Catholicism: ranks and lineage

IColours

Colour used for this page of the library: Holy See yellow #A88D37. Every colour code is approximate, since most paths name their colours without publishing codes.

Principal colour the colour of the path

Place of worship real sanctuaries

Ritual colours by occasion and season

Mourning and avoided colours

IIRanks

The Catholic Church has a central teaching authority, the Holy See, headed by the Pope in Rome. In Vietnam the Church is organised into 3 ecclesiastical provinces (Hà Nội, Huế, Sài Gòn) with 26 dioceses. The bishops meet in the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam. The Roman liturgy follows the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

1. 1
   Pope Summus Pontifex, Papa · Pope

   Bishop of Rome and successor of Saint Peter. Heads the universal Church and appoints bishops.

2. 2
   Cardinal Cardinalis · Cardinal

   Closest advisers of the Pope. Cardinals under 80 elect the Pope. Vietnam currently has 1 Cardinal (retired).

3. 3
   Archbishop Archiepiscopus · Archbishop

   A bishop who governs an archdiocese and heads an ecclesiastical province. Vietnam has 3: Hà Nội, Huế, Sài Gòn. Same order of holy orders as a bishop.

4. 4
   Bishop Episcopus · Bishop

   The highest degree of holy orders. Governs a diocese and has the power to ordain.

5. 5
   Priest Presbyter, Sacerdos · Priest

   Celebrates Mass and the sacraments and cares for a parish. Monsignor is an honorary title given to some priests. It is not a separate degree of holy orders.

6. 6
   Deacon Diaconus · Deacon

   The third degree of holy orders. Proclaims the Gospel, preaches, baptises and witnesses marriages. There are transitional deacons (who will become priests) and permanent deacons.

7. 7
   Religious brothers and sisters Religiosi · Religious brothers and sisters

   People who have taken religious vows. They are not clergy unless ordained. Religious sisters are not ordained.

Followers: Catholics, the laity, the faithful flock, fellow faithful. Catechumens (those learning the faith), baptised faithful, confirmed faithful. Religious and clergy are distinct states of life.

IIIForms of address

IVVestments by rank

Flat drawings made from the descriptions in the sources, with no people shown. Colours are approximate.

VLine of succession

Catholic succession follows a single line. The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and successor of Saint Peter, elected by the Conclave of Cardinals. Alongside it runs the apostolic succession of every bishop through the laying on of hands. In Vietnam the hierarchy was established in 1960. The Cardinals and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam are the milestones of this line.

Popes of Rome, from Saint Peter to Leo XIV

1. c. 4 BC to c. 30 or 33Jesus Christ Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Iesus Christus

   Founder of the Church, who according to Matthew 16:18 to 19 entrusted the keys of the Kingdom to Peter.

2. #1 · Martyred in Rome c. 64Saint Peter the Apostle Petrus, Σίμων Πέτρος

   Chief of the Apostles, venerated as the first Pope, every Pope is his successor.

3. Martyred in Rome c. 64 to 67Saint Paul the Apostle Paulus, Παῦλος

   Apostle to the Gentiles, venerated with Peter as the two pillars of the Church of Rome. Not a Pope.

4. #33 · Reigned 314 to 335Pope Saint Sylvester I Silvester I

   Pope under Constantine, as the Church emerged from persecution, at the time of the Council of Nicaea in 325.

5. #45 · Reigned 440 to 461Pope Saint Leo I the Great Leo I Magnus

   Doctor of the Church whose Tome guided the Council of Chalcedon in 451.

6. #64 · Reigned 590 to 604Pope Saint Gregory I the Great Gregorius I Magnus

   Doctor of the Church, liturgical reformer, sent the mission to England.

7. #157 · Reigned 1073 to 1085Pope Saint Gregory VII Gregorius VII

   Leader of the Gregorian Reform asserting the freedom of the Church from secular rulers.

8. #176 · Reigned 1198 to 1216Pope Innocent III Innocentius III

   Height of the medieval papacy, convened the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215.

