Your Grace

[twf]

I understand that at least in the Byzantine Rite, in English, bishops are addressed as Your Grace. Is this also true of other Eastern/Oriental rites? If so, is this a translation of equivalent styles in the traditional languages of each Church? In the Latin Church, Your Grace is only used for Archbishops in certain English speaking countries.

 

[Thomas48]

In the Syro Malabar Church and I believe all Syriac Churches the term Mar or Mor is used which translates to “My Lord”. The East Syriac Churches uses Mar and the West Syriac Mor. For bishops of higher standings and also Christ himself the term Maran or Moran is used, which translates to “Lord of Lords”.

Examples -
Maran Mar Papa Francis (Lord of Lords Pope Francis)
Metropolita Mar Mathew Moolakattu (Metropolitan Lord Mathew Moolakattu)

 

[MorEphrem]

Moran doesn’t mean Lord of Lords. It’s Mor + -an (first person plural possessive suffix).

In any case, I’ve heard “Your Grace” for the Maronite bishop, although what I’ve heard most frequently is sayyidna which is the Arabic equivalent of moran. I’ve tried to use the title ‘mor’ but no one ever knows what I’m talking about, haha.

 

[malphono]

Moran doesn’t mean Lord of Lords. It’s Mor + -an (first person plural possessive suffix).

Indeed. “Lord of Lords” is “Moro d-Morawotho” IIRC, and is never used for an earthly being.

Saying “Moran Mor (flan)” which is, in fact, a duplication, is a typically Semitic way to express an honorific for a Patriarch.

In any case, I’ve heard “Your Grace” for the Maronite bishop, although what I’ve heard most frequently is sayyidna which is the Arabic equivalent of moran. I’ve tried to use the title ‘mor’ but no one ever knows what I’m talking about, haha.

In English, Oriental and Eastern bishops are normally called Your Grace (or His Grace, in the 3rd person). Personally, I try to avoid “sayyidna” as much as possible. Interesting, though, that the Melkites use it too.

 

[Thomas48]

Ah I see thank you for that correction, Maran Mar is basically never used in the Syro Malabar Church in reference to bishops. We use Maran Mar specifically for Jesus, I.E Maran Mar Yeshu Mishiha. The Syro Malankara Church regularly uses Moran Mor, usually to specify the Major Archbishop.

 

[dzheremi]

The Copts (or at least Orthodox Copts; I assume Coptic Catholics would be the same) use “sayedna” usually, even when otherwise speaking English. “Your Grace” is used by people who are more confident in their English, I guess (or less confident in their Arabic). Friends of mine tell me that the Pope is often referred to affectionately in the same way “Sayedna el-Baba” (Our Master, Pope ____), apparently to emphasize that HH, despite being the most senior bishop in the Church, is after all not of a different office or substance than his brother bishops.

 

[Zekariya]

I understand that at least in the Byzantine Rite, in English, bishops are addressed as Your Grace. Is this also true of other Eastern/Oriental rites? If so, is this a translation of equivalent styles in the traditional languages of each Church? In the Latin Church, Your Grace is only used for Archbishops in certain English speaking countries.

In the Byzantine Rite, I’ve always heard bishops called master (Greek: despota, Russian: vladyka). We walk up to them and say “Master, bless.”