My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
CHEIROTONIA IN THE ORTHODOX HOLY TRADITION [Part II]
The Essence and Effectuating Words of the Mystery
Thus the Mystery [Sacrament] of Priesthood is a sacred action which, through the prayerful LAYING ON HANDS OF A BISHOP upon the head of the chosen person, brings down upon this person the Divine Grace which SANCTIFIES and ORDAINS him to a certain rank of the Church hierarchy and later cooperates with him in his passing through the hierarchical obligations. The prayer of CHEIROTONIA is the following: "The Divine Grace which always healeth that which is infirm and completeth that which is wanting, elevated (name) the most devout subdeacon, to be a deacon (or deacon, to be a priest). Wherefore, let us pray for him, that the Grace of the All-Holy Spirit may come upon him."
The Mystery (Sacrament) of CHEIROTONIA IS ALWAYS INCLUDED IN THE RITE OF THE DIVINE LITURGY. Distinct from the Mystery of Cheirotonia is ordination by prayer to the lower ranks of the clergy (reader, subdeacon); this is called CHEIROTHESIA (from the Greek word that has a purely Christian ecclesiastical meaning and came into use relatively later).
The Celibacy of Bishops
For a bishop there exists THE OBLIGATION OF CELIBACY. In the first centuries of Christianity such a demand was not obligatory, but even in Apostolic times it was allowed for bishops TO AVOID MARRIAGE FOR THE SAKE OF THE ASCETIC STRUGGLE OF CONTINENCE. This custom became strengthened, and the Sixth Ecumenical Synod made it a canon. As regards priests and deacons, the Church regarded that such a burden should NOT be laid upon them as obligatory, and that the ancient canon should be followed which FORBIDS CLERGY, AFTER RECEIVING ORDINATION, TO ENTER INTO MARRIAGE, BUT WHICH ALLOWS TO THE MYSTERY OF PRIESTHOOD PERSONS WHO ARE ALREADY BOUND BY MARRIAGE, even regarding this as natural and normal. A SECOND MARRIAGE, as well as having a wife who has been married before, ARE HINDRANCES TO ORDINATION. In the Roman Catholic church in the 4th to 6th centuries, CELIBACY BEGAN TO BE INTRODUCED LIKEWISE FOR PRIESTS AND DEACONS. This INNOVATION WAS REJECTED BY THE Sixth Ecumenical Council; but this prohibition WAS NOT HEEDED BY THE Roman popes.
The Protestants HAVE REJECTED THE PRIESTHOOD AS A "SACRAMENT." Their pastors are ONLY ELECTED and APPOINTED by the people, but DO NOT RECEIVE ANY KIND OF SPECIAL CONSECRATION, and in this sense they are NOT TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE ORDINARY MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. However, we see from the teaching and practice of the Holy Apostles, and from the CONSTANT BELIEF OF THE CHURCH, THAT CHEIROTONIA (ORDINATION) FROM THE BEGINNING WAS A SACRAMENTAL, GRACE-GIVING SACRED ACTION, AND THEREFORE THE FACT THAT IN A LATER PERIOD IT BEGAN TO BE CALLED A "SACRAMENT" DID NOT INTRODUCE ANYTHING NEW, BUT ONLY EXPRESSED ITS ESSENCE MORE PRECISELY IN A SINGLE WORD. In a similar way, for example the term HOMOOUSIOS, accepted at the First Ecumenial Council, did not introduce anything new into the ancient Church teaching of the Divinity of the Son of God, but only defined it more precisely and confirmed it. Unfortunately, Protestant scholars, defending THE FALSE POSITION OF PROTESTANTISM, continue stubbornly, but WITHOUT PROOF, to deduce the very concept of the Christian Mysteries (Sacraments) from the practice of THE PAGAN MYSTERIES. [Resources: Orthodox Dogmatic Theology]
___________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 