The Sacrament of Holy Orders

Lecture II: The Sacrament of Priesthood

The Sacrament of Priesthood is the Holy Sacrament by which the Bishop lays his hand on the elected candidate in order for the Holy Spirit to descend on this person to grant him one of the priestly ranks. As a result, the ordained person is granted the authority to perform the ministry of the Church, whether the Holy Sacraments, teaching or others. This process is called “Laying of hands” or “Ordination.”

Lord Jesus Christ instituted this Sacrament when He chose the twelve of His followers and consecrated them for ministry, “He called His disciples to Him, and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles” (Lk 6:13). He gave them the authority of absolution and binding, “He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:22-23). Notice that this took place before the Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit here is the gift of ordination. Only to them He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19) and only to them He delivered the mystery of His Body and Blood (The Eucharist)

St. Paul said, “No man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God” (Heb 5:4) and “Let the elders [priests] who rule well be counted worthy of double honor’ (I Tim 5:17), for the Priesthood is:

a) A divine choice, call and appointment:

“Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.” (Mk 3:13-15)

“And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles.” (Lk 6:12-13)

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that

“After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.” (Lk 10:1)

“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.” (Acts 13:2-3)

b) Faithfulness and Stewardship:

“Who then is that faithfiul and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing he comes.” (Lk 12:42-43)

“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries [Sacraments] of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Cor 4:1-2)

c) Consecration or Sanctification:

Lord Jesus Christ said, “for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (Jn 17:19). To sanctify means to consecrate; our Lord has consecrated Himself for the ministry and redemption. Likewise, all ranks ofthe Priesthood are consecrated for the ministry according to the example of Lord Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest.

Underneath God and His Law, the first order to revere in the ministry of the Church is the High Order and the Priesthood.

The Sacrament of Priesthood is a holy sacrament through which the Bishop lays his hands on the head of the elected candidate, so that the Holy Spirit will descend on him and grant him one of the priestly ranks.

This sacrament was instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He chose the twelve of His followers, and consecrated them for ministry, “He called His disciples to Him, and from them He chose twelve whom He named apostles” (Luke 6:13).

These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them saying: “Preach saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.” (Matthew 10:5-8).

He gave them the authority of absolution and binding: “Assuredly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). After His Resurrection He appeared to them in the upper room in Zion and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:22-23).

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go (Luke 10:1).

Selection: “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2-3). That is why our teacher Saint Paul boasted saying, “But when it pleased God who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the gentiles” (Galatians 1:15-16).

Consecration: “And for their sake I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (John 17:19). To sanctify means to consecrate. Christ consecrated Himself for the ministry and our redemption. All the ranks of the priesthood are consecrated for ministry, according to the example of Christ, the High Priest.

Faithfulness and stewardship: “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes” (Luke 12:42-43). “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the Mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that one is found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Priesthood is a great honor. No one takes this honor upon himself; this honor is granted and given by God, just as He granted the honor to Aaron.

Ranks of Priesthood

There are three ranks in Priesthood: the order of Deacons, the order of Priests, and the order of Bishops. Deacons are servants, Priests are teachers, Bishops are overseers, and shepherds.

Ranks of Deacons

There are five ranks of deacons. In ascending order, they are: Epsaltos (hymnist), Ognostis (reader), Epideacon (sub deacon), Deacon (full deacon), and Archdeacon (leader of deacons).

The Deacon

Deacon, pronounced as such in Greek, is a Syrian word meaning servant. The deacon’s responsibility is to help the priest or Bishop perform the religious ministry.

The first church appointed seven deacons who were full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to help in service, “The twelve summoned the multitude of disciples and said: ‘Seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom whom we may appoint over this business’” (Acts 6:2-3). “When they were chosen, they set them before the apostles and when they had prayed they laid hands on them” (Acts 6:6).

The apostles stipulated the following three conditions for nominating deacons: they must be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom; they should be appointed by the apostles through the laying on of hands with prayers; and they should carry out certain responsibilities in the church. Our teacher Saint Paul also specified the requirements of a deacon in his First Epistle to Timothy (3:8-13).

The Order of Priesthood

Priest, Archpriest (hegomen), and Khoori Episcopos.

The Priest

The word priest is designated for a clergyman who spiritually serves people and their needs. The word priest or presbyter is derived from the Syrian word Kashisho meaning elder, and the Greek word Epresvateros also meaning elder. It is so called due to the significance of his work and reverence given unto him even if he is not yet an old man.

The word elders (priest) is mentioned frequently in the New Testament: “They had appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23). “For this reason I left you in Crete that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you” (Titus 1:5). “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord ...” (James 5:14).

An elder is a priest of God and a minister of the mysteries of God. He has the authority to administer the Church Sacraments except for the sacrament of ordination, which only the Bishop has the right to do. Usually, the ordination of an elder takes place from the age of thirty, for this is when Christ the Lord started His service. At this age a person will have reached intellectual maturity to help him manage the service respectfully.

He must be husband of one woman and his marriage correct and legal. If he is widowed, he should not remarry another woman, for being the father of all women, he cannot marry one of his daughters. Our teacher Saint Paul mentioned in his first epistle to his disciple Timothy the Bishop (chapter three) many conditions for Bishops that also apply to the elders as their priestly work is one and their pastoral specifications are similar. Of these conditions are, he must be blameless and commended by others.

