Holy Orders (Ordination)
The laying on of hands that sets apart bishop, priest, and deacon
Holy Orders is the sacrament or rite by which men are ordained to ministry as bishops, priests, or deacons. Its roots are traced to the Pastoral Epistles, the letters of Ignatius, and the early Apostolic Tradition. Traditions differ over its sacramental status and over who may be ordained: questions such as women's ordination are contested, with Catholic and Orthodox churches and various Protestant bodies reaching different conclusions.
How it traveled
- ActsRome · 84applies
- Book VIII. Concerning Gifts, and Ordinations, and the Ecclesiastical Canons— · 220explains
- Appendix to the Works of Hippolytus. Containing Dubious and Spurious Pieces.Rome · 235explains
- The Epistles of Cyprian.Carthage · 258applies
- The First Ecumenical Council: The First Council of NiceNicaea · 325explains
- The Church History of EusebiusCaesarea · 339explains
- The Canons of the Councils of Ancyra, Gangra, Neocæsarea, Antioch and Laodicea, which Canons were Accepted and Received by the Ecumenical Synods— · 360explains
- The LettersCaesarea (Cappadocia) · 379explains
- Select Orations of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · 390explains
- A Commentary on the Acts of the ApostlesConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and PhilemonConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- Treatise Concerning the Christian PriesthoodConstantinople (Istanbul) · 407explains
- To Pammachius against John of JerusalemBethlehem · 420applies
- The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates ScholasticusConstantinople (Istanbul) · 439explains
- The Ecclesiastical History of SozomenConstantinople (Istanbul) · 450explains
- The Fourth Ecumenical Council. The Council of ChalcedonChalcedon · 451applies
- The Letters and Sermons of Leo the GreatRome · 461explains
- The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the GreatRome · 604explains
- Selected Epistles of Gregory the GreatRome · 604explains
- The Canons of the Synods of Sardica, Carthage, Constantinople, and Carthage Under St. Cyprian, Which Canons Were Received by the Council in Trullo and Ratified by II. NiceConstantinople (Istanbul) · 692explains
- The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext CouncilConstantinople (Istanbul) · 692explains
- The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of NiceNicaea · 787explains
- Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90)Paris · 1274explains
- Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic ChurchGeneva · 1564explains
Key passages(20)
Appendix to the Works of Hippolytus. Containing Dubious and Spurious Pieces. · Hippolytus
Heads of the Canons of Abulide or Hippolytus, Which are used by the Æthiopian Christians. 1. Of the holy faith of Jesus Christ. 2. Of bishops. 3. Of prayers spoken on the ordination of bishops, an
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
5. We now understand what offices in the government of the Church were temporary, and what offices were instituted to be of perpetual duration. But if we class evangelists with apostles, we shall have
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
16. It remains to consider the form of ordination, to which we have assigned the last place in the call (see chap. 4, sec. 14, 15). It is certain, that when the apostles appointed any one to the minis
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
14. It now remains to treat of the form by which the ministers of the ancient Church were initiated to their office after election. This was termed by the Latins, Ordination or consecration, and by th
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Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church · John Calvin
5. But although these grosser abuses were removed, is it not at all times absurd to appoint a presbyter without assigning him a locality? For when they ordain it is only to sacrifice. But the legitima
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Book II. Of Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons · Constitutions of the Holy Apostles
I. But concerning bishops, we have heard from our Lord, that a pastor who is to be ordained a bishop for the churches in every parish, must be unblameable, unreprovable, free from all kinds of wickedn
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Book III · Constitutions of the Holy Apostles
Let not therefore either a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or any one else of the sacerdotal catalogue, defile his tongue with calumny, lest he inherit a curse instead of a blessing; and let it a
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Book VIII. Concerning Gifts, and Ordinations, and the Ecclesiastical Canons · Constitutions of the Holy Apostles
XVI. Concerning the ordination of presbyters, IWhen thou ordainest a presbyter, O bishop, lay thy hand upon his head, in the presence of the presbyters and deacons,Moses to choose elders, whom Thou di
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Book VIII. Concerning Gifts, and Ordinations, and the Ecclesiastical Canons · Constitutions of the Holy Apostles
XLVI. Now this we all in common do charge you, that every one remain in that rank which is appointed him, and do not transgress his proper bounds; for they are not ours, but God’s. For says the Lord:
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Selected Epistles of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great
For the most part, then, the adversary of souls, when unable to insinuate into them what is wrong on the face of it, endeavours to supplant them by throwing over it as it were a show of piety, and per
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The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the Great · Pope Gregory the Great
Further, it has come to our knowledge that on the death of bishops some persons from being laymen are tonsured, and mount to the episcopate by a sudden leap. And thus one Lord’s people remains a prey
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The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon XIV. Let the canon of our holy God-bearing Fathers be confirmed in this particular also; that a presbyter be not ordained before he is thirty years of age, even if he be a very worthy man, but
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The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon XXII. Those who are ordained for money, whether bishops or of any rank whatever, and not by examination and choice of life, we order to be deposed as well as those also who ordained them. Note
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The Canons of the Councils of Ancyra, Gangra, Neocæsarea, Antioch and Laodicea, which Canons were Accepted and Received by the Ecumenical Synods · The Ecumenical Councils
This canon treats only of betrothed women (of the sponsalia de futuro) not of those who are married (of the sponsalia de præsenti). In the case of the latter there could be no doubt as to the duty of
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The Canons of the Synods of Sardica, Carthage, Constantinople, and Carthage Under St. Cyprian, Which Canons Were Received by the Council in Trullo and Ratified by II. Nice · The Ecumenical Councils
But we suggest that we decree what was set forth by the wisdom of the plenary synod at Capua, that no rebaptisings, nor reordinations should take place, and that bishops should not be translated. For
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The First Ecumenical Council: The First Council of Nice · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon IX. If any presbyters have been advanced without examination, or if upon examination they have made confession of crime, and men acting in violation of the canon have laid hands upon them, notw
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The Fourth Ecumenical Council. The Council of Chalcedon · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon VI. Neither presbyter, deacon, nor any of the ecclesiastical order shall be ordained at large, nor unless the person ordained is particularly appointed to a church in a city or village, or to a
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The Fourth Ecumenical Council. The Council of Chalcedon · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon XXV. Forasmuch as certain of the metropolitans, as we have heard, neglect the flocks committed to them, and delay the ordinations of bishops the holy Synod has decided that the ordinations of b
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The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon · John Chrysostom
Homily II. Titus i. 5, 6 “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city as I had appointed thee: If any be blamel
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The Letters and Sermons of Leo the Great · Pope Leo the Great
Letter IV. To the Bishops appointed in Campania, Picenum, Etruria, and all the Provinces. Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to all the bishops appointed in Campania, Picenum, Etruria, and all the pro
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