View source for OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual (Succession boxes)

{{policy}}

'''Succession boxes''', used especially for marking the succession of [[bishop]]s, should conform to the following style.

==Templates==
The templates used for succession boxes are:
*[[Template:start box]]
*[[Template:succession]]
*[[Template:end box]]

==Fields in [[Template:succession]]==
===Before===
The '''before''' field refers to the office holder who held that title immediately before the subject of the article, even if there were intervening years between title holders.  If a bishop, the visible portion of the link should be rendered simple '''Firstname (Surname)''', including the ordinal (e.g., '''Firstname IV (Surname)''').  If the surname is unknown, omit it.

The linked name should be rendered with the standard '''Firstname (Surname) of See''' style, including the ordinal (e.g., '''Firstname IV (Surname) of See'''), if any.  

Links may be included if articles either already exist or are being suggested for future inclusion.  If the name is linked, the full article name should begin the link, while the visible portion should be the short version (e.g., '''<nowiki>[[Firstname IV (Surname) of See|Firstname IV (Surname)]]</nowiki>''').

If, however, the previous office holder is a [[saint]], the name with link should be rendered thus:  '''<nowiki>St. [[Firstname of Place]]</nowiki>'''.  (The ''of Place'' designation may be replaced by whatever is standard for that saint's name, e.g. ''the Merciful''.)

If the previous office holder is unknown, denote this with a question mark: '''?'''  If there was no previous office holder, denote this with a dash:  '''&mdash;''' (rendered with this code: '''&amp;mdash;''').  If the see was created beginning with the article's subject, indicate this as follows:  '''<nowiki>'see created'</nowiki>'''.

===Title===
The '''title''' field denotes the highest level of title held by the subject during the succession in question.  It may include a link to an article about the see, if one exists.  If the see is in a geographic area where there are multiple, overlapping [[jurisdiction]]s (e.g., the United States), then the jurisdiction should be included with a link by including '''<nowiki><br>([[Full jurisdiction link|Jurisdiction]])</nowiki>''' after the title.  Try to use as shortened a name as is possible for the second half of the link (e.g., '''<nowiki>[[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia|ROCOR]]</nowiki>''' or '''<nowiki>[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand, and All Oceania|Antiochian]]</nowiki>''').

===Years===
The '''years''' field denotes the years the subject held the office, e.g. '''1776-1789'''.

===After===
The style for the '''after''' field is essentially the same as the '''before''' field, but refers instead to the next person who held the office after the article's subject.

If the see was abolished after the article's subject, indicate this as follows:  '''<nowiki>'see abolished'</nowiki>'''.

If the see is vacant but not abolished after the article's subject, indicate this as follows:  '''<nowiki>'see vacant'</nowiki>'''.

==Coding==
===Single succession===
 <nowiki> {{start box}}
 {{succession|
 before=[[Firstname (Surname) of See|Firstname (Surname)]]|
 title=Title|
 years=Start-End|
 after=[[Firstname (Surname) of See|Firstname (Surname)]]}}
 {{end box}}</nowiki>

===Multiple successions===
If the subject held multiple offices, include multiple separate '''succession''' templates between single '''start box''' and '''end box''' templates.

 <nowiki> {{start box}}
 {{succession|
 before=[[Firstname (Surname) of See|Firstname (Surname)]]|
 title=Title|
 years=Start-End|
 after=[[Firstname (Surname) of See|Firstname (Surname)]]}}
 {{succession|
 before=[[Firstname (Surname) of See|Firstname (Surname)]]|
 title=Title|
 years=Start-End|
 after=[[Firstname (Surname) of See|Firstname (Surname)]]}}
 {{succession|
 before=[[Firstname (Surname) of See|Firstname (Surname)]]|
 title=Title|
 years=Start-End|
 after=[[Firstname (Surname) of See|Firstname (Surname)]]}}
 {{end box}}</nowiki>

==Example results==
The following example is from the succession of Ecumenical Patriarch [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople]]:

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=Iakovos|
title=Metropolitan of Philadelphia|
years=1973-1990|
after=[[Meliton (Karas) of Philadelphia|Meliton (Karas)]]}}
{{succession|
before=Meliton (Hadjis)|
title=Metropolitan of Chalcedon|
years=1990-1991|
after=Joachim (Neradjoulis)}}
{{succession|
before=[[Demetrius I (Papadopoulos) of Constantinople|Demetrius I (Papadopoulos)]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|
years=1991-present|
after=&mdash;}}
{{end box}}

==Notes==
*Do not include information about whether the other holders of the office had a different title, as it unnecessarily clutters up what should be a brief table at the bottom of an article.  The articles about those people will cover their titles.
*In general, do not include any other information in the succession boxes other than what is 
covered in this section of the Style Manual.
*Do not add any extra markup (e.g., italics, bolding), as this may break the coding of the template.

==See also==
*[[OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual]]
*[[OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual (People)]]


[[Category:OrthodoxWiki]]
[[Category:Style Manual]]
[[Category:Help]]