Archimandrite, Archpriests, Protopriests

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Archimandrites are either actual or honorary abbots (thus celibate / religious) of particular distinction. Archpriests, on the other hand, may be married. So far correct?

Is there any distinction between an Archpriest and a Protopresbyter?

Does an Archimandrite rank above an archpriest / protopresbyter in precedence, or would they be ‘on par’ immediately following a bishop?
 
The title and standing “rank” varies depending on the particular Church; usually the celibate monastics are always higher ranked in honor than the married honoraryrank holding priest.
 
twf said:
Archimandrites are either actual or honorary abbots (thus celibate / religious) of particular distinction. Archpriests, on the other hand, may be married. So far correct?

Is there any distinction between an Archpriest and a Protopresbyter?

Does an Archimandrite rank above an archpriest / protopresbyter in precedence, or would they be ‘on par’ immediately following a bishop?
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Archimandrites > Protopresbyter > Archpriest
 
An Archimandrite outranks an Archpriest. I’m not quite sure how the Byzantines employ the term “protopresbyter” so I’ll keep mum on that.

In the Syriac Churches, there are three “Median Orders” i.e, (from top to bottom) Chor-Episkopus, Peridute, and Archdeacon. One is not prerequisite for another. All the West Syriac Churches share the same ranks. Due to a certain oddity wherein ordained priests were “promoted” to the Order of Archdeacon (and I’m not about to go into that farce in detail), :rolleyes: the Maronites have a few “Archpriests” running around, even though there really is no such thing. To my knowledge, there hasn’t been a proper Maronite Archdeacon for at least a century. The position of “Archpriest” among the Maronites is somewhat informal and it normally applies to the rector of a cathedral, e.g, who has not been ordained to one of the Median Orders. OTOH, we do have protopresbyters, but that distinction is administrative only. It’s also temporary (they’re elected or appointed for a defined term) and does not carry any honorifics.

I’m not sure about the rankings in the East Syriac Churches, except to say I know the Chaldeans have Chor-Episkopoi. IIRC, the Armenians have two ranks, Vartaped, which is more or less the same as Archimandrite, and Archpriest (though they may use a different title). I’ve no idea about the Alexandrenes.
 
Thank you, malphono, for your reply. Now, in all of that within the Maronite rite, where does a chorbishop fall again?
 
In the Malankara Churches, historically, the Archdeacon was temporal head of the entire Malankara Church. Later, as he was elevated to the episcopate, this became one of the titles of the Catholicos.
 
shawnbm said:
Thank you, malphono, for your reply. Now, in all of that within the Maronite rite, where does a chorbishop fall again?
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Chor-Episkopus is the highest of the 3 Median Orders, so it falls just below a true bishop.
 
malphono said:
Chor-Episkopus is the highest of the 3 Median Orders, so it falls just below a true bishop.
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A Latin aux. bishop is a true bishop, as far as orders go, and can be installed as the ordinary of a diocese without any additional ordination. By virtue of his titular see he is a true bishop- just without his own flock. Is a chor-bishop not a true bishop in this sense? He would be consecrated / ordained again if elected bishop of a particular see?
 
twf said:
Is there any distinction between an Archpriest and a Protopresbyter?

Does an Archimandrite rank above an archpriest / protopresbyter in precedence, or would they be ‘on par’ immediately following a bishop?
Click to expand...
The rank of protopresbyter is a married priest and is usually reserved to a relatively small number of senior priest. The best analogy I can think of relates them to military ranks. Bishops are commissioned officers, archimandrites would be NCO’s, protopresbyter would be akin to the Sergeant Major of a branch and archpriests would be sergeants. A clumsy analogy but I think it may help.
 
twf said:
A Latin aux. bishop is a true bishop, as far as orders go, and can be installed as the ordinary of a diocese without any additional ordination. By virtue of his titular see he is a true bishop- just without his own flock. Is a chor-bishop not a true bishop in this sense? He would be consecrated / ordained again if elected bishop of a particular see?
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Despite the fact that he is entitled to pontificate in certain circumstances, and the fact that he is wear pontificalia (at least when not in the presence of a bishop) a Chor-Episkopus is NOT a bishop in any sense (at least not for the better part of a millennium). As I said earlier, Chor-Episkopus is the highest of the Median Orders, meaning that it is not a Major Order. So, IOW, yes, when one is elected bishop, (and this happens regularly), he is ordained to the Order of Bishop.
 
