Presbytera

Presbytera is a Greek title of honor that is used to refer to a priest's wife. It is derived from presbyteros—the Greek word for priest (literally, "elder"). There does not currently seem to be any standard English equivalent, so most English-speaking Orthodox Christians will use the title most common in the old country churches from which their local family or parish finds its origin.

Other languages

Presbytera corresponds to the following equivalent titles:

• Albanian: Prifteresha
• Arabic: Khouria (from the word khoury, meaning "priest")
• Romanian: Preoteasa
• Russian: Matushka (literally means "mama," i.e., the intimate form of "mother")
• Serbian: Papadia
• Ukrainian: Panimatka or Panimatushka ("little mama")
• Carpatho-Russian: Pani (a shortened form of Panimatka)

Books

• Presbytera: The Life, Mission, and Service of the Priest's Wife, by Athanasia Papademetriou (ISBN 0972466142)