Orthodox Christianity: ranks and lineage

IColours

Colour used for this page of the library: Gold #B8862B. 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

Eastern Orthodoxy is a communion of many self governing (autocephalous) churches such as Constantinople, Russia, Greece, Serbia and Romania, with no central authority. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople holds the first place of honour but does not govern the other churches. Vietnam has 4 parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church (Vũng Tàu, Hà Nội, Hồ Chí Minh City, Nha Trang) under the Patriarchal Exarchate of South East Asia established in 2018.

1. 1
   Patriarch Πατριάρχης, Патриарх · Patriarch

   The bishop who heads a large autocephalous church (Constantinople, Russia, Serbia and others). Still of the episcopal order.

2. 2
   Archbishop (including Metropolitan) Μητροπολίτης, Αρχιεπίσκοπος, Митрополит, Архиепископ · Metropolitan, Archbishop

   A bishop who governs an ecclesiastical province or large diocese. The ranking of Metropolitan and Archbishop differs between Russian and Greek traditions.

3. 3
   Bishop Ἐπίσκοπος, Епископ · Bishop

   The highest degree of holy orders. Usually chosen from monastics and must be celibate.

4. 4
   Priest Πρεσβύτερος, Иерей, Священник · Priest, Presbyter

   Celebrates the Divine Liturgy and the sacraments. May marry before ordination. Honorific ranks: archpriest, protopresbyter. Monastic priests: hieromonk, hegumen (abbot), archimandrite.

5. 5
   Deacon Διάκονος, Диакон · Deacon

   Serves in the liturgy. Honorific ranks: protodeacon, archdeacon. A monastic deacon is called a hierodeacon.

6. 6
   Minor orders: subdeacon, reader Ὑποδιάκονος, Ἀναγνώστης · Subdeacon, Reader

   Conferred by cheirothesia outside the Divine Liturgy. Not part of the sacrament of holy orders.

Followers: Orthodox faithful, Orthodox Christians. Catechumens, faithful who have received baptism and chrismation

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

Eastern Orthodoxy is a communion of self governing churches, each with its own Patriarch or Archbishop and no common head. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople holds the first place of honour. Each see has its own line of succession, and bishops are ordained in succession from the Apostles. In Vietnam the Orthodox parishes belong to the Russian Orthodox Church through the Patriarchal Exarchate of South East Asia.

Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople

1. #1 · 1st centurySaint Andrew the Apostle Ἀνδρέας ὁ Πρωτόκλητος

   The First-Called Apostle, venerated as founder of the see of Byzantium.

2. #26 · Reigned 306 to 314Saint Metrophanes Μητροφάνης

   First historically attested bishop of Byzantium, venerated as a saint.

3. #34 · Reigned 379 to 381Saint Gregory of Nazianzus Γρηγόριος ὁ Θεολόγος

   The Theologian, presided over part of the First Council of Constantinople in 381.

4. #37 · Reigned 398 to 404Saint John Chrysostom Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος

   Great preacher whose name is borne by the Divine Liturgy used every Sunday.

5. #86 · Reigned 858 to 867 and 877 to 886Saint Photios I Φώτιος Α΄

   Great scholar, sent Saints Cyril and Methodius to the Slavs.

6. #102 · Reigned 1043 to 1058Patriarch Michael I Cerularius Μιχαήλ Α΄ Κηρουλάριος

   Patriarch at the mutual excommunications with the Roman legates in 1054.

7. #159 · Reigned 1454 to 1456Patriarch Gennadius II Scholarius Γεννάδιος Β΄ Σχολάριος

   First patriarch after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, recognised by Sultan Mehmed II.

8. #178 · Reigned three times between 1572 and 1595Patriarch Jeremias II Tranos Ἱερεμίας Β΄ Τρανός

   In 1589 installed the first Patriarch of Moscow.

9. #187 · Reigned several times between 1612 and 1638Saint Cyril I Lucaris Κύριλλος Α΄ Λούκαρις

   Scholar executed in 1638, glorified as a saint by the Patriarchate of Alexandria in 2009.

10. #253 · Reigned 1878 to 1884 and 1901 to 1912Patriarch Joachim III Ἰωακεὶμ Γ΄

    Leading reforming patriarch of the late Ottoman era.

11. #267 · Reigned 1948 to 1972Patriarch Athenagoras I Ἀθηναγόρας Α΄

    Met Pope Paul VI in 1964 and lifted the 1054 anathemas together in 1965.

12. #268 · Reigned 1972 to 1991Patriarch Demetrios I Δημήτριος Α΄

    Opened official theological dialogue with the Catholic Church in 1979.

13. #270 (per the Patriarchate) · Reigning since 2 November 1991Patriarch Bartholomew I Βαρθολομαῖος Α΄

    Reigning Ecumenical Patriarch as of September 2026, first in honour among Orthodox primates, called the Green Patriarch.

Full list at the source

Patriarchs of Moscow and all Rus

1. #1 · Reigned 1589 to 1605Saint Job Иов

   First Patriarch of Moscow, installed by Jeremias II in 1589, venerated as a saint.

2. #2 · Reigned 1606 to 1612Saint Hermogenes Гермоген

   Martyred during the Time of Troubles, venerated as a saint.

3. #6 · Reigned 1652 to 1666Patriarch Nikon Никон

   Reformed liturgical books after Greek models, leading to the Old Believer schism.

4. #10 · Reigned 1690 to 1700Patriarch Adrian Адриан

   Last patriarch before Peter the Great abolished the office, the Holy Synod governed from 1721 to 1917.

5. #11 · Reigned 1917 to 1925Saint Tikhon Тихон

   First patriarch after the restoration of 1917, persecuted under the Soviets, venerated as a saint.