9. #206 · Reigned 1417 to 1431Pope Martin V Martinus V

   Elected by the Council of Constance, ending the Western Schism.

10. #225 · Reigned 1566 to 1572Pope Saint Pius V Pius V

    Implemented the Council of Trent and promulgated the Roman Missal of 1570.

11. #255 · Reigned 1846 to 1878Pope Blessed Pius IX Pius IX

    Longest pontificate after Peter, convened the First Vatican Council. Beatified in 2000.

12. #256 · Reigned 1878 to 1903Pope Leo XIII Leo XIII

    His encyclical Rerum Novarum of 1891 founded modern Catholic social teaching.

13. #259 · Reigned 1922 to 1939Pope Pius XI Pius XI

    Consecrated the first Vietnamese bishop, John Baptist Nguyen Ba Tong, in Rome in 1933.

14. #260 · Reigned 1939 to 1958Pope Pius XII Pius XII

    Led the Church through the Second World War, declared Venerable in 2009, not yet beatified.

15. #261 · Reigned 1958 to 1963Pope Saint John XXIII Ioannes XXIII

    Convened the Second Vatican Council. Established the Vietnamese hierarchy in 1960.

16. #262 · Reigned 1963 to 1978Pope Saint Paul VI Paulus VI

    Concluded Vatican II, reformed the liturgy, created the first Vietnamese cardinal in 1976.

17. #264 · Reigned 1978 to 2005Pope Saint John Paul II Ioannes Paulus II

    Canonised the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs in 1988.

18. #265 · Reigned 2005 to 2013, died 2022Pope Benedict XVI Benedictus XVI

    Theologian pope who resigned in 2013, the first in nearly 600 years.

19. #266 · Reigned 2013 to 2025, died 21 April 2025Pope Francis Franciscus

    First pope from Latin America and from the Jesuits, created Cardinal Peter Nguyen Van Nhon in 2015.

20. #267 · Reigning since 8 May 2025Pope Leo XIV Leo PP. XIV

    Reigning pope as of September 2026, first American pope, an Augustinian, born Robert Francis Prevost.

Catholic Church in Vietnam: first bishop, cardinals and bishops' conference

1. Martyred 1745 to 1862, canonised 19 June 1988Vietnamese Martyrs (Saint Andrew Dũng Lạc and Companions) Andreas Dung Lac et socii

   117 martyrs venerated by the Church, the foundation of the faith of the Church in Vietnam.

2. #1 · 1868 to 1949, consecrated bishop on 11 June 1933Bishop John Baptist Nguyễn Bá Tòng Jean-Baptiste Nguyễn Bá Tòng

   First Vietnamese bishop, consecrated by Pius XI in Saint Peter's Basilica, served the diocese of Phat Diem.

3. #1 · 1899 to 1978, Cardinal from 1976Cardinal Joseph Marie Trịnh Như Khuê Joseph-Marie Trịnh Như Khuê

   First Vietnamese cardinal, Archbishop of Hanoi.

4. #2 · 1921 to 1990, Cardinal from 1979Cardinal Joseph Marie Trịnh Văn Căn Joseph-Marie Trịnh Văn Căn

   Second Vietnamese cardinal, Archbishop of Hanoi.

5. #3 · 1919 to 2009, Cardinal from 1994Cardinal Paul Joseph Phạm Đình Tụng Paul-Joseph Phạm Đình Tụng

   Third Vietnamese cardinal, Archbishop of Hanoi.

6. #4 · 1928 to 2002, Cardinal from 2001Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận François-Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận

   President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, declared Venerable in 2017, not yet beatified.

7. #5 · 1934 to 22 March 2026, Cardinal from 2003Cardinal John Baptist Phạm Minh Mẫn Jean-Baptiste Phạm Minh Mẫn

   Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City, took part in the conclaves of 2005 and 2013.

