Proistamenos

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Proistamenos (from Greek, "the one who presides") is the title of the priest or bishop who is in charge of a parish or in an administrative leadership position in a theological seminary or academy. It is Biblical in origin, coming from Romans 12:8, sometimes translated as "the one who governs" or "the leader."

Less commonly, rector (from Latin, regere, "to rule") is used in some jurisdictions to mean roughly the same thing. Predstoyatel is the Russian translation of proistamenos.

Role

This is paraphrased from the ROCOR regulations[1] to give an idea of what is required of rectors. Many of these regulations would apply across traditions.

A rector is:

  • Head of the parish, responsible to the Diocesan Authorities.
  • President of Parish Council and at each meeting.
  • The parish's representative to Diocesan Authorities in communications about all parish matters.
  • Being the director of the parish school (if one exists)

A rector is responsible for:

  • Proper organisation of church and parish.
  • Assisting in establishing a school (if one does not exist)

A rector supervises:

  • Order and correctness of divine services.
  • Order and correctness of church correspondence.
  • Preservation of church documents.

A rector ensures that:

  • The temple with all its possessions (e.g. sacramental items, icons, vestments, service books, etc) are cleaned and orderly.
  • All decisions of AGMs, EGMs and Parish Council Meetings are carried out.
  • Charity work in the parish is developed.
  • A parish library is established.

A rector keeps:

  • The official church seal.
  • The metrical books (with details on baptisms, marriages, funerals, etc), and issues extracts as required.

A rector directs:

  • The religious-moral education of youth.
  • Organises missionary circles.

A rector:

  • Cares for development of good morals in parish; discusses matters of Christian faith and morals as often as possible with parishioners.
  • Battles all influences which may corrupt Orthodox Christian people, and attempts to keep all people in the Church.

External links


This article forms part of the series
Clergy
Antiochian Local Synod
Major orders Bishop | Priest | Deacon
Minor orders Subdeacon | Reader | Cantor | Acolyte
Other orders Chorepiscopos | Exorcist | Doorkeeper | Deaconess - Presbityde
Episcopal titles Patriarch | Catholicos | Archbishop | Metropolitan | Auxiliary | Titular
Priestly titles Protopresbyter | Archpriest | Protosyngellos | Economos
Diaconal titles Archdeacon | Protodeacon
Minor titles Protopsaltes - Lampadarios
Monastic titles Archimandrite | Abbot - Hegumen
Related Ordination | Vestments | Presbeia | Honorifics | Clergy awards | Exarch | Proistamenos | Vicar
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