6. #12 · Reigned 1943 to 1944Patriarch Sergius Сергий (Страгородский)

   Elected in 1943 when the Soviet state eased pressure on the Church.

7. #13 · Reigned 1945 to 1970Patriarch Alexy I Алексий I

   Led the Church in the post-war Soviet era.

8. #14 · Reigned 1971 to 1990Patriarch Pimen Пимен

   Patriarch at the millennium of the Baptism of Rus in 1988.

9. #15 · Reigned 1990 to 2008Patriarch Alexy II Алексий II

   Rebuilt the Church after the Soviet period.

10. #16 · Reigning since 1 February 2009Patriarch Kirill Кирилл

    Reigning Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus as of September 2026, whose Church oversees the Orthodox parishes in Vietnam.

Orthodoxy in Vietnam: Diocese of the Philippines and Vietnam (Russian Orthodox Church)

1. November 2001Metropolitan Kirill (now Patriarch) Митрополит Кирилл

   First Russian Orthodox hierarch to visit Vietnam, served in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau.

2. Founded 2002Parish of Our Lady of Kazan, Vũng Tàu Приход Казанской иконы Божией Матери

   First Orthodox parish in Vietnam, serving the Russian community of Vietsovpetro.

3. Exarch from 28 December 2018Metropolitan Sergius (Chashin) Митрополит Сергий (Чашин)

   Patriarchal Exarch of South-East Asia and Metropolitan of Singapore, locum tenens for the Philippines and Vietnam in early 2019.

4. Community from 2016, parish from 2019Parish of Saint Xenia of Petersburg, Hà Nội Приход блаженной Ксении Петербургской

   Orthodox parish in the capital.

5. Founded 2019Parish of the Protection of the Theotokos, Hồ Chí Minh City Приход Покрова Пресвятой Богородицы

   Third parish of the Russian Church in Vietnam.

6. Ruling from 30 August 2019Metropolitan Pavel (Fokin) Митрополит Павел (Фокин)

   Ruling bishop of the Diocese of the Philippines and Vietnam, titled of Manila and Hanoi, current head of the Orthodox community in Vietnam.

7. Founded 2024Parish of Saint Nicholas, Nha Trang Приход святителя Николая Чудотворца

   Fourth Orthodox parish in Vietnam.

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

VIOrdination and transmission

Ordination by the laying on of hands (cheirotonia) for the three major orders of deacon, priest and bishop, within the Divine Liturgy, in the sanctuary. The episcopal line is held to continue from the Apostles. Minor orders are received by cheirothesia outside the Liturgy.

1. Reader, subdeaconRequirement: Male, tonsuredRite: Cheirothesia in the nave of the church, outside the Divine Liturgy.
2. DeaconRequirement: Male. If he wishes to marry he must do so before ordinationRite: One bishop lays on hands within the Divine Liturgy. The faithful acclaim Axios (Worthy).
3. PriestRequirement: Already a deacon. Usually about 3 years of seminary studyRite: One bishop lays on hands within the Divine Liturgy, and the faithful acclaim Axios.
4. BishopRequirement: Usually chosen from monastics, celibateRite: Three bishops, or at least two, lay on hands together.

VIIWhere the sources disagree

• The old colour of 15 September used Byzantine imperial purple #6B2E5F. Porphyra purple was the colour of the Byzantine imperial house, not a colour the Church regards as its own. In the liturgy, purple is used only for Lent and feasts of the Cross. A weak basis for a main colour.
• The old worship space colour of 25 September (#8A6A2A, gilded iconostasis) fits the sources. Wikipedia's Iconostasis article does not mention gilding. The confirming source is the Saint John the Baptist Cathedral Washington page (frame gilded or painted).
• The Typikon only distinguishes light and dark vestments. The multicolour scheme is a later Slavic practice. A Greek source (Orthodox Times) says the Church of Greece has no official rule on colours.
• Colour for the Nativity Fast: ROCOR Europe gives red. Many other places use other colours. Pascha: most sources give white, some places use red.
• Bishops' mantiya colours in Russian usage: Bishop red or purple, Archbishop purple, Metropolitan blue, Patriarch green. Greek usage: every bishop red. The vestments here follow Russian usage because the parishes in Vietnam belong to the Russian Church.
• Flag of the Church of Greece: Flags of the World describes a red flag with a yellow cross and white eagle. Greek City Times describes the black eagle on yellow as the common form. The sources differ, and Greek City Times says there is no evidence that the yellow flag dates from Byzantine times.
• No source found on Vietnamese forms of address in Orthodox parishes in Vietnam (the faithful are mostly Russian). No source found describing the interior colours of the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Vũng Tàu.
• The Vietnamese rendering Tổng giám mục Đô thành for Metropolitan is a proposal. No standard Vietnamese translation found.
• The list of Ecumenical Patriarchs has over 300 entries (counting repeat terms), so only a link is given. The Wikipedia table numbers Bartholomew I as 269, while the Patriarchate calls him the 270th. Historians regard the bishops before Metrophanes as legendary.
• Gennadius II is marked sacred because some places venerate him. It is not certain he was officially glorified.
• Patriarchs of Moscow: Ignatius (1605 to 1606) is not counted by the Russian Church, so Kirill is the 16th.
• Vietnam: a Russian source says the Hà Nội community dates from 2016, an English source says the parish was founded in 2019. The Exarchate page lists only three parishes, and Wikipedia adds the Nha Trang parish (2024). The Ecumenical Patriarchate also places Vietnam in the Metropolis of Hong Kong and South East Asia, but no activity has been seen.
• It has not been verified whether Metropolitan Pavel (Fokin) still administers the diocese as of September 2026.

VIIISources

?Quick Questions

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