View source for Ordination

{{spirituality}}
'''Ordination''' is the [[Holy Mysteries|sacrament]] (or Holy Mystery) of [[holy orders]].  The Greek words used for ordination are '''''cheirotonia''''' and '''''cheirothesia''''', both of which mean "the laying on of hands."  Members of the [[major orders]] of the [[clergy]]&mdash;[[bishop]], [[priest]], and [[deacon]]&mdash;are ordained during the [[Divine Liturgy]] by the bishop, who is usually assisted by several priests.  According to Orthodox teaching, the process of ordination begins with the local [[congregation]]; but the bishop alone, who acts in the name of the universal Church, can complete the action.

Those who are placed into the [[minor orders]] ([[subdeacon]], [[reader]], and in some traditions, [[cantor]]) are done so by '''''cheirothesia''''', which also means "laying on of hands," but has come to be a technically distinct term from '''''cheirotonia''''', which is used only for the major orders.  According to the ''DEC'', ''cheirothesia'' is not regarded as part of the Holy Mystery of ordination (p. 117).

''Cheirotonia'' and ''cheirothesia'' formerly were used almost interchangeably, but came to acquire distinct meanings.  Bishops are also referred to as being "consecrated" rather than "ordained," but such a distinction was not present in the early Church (''ODCC'', p. 1189)


==[[Minor orders]]==
===[[Cantor]]===

===[[Reader]]===

In preparation for the tonsuring, the candidate shall have a cassock by the day of the tonsuring. On the eve of his tonsuring, the candidate shall attend Vespers, and, after having a light supper, begin his Eucharistic Fast. During that time, he shall interact as little as possible with anyone and spend that time praying and preparing himself for the tonsuring. Married candidates shall refrain from marital relations during this time. He shall have his confession heard either after Vespers or during Matins on the day of the tonsuring.

On the day of the tonsuring, following the Great Doxology, but before the Troparion before the Divine Liturgy, the candidate is led by the Bishop’s Assistant to the center of the solea in front of the Bishop. He makes three (3) prostrations toward the Holy Altar. Then, he turns and makes one (1) prostration toward the Bishop and stops on his knees. The Bishop lays his hand on the candidate head.

=== [[Subdeacon|Subdiaconate]] ===
Subdeacons are ordained during the Divine Liturgy immediately before "Blessed is the Kingdom", once the Great Censing has been completed.  According to the canons, no one should marry after becoming a subdeacon, but the practice has almost universally changed to allow subdeacons to marry after being made subdeacons.

==[[Major orders]]==
=== [[Deacon|Diaconate]] ===

=== [[Priest]]hood ===
During the service of ordination to the priesthood, a priest leads the candidate, then kneels and rests his head on the altar.  The bishop puts his stole and right hand over the candidate's head as the candidate receives the [[Holy Spirit]].  The entire congregation witnesses the ordination and proclaims its consent by shouting in unison "Axios!" (Greek word meaning 'worthy').  The bishop bestows sacred [[vestments]] on the new priest, who receives [[Eucharist|communion]] and recites a special [[prayer]].  Through ordination, men who have been chosen from within the Church are set apart by the Church for special service to the Church.  Much of the time, a candidate for ordination will pursue preparatory studies at a [[seminaries|seminary]].

=== [[Bishop|Episcopacy]] ===
Candidates for the episcopacy are consecrated by three bishops (or at the very least two) to be bishops.  A bishop's non-liturgical [[vestments]] include the [[kamilavka]] and [[epanokameloukion]] (veil) (which are joined together as the [[klobuk]] in the Russian tradition), along with the [[mantiya]], all of which are [[monastic]] garments.

== Women's ordination ==

Women have always had a distinct position in the Church that does not require Holy Orders.

Advocates for changing this position argue that the essential icon image of Christ is his humanness, not his maleness.  God became man to show that both men and women could be saved and return to the divine image within them.  Challengers also point out that Christ did not ordain his apostles.  This was done at Pentecost by the Holy Spirit.  Women were present at the time, and the Holy Spirit continues to descend on male and females alike.  The Orthodox Church recognizes a number of women saints as '''Equal-to-the-Apostles''', including the "apostle to the apostles," Mary Magdalene.

The role of women has been limited in other ways also.  Despite extensive participation by women in the first century as deacons, apostles, evangelists, and teachers, in the second century the church offically adopted policies that forbade women from preaching and teaching.  However, they served as deaconesses from the first to the twelfth century, reading prayers for the sick.  The Orthodox service book still contains the service for ordination of women to the diaconate.

==References==
*''Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity (DEC)'', p. 117
*''Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (ODCC), 3rd ed.'', pp. 1188-89 

== External Links ==
*[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/ordination-priesthood-en.asp The Holy Sacrament of Ordination to the Priesthood]
*[http://oca.org/QA.asp?ID=156&SID=3 Requirements that lead to Priesthood]
*[http://www.3saints.com/ordination.html Sacrament of Ordination]

[[Category:Church Life]]
[[Category:Sacraments]]