This is the first and essential priestly rank. Priest means elder and also an intercessor in the holies of God for the congregation. He is a presbyter who has the right to administer all the church sacraments except the laying on of hands and appointing priestly ranks, which is the right of a Bishop or overseer or someone above him.

He is a teacher who teaches the people the word of God and leads them to the way of God, virtues, mysteries of the religion, and explains the dogmas and rites and details the word of truth, “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 2:7).

He is a father who pastors his children compassionately, visits them with tender care and love as he is zealous for the salvation of the souls of his people and leading them to Christ, as his salvation is related to their salvation, “For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 3:8). He humbly serves them as a servant to a master as Lord Christ washed the feet of His disciples, so his service is successful and acceptable before God and people too.

The Hegomen (Archpriest)

The word Hegomen or Egomenos is derived from the Greek word meaning provider or presenter, and the Egomenos is the senior or leader priest in church. If there are a number of hegomens in the church, then they must consider he who is the oldest in ordination, or the most active and knowledgeable in the rank of hegomen, as the church’s provider and the first responsible person in the church.

During the raising of incense, the priest is given one spoonful of incense, the hegomen two spoonfuls, and the bishop three spoonfuls of incense.

Khoori Episcopos

Khoori-Episcopos is a Greek word meaning bishop of villages or fields. He helps the bishop or metropolitan of the diocese in the service and visitation of the villages.

The rank of Khoori-Episcopos came to existence by the end of the third century AD in Asia Minor when the dioceses extended and their division was not preferred, so there existed an utmost need for the presence of the bishop to visit and care for them.

Members of the Nicene Council in 325 AD included 15 Khooriepiscopos from Asia Minor and Syria. The candidate of this rank bears the title Anba which is given to bishops or higher.

The Patriarch

The Patriarch has the high leadership of priesthood. He ordains bishops to become his partners in the Apostolic Service. The ordination is usually by the laying on of hands and the breath of the Holy Spirit.

Lord Christ practiced this work of the patriarch when He lifted up His hands and blessed them, the pure apostles (Luke 24:50). And when He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained (John 20:22-23). And also He said to them: “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18), so He gave them the authority of binding and loosening in the church.

Onwards the appointment of the Saint Apostles and their ordination of servile in the Holy Order of the Priesthood, the Ministry of our Holy Church has been administered by the Sacrament of Priesthood. This rite is not to be dilapidated, as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the One who made and blessed the ritual.

Unfortunate to our generation, the ordained servile in and outside the Holy Church has been biased and besmirched. We have witnessed the fall and rise of Archbishops, Bishops, Archpriest and other appointed servile for their infidelity, treachery and deceit.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Incarnation Church has suffered much since her ministers are manipulated by the temptation of the world’s frill, scam and deviousness. The need for the restoration of the present priesthood therefore is of the essence.

We need to differentiate those in fraud and falsity to replace them with the right ordered of ordination. First, we have to be reminded about the rite of the Sacrament of Priesthood and do checking and rechecking in their ministry to be certain about their faithfulness to the Holy Order and the Priesthood in serving the Church.

Our Lord Jesus Christ practiced certain services that became the essence of the Church ranks:

a) The Epsaltos: The person who holds this rank is required to learn and sing the Church hymns. Lord Jesus Christ sung a hymn with His disciples before going to Gethsemane, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Mt 26:30)

b) The Anagnostis: The most important work of this rank is reading the Holy Scriptures in Church during the Liturgy. Our Lord practiced the work ofthe reader when He went in the synagogue and stood up to read (Lk 4:16)

c) The Epideacon: The most important work is keeping the Church organized. The Lord did the same when He drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple (Mt 21:12)

d) The Deacon: One of the duties of the Deacon is to pour water for the priest to wash his hands upon the start of the Mass. Our Lord poured water into a basin and washed the disciples’ feet (Jn 13:5)

e) The Priest: The main work of the priest is to sanctify the bread and wine during the Holy Liturgy and to give communion to the congregation. The Lord did the same on Covenant Thursday (Mk 14:22-26)

1) The Hegomen: The role of the Hegomen is to provide for the Church services. It is obvious that our Lord did the same for when He said to Judas “What you do, do quickly” (Jn 13:27) the disciples thought that since Judas had the money box, the Lord had asked him to buy what they need for the feast or to give to the poor (Jn 13:29)

g) The Bishop: The bishop is the shepherd of the flock. St. Peter refers to Lord Jesus as the shepherd and overseer of our souls (1 Pet 2:25) and the Lord said about Himself, “I am the good Shepherd” (Jn 10:14)

h) The Patriarch: Only the Pope can ordain Bishops and our Lord breathed on His apostles and gve them the authority to bind and loose sins (Jn 20:22-23)

Therefore, we find Lord Jesus Christ practicing most of the priestly ranks despite their variation so that every person may find in Him a good example to follow and to know that however small his rank may seem it is not lowly since the Lord Himself practiced and blessed it.

This lecture 15 adapted from ‘The Sacrament of Priesthood’ by H.G. Bishop Mettaous.