers

Psalm-readers and singers (choir) - read and sing on the kliros in the temple.

Installers

A setter is a psalmist who knows very well liturgical charter and in time gives the singing singers the right book (during the service, quite a lot of liturgical books are used, and all of them have their own name and meaning) and, if necessary, independently reads or proclaims (performs the function of a canonarch).

Sextons or altar servers

Sextons (altar servers) - help priests (priests, archpriests, hieromonks, etc.) during worship.

Novices and laborers

Novices, laborers - mostly only in monasteries, where they perform various obediences

Inoki

A monk is a resident of a monastery who did not take vows, but has the right to wear monastic robes.

monks

A monk is a resident of a monastery who has made monastic vows before God.

A schemamonk is a monk who made even more serious vows before God compared to an ordinary monk.

In addition, in the temples you can meet:

abbot

Rector - this is the main priest, rarely a deacon in a particular parish

Treasurer

The treasurer is a kind of chief accountant, as a rule, this is an ordinary woman from the world, who is appointed by the rector to perform a specific job.

Warden

The headman is the same supply manager, household assistant, as a rule, this is a pious layman who has a desire to help and manage the household at the temple.

Economy

The economy is one of the servants in the household where it is required.

Registrar

Registrar - these functions are performed by an ordinary parishioner (from the world), who serves in the temple with the blessing of the rector, she draws up the requirements and custom prayers.

Cleaning woman

An employee of the temple (for cleaning, maintaining order in the candlesticks) is an ordinary parishioner (from the world) who serves in the temple with the blessing of the rector.

Church clerk

An employee in a church shop is an ordinary parishioner (from the world) who serves in the church with the blessing of the rector, performs the functions of consulting and selling literature, candles and everything that is sold in church shops.

Janitor, security guard

An ordinary man from the world who serves in the Temple with the blessing of the abbot.

Dear friends, I draw your attention to the fact that the author of the project asks for the help of each of you. I serve in a poor village Temple, I really need various help, including funds for the upkeep of the Temple! Website of the parish Church: hramtrifona.ru