malphono said:
Despite the fact that he is entitled to pontificate in certain circumstances, and the fact that he is wear pontificalia (at least when not in the presence of a bishop) a Chor-Episkopus is NOT a bishop in any sense (at least not for the better part of a millennium). As I said earlier, Chor-Episkopus is the highest of the Median Orders, meaning that it is not a Major Order. So, IOW, yes, when one is elected bishop, (and this happens regularly), he is ordained to the Order of Bishop.
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Interesting. Do any of the Eastern or Oriental Churches have true bishops serving in an auxiliary capacity as found in the Latin Church? It sounds like the Chor-Episkopus is more of a glorified Vicar General then in the Syriac tradition.
 
twf said:
Interesting. Do any of the Eastern or Oriental Churches have true bishops serving in an auxiliary capacity as found in the Latin Church? It sounds like the Chor-Episkopus is more of a glorified Vicar General then in the Syriac tradition.
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Yes, there are bishops who serve as auxiliaries. For example, the current Melkite Eparch in the US, served for some years as auxiliary from 1989 to 2005 as auxiliary to 3 Eparchial bishops. Also, the late Maronite bishop John Chedid served as auxiliary to Abp Francis Zayek from 1980 until 1994 when the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon was erected and he was named it’s first Eparch. Among the Maronites, there are also several Patriarchal Vicars who serve as de-facto auxiliaries, administering several dioceses that are not independent, but rather are directly dependent on the Patriarchate.

Although the two are not identical, a Chor-Episkopus is closer to the (now somewhat degraded) Latin honorific of Protonotary Apostolic (Supernumerary). Often, (actually usually), a Vicar-General is ordained Chor-Episkopus, but the Median Order itself is not administrative.
 
twf said:
Interesting. Do any of the Eastern or Oriental Churches have true bishops serving in an auxiliary capacity as found in the Latin Church? It sounds like the Chor-Episkopus is more of a glorified Vicar General then in the Syriac tradition.
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Most have had some at some points; the Ruthenians during the Soviet persecutions, for example, had 3 at one point — all martyred.
 
A protopresbyter is an administrative role, like a dean in a Latin diocese. An Archpriest in an honorific, and they have the right to where a crown (without the cross on top) and to celebrate with the Holy Doors open throughout the Liturgy (where they follow rubrics for the doors). From what i gather, they are kind of like a chor-bishop of the oriental churches…

In Christ,
Adam
 
The Chorbishop at the local Maronite parish I attend now and then does wear some sort of crown or mitre during divine liturgies/masses. When he recently con-celebrated (with our Latin Metropolitan Archbishop) a mass consecrating our city to the sacred heart of Jesus and the immaculate heart of Mary, he was the only one with a mitre placed on his head (other than the Archbishop). He was, it turns out, the only representative of an Eastern Catholic Church present for our city’s con-celebration. It was great to see him there.

P.S. I happen to know he serves as the vicar general for the Bishop/Eparch up north. He is gone about half the month to assist his ordinary/hierarchic.
 
shawnbm said:
The Chorbishop at the local Maronite parish I attend now and then does wear some sort of crown or mitre during divine liturgies/masses. When he recently con-celebrated (with our Latin Metropolitan Archbishop) a mass consecrating our city to the sacred heart of Jesus and the immaculate heart of Mary, he was the only one with a mitre placed on his head (other than the Archbishop). He was, it turns out, the only representative of an Eastern Catholic Church present for our city’s con-celebration. It was great to see him there.

P.S. I happen to know he serves as the vicar general for the Bishop/Eparch up north. He is gone about half the month to assist his ordinary/hierarchic.
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Would you mind sharing which eparchy?
 
I believe it is formally known as the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn. His Excellency (if that is the right term) Gregory Mansour is the bishop/eparch.
 
How authentically Syriac of him… It should be straightforward why he was the only Eastern representative there.
 
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