The Proper Manner of Addressing Orthodox Clergy
Among the BISHOPS, The Ecumenical Patriarch (Patriarch of Constantinople — the First Among Equals) is addressed as “His All-Holiness (name)” in writing or reference, and as “Your All-Holiness” in direct address.
- The Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Romania are addressed as “His Beatitude (name)” in writing or reference, and as “Your Beatitude” in direct address. The Patriarchs of Moscow, Serbia, Bulgaria and Georgia are addressed as “His Holiness (name)” in writing or reference, and as “Your Holiness” in direct address.
- Primates of Autocephalous and Autonomous Churches are addressed as “His Beatitude,” or: “Your Beatitude”.
- Metropolitans and Archbishops are addressed as “His Eminence, The Most Reverend Metropolitan” or “Archbishop (name), ” or “Your Eminence”.
- Bishops are addressed as “His Grace, The Right Reverend Bishop (name),” or “Your Grace”.
All PRIESTS are addressed when speaking as “Father (name)”.
- Among the monastic clergy, Archmandrites and Ihumen (Abbots) are addressed in writing as “The Right Reverend Archmanclrite” or “lhumen (name),” or, more rarely, as “The Very Venerable Archmandrite” or “lhumen (name)”.
- Among married clergy, Protopresbyters and Mitred Archpriests are addressed in writing as “The Right Reverend Ptrotopresbyter” or “Mitred Archpriest”, and Archpriests (Protopriests) are addressed in writing as “The Very Reverend Archpriest” [or Protopriest] (name)”.
- Other Priests are addressed as “The Reverend Father (name)”. Hieromonks (monastic clergy) are addressed in the same way, or, more rarely, as “The Venerable Father (name)”.
DEACONS are addressed as: “Father Deacon” or “Father Protodeacon” (married clergy) or as: “Father Hierodeacon” or “Father Archdeacon” (monastic clergy).
- In writing, Deacons and Protodeacons (married clergy) are addressed as “The Reverend Deacon (name)” or “The Reverend Protodeacon (name)” Hierodeacons and Archdeacons (monastic clergy) are addressed as “The Reverend Hierodeacon (name)” or “The Reverend Archdeacon (name),” or, more rarely, as “The Venerable Hierodeacon (name)” or “The Venerable Archdeacon (name)”.
In general, when addressing Orthodox clergy, we use their first name, not their surname. In writing, we may write their name and surname. If the person is a Monk or a Bishop, then the surname has to be put into parenthesis.