AcolyteAn acolyte is an assistant or follower assisting the celebrant in a religious service or procession. In many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone performing ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. In others, the term is used for one who has been inducted into a particular liturgical ministry, even when not performing those duties.
Major ordersFor some centuries the Catholic Church distinguished between major orders ("greater orders"), which the Council of Trent also called holy orders, and minor orders (lesser orders).
Reader (liturgy)In some Christian denominations, a reader or lector is the person responsible for reading aloud excerpts of scripture at a liturgy. In early Christian times the reader was of particular value due to the rarity of literacy.
SubdeaconSubdeacon is a ministry in various branches of Christianity. The subdeacon has a specific liturgical role and is placed below the deacon and above the acolyte in the order of precedence. Eastern Orthodox ChurchA subdeacon, also called hypodeacon, is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Eastern Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.
ExorcistIn some religions, an exorcist (from the Greek „ἐξορκιστής“) is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or performs the ridding of demons or other supernatural beings who are alleged to have possessed a person, or (sometimes) a building or object. An exorcist can be a specially prepared or instructed person including: a priest, a nun, a monk, a witch doctor (healer), a shaman, a psychic or a geomancer (Feng shui - Chinese geomancy).
Catholic ChurchChristian church based in Rome
Latin ChurchLargest autonomous particular Catholic church
Minister (Christianity)In Christianity, a minister is a person authorised by a church or other religious organization to perform functions such as teaching beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community. The term is taken from Latin minister ("servant", "attendant"). It differs from other terms for religious leaders (priest, clergyman) in that it deemphasizes the significance of ordination.
Priesthood in the Catholic ChurchThe priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in common English usage priest refers only to presbyters and pastors (parish priests).
ChristianityAbrahamic monotheistic religion
DeaconA deacon (from Greek "assistant", "servant") is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Catholic Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, Methodism, and Anglicanism, view the diaconate as an order of ministry.
BishopLeadership position in religious institutions*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.