8. #6 · Born 1938, Cardinal from 14 February 2015Cardinal Peter Nguyễn Văn Nhơn Pierre Nguyễn Văn Nhơn

   Archbishop emeritus of Hanoi, retired 2018, the only living Vietnamese cardinal as of September 2026.

9. President of the Bishops' Conference from 2022, re-elected for 2025 to 2028Archbishop Joseph Nguyễn Năng Joseph Nguyễn Năng

   Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam for 2025 to 2028.

A venerated figure: the library shows no portrait, only the name inside a round seal.

VIOrdination and transmission

The sacrament of Holy Orders has three degrees: bishop, priest and deacon. It is conferred by the laying on of hands and the prayer of ordination. Only a consecrated bishop ordains validly. The chain of episcopal ordination is held to continue from the Apostles.

1. DeaconRequirement: A baptised man who has completed philosophy and theology. Transitional deacons must be at least 23. Unmarried permanent deacons must be at least 25, married ones at least 35 with their wife's consent.Rite: The bishop lays on hands and says the prayer of ordination, hands over the Book of the Gospels, and vests the deacon in a diagonal stole and dalmatic.
2. PriestRequirement: At least 25 years old, having served as a deacon for a suitable period.Rite: The bishop and the priests present lay on hands. Prayer of ordination, anointing of the hands with chrism, handing over of the chalice and paten, vesting in a straight stole and chasuble.
3. BishopRequirement: Appointed by the Pope. At least 35 years old and a priest for at least 5 years.Rite: A principal consecrator and at least two co-consecrating bishops lay on hands. Anointing of the head, handing over of the Book of the Gospels, ring, mitre and crozier.

VIIWhere the sources disagree

• The old colour of 15 September used Marian blue #1B4B8F. Blue is not in the Roman liturgical colour list (GIRM 346). It is only a privilege in Spain and a colour of popular devotion. It is a weak basis for a main Catholic colour.
• The old worship space colour of 25 September recorded cream vaults and stone. No source found describing the interior colours of a specific Vietnamese church. Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon has clear sources on Marseille red brick and Lorin stained glass, but these are exterior colours.
• All hex codes for liturgical colours and rank colours are approximate. The Church publishes no colour codes. Bishop's violet is really amaranth red. Many Vietnamese sources call it violet or dark violet.
• The Jesuit institute (sjjs.edu.vn) says a Bishop's biretta is black with a red tuft. Wikipedia (Choir dress) says a violet skullcap under the biretta. The two sources differ on the Bishop's biretta. The 1969 Instruction Ut sive sollicite should be checked.
• According to the Bishops' Conference website updated 10 January 2025, Vietnam has 26 dioceses. Many older sources say 27. Check again when building.
• No standard document found for how each rank refers to itself (Pope, Bishop, priest). These entries are marked no source found.
• Ma soeur is a form of address of French origin, now rarely used. Some writers suggest dropping Soeur and using Sơ or Dì.
• The reign dates of the Popes of the first three centuries are estimates. The full list follows the English Wikipedia table (List of popes). The Church counts Leo XIV as the 267th.
• Benedict IX reigned three times and so holds three numbers (145, 147, 150). Antipopes are not counted.
• The Vietnamese names of lesser known Popes are transliterated in the usual style of the Church in Vietnam, with English names for comparison. Spellings may differ between sources.
• Saint Paul is listed as a milestone because with Peter he is a foundation of the Church of Rome. He was not a Pope and has no number.
• Cardinal Phạm Minh Mẫn died on 22 March 2026. As of September 2026 Pope Leo XIV has not been seen to create any new Cardinals (the consistories of 31 May 2026 and 26 to 27 June 2026 were only deliberative). So Cardinal Peter Nguyễn Văn Nhơn is the only living Vietnamese Cardinal.
• The Commons image for Cardinal Trịnh Như Khuê shows only his coat of arms and is not used. The image of Cardinal Nguyễn Văn Thuận comes from tgpsaigon.net, date unknown.

VIIISources

?Quick Questions

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