Religious glossary

Also called: hegumen, archimandrite

The head of a monastery.

Clergy & community

Also called: deanery, protopresbyter

The priest who coordinates the parishes of an area (deanery) on behalf of the bishop.

Clergy & community

Also called: local church, brothers and sisters

The local community of Neo-Protestant believers, who call each other "brother" and "sister".

Clergy & community

Also called: hierarch

The spiritual leader of a diocese; ordains priests and consecrates churches.

Clergy & community

Also called: chanter, psaltis

The person who sings the responses and hymns from the choir stall.

Clergy & community

Also called: College of Cardinals

A senior Catholic prelate appointed by the pope; cardinals under 80 elect the new pope in conclave.

Clergy & community

Also called: Catholicos of All Armenians

The head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, residing at Etchmiadzin in Armenia.

Clergy & community

Also called: archdeacon, protodeacon

The first degree of ordained ministry; the deacon assists the priest, leads the petitions and reads the Gospel.

Clergy & community

Also called: church elder

An elected member of the leadership of a Protestant congregation, alongside the pastor.

Clergy & community

Also called: diocese

The territory led by a bishop, made up of deaneries and parishes; Catholics call it a diocese.

Clergy & community

Also called: foundation

The person who built or funded a church or monastery; the church is called their foundation.

Clergy & community

Also called: sponsor

The person who holds the child at Baptism and promises to guide them in faith; also the main witness at a wedding.

Clergy & community

Also called: cantor

The singer who leads prayers in the synagogue using traditional melodies.

Clergy & community

Also called: hodja

The person who leads communal prayer in the mosque and gives the sermon.

Clergy & community

Also called: metropolis, archbishop

The bishop who leads a metropolis — a group of dioceses in a region.

Clergy & community

Also called: minyan

The quorum of ten adults required for public prayer in the synagogue.

Clergy & community

Also called: monastic

A man or woman who has taken vows (obedience, poverty, chastity) and lives in a monastery.

Clergy & community

Also called: müezzin

The person who calls the faithful to prayer (adhan) from the minaret or the mosque.

Clergy & community

Also called: Muftiate

The religious leader of the Muslims of a country or region; the Romanian Muftiate is based in Constanța.

Clergy & community

Also called: parish priest, parishioner

The community of believers in a village or neighbourhood, with its church and its priest.

Clergy & community

Also called: minister

The minister of a Protestant or Neo-Protestant community who preaches and leads worship; may marry.

Clergy & community

Also called: Patriarchate

The bishop who leads an autocephalous Orthodox Church; the Romanian Orthodox Church has been a Patriarchate since 1925.

Clergy & community

Also called: Holy Father

The Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church; Greek Catholic Churches are in union with him.

Clergy & community

Also called: Father

The cleric ordained by a bishop who celebrates the sacraments and shepherds a community; called "Father".

Clergy & community

Also called: rav, chief rabbi

The teacher and spiritual leader of a Jewish community.

Clergy & community

Also called: confessor

The priest to whom a believer regularly confesses and who guides their spiritual life.

Clergy & community