A priest is a person designated to perform acts of worship in a religion. At times, he acts as an intermediary between believers and divinity. There are many types of priests depending on the type of religion they profess.
What is a Priest?
It is a person designated to perform acts of worship in a religion and sometimes acts as an intermediary between the members of a community of believers and the deity.
Types of priests according to religion
Depending on the religion, we can find a great variety of priests, the best-known being:
Priests in polytheistic religions
He was in charge of presiding over the religious acts of the ancient Greeks, Romans, Aztecs, ancient Egyptians, and others. Each one specialized in one type of divinity or in all of them, depending on his beliefs.
Priest in Judaism
They are known as rabbis and it is a magisterial function, so they are not understood as priests.
Christian priest
The Christian religion conceives of the priest in different ways according to the various branches of Christianity. These might be:
- Catholic priest: He is in charge of officiating the mass and granting the Sacraments.
- Anglican priest: Similar to the Catholic priest. In this case you can find women priests.
- Pastor: He is in charge of directing the worship of evangelical churches.
- Priests of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Aaronic Priesthood and Melchizedek Priesthood.
- Elder or Superintendent: He is in charge of the teachings and shepherding of the Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He does not consider himself a priest because Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that only 144,000 people will be priests of God and Christ after they die and are resurrected in heaven.
Priest in Islam
It is known as Magnet. He is in charge of guarding religious discipline and the study of sacred texts in Islam. In this religion there are no priests, since each person is responsible for his or her own internal discipline.
Priests in Hinduism and Buddhism
In Hinduism there are Brahmins. They are men belonging to the priestly caste of Hinduism.
In Buddhism it is not considered a priesthood, there is only the image of monks who exercise a teaching as guides of the truth.
Types of priests in the Catholic Church
In the Catholic Church we can find different types of priests:
Episcopate
It is made up of the prelates , consecrated ministers who received all the sacraments of the Priestly Order and are considered the direct successors of the twelve Apostles. They have ordinary jurisdiction over their dioceses.
Dad
He is the Supreme Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ on Earth, Head of the Catholic Church, the Bishop of Rome and the holder of the Shepherding of all Christians, he is elected by the college of cardinals.
Cardinal
They are the Pope’s most intimate advisors and collaborators.
They may be:
- Cardinal bishop.
- Cardinal priest.
- Cardinal deacon.
Patriarch
They are sui juris leaders of the Eastern Catholic Churches, with their synods, they represent the highest authority in all matters of the Eastern Patriarchates. In the Catholic Church we have six eastern patriarchs:
- Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria.
- Syrian Catholic Patriarch of Antioch.
- Greco-Melkite Patriarch of Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria, and all the East.
- Maronite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch.
- Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon.
- Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia.
Archbishop
They are prelates who are in charge of an archdiocese. They have supervisory powers and limited jurisdiction over dioceses.
Bishop
Bishops can be Diocesan, Titular, coadjutor, auxiliary and emeritus; They are the direct successors of the twelve Apostles because they have received all the sacraments of the Order.
Priest
They are the collaborators of the bishops and only have a partial level of jurisdiction over the faithful. Some lead the parishes of their dioceses and may have several titles.
- Vicar.
- Vicar General or Judicial Vicar or also, Episcopal Vicar.
- Mgr.
- Numerary Apostolic Prothonotary.
- Supranumerary Apostolic Prothonotary.
- Honorary Prelate of His Holiness.
- Chaplain of His Holiness.
- Canon.
- Archimandrite.
Diaconate
Deacons are auxiliaries to priests and bishops and hold the first degree of the sacrament of orders. They are not ordained for the priesthood but for the service of charity, for the proclamation of the Word of God and the liturgy.
