www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Monsignor/Corepiscopoi

Is there any way for a layman to petition the bishops, Catholicoi, Patriarchs, or Pope for a priest to be honored with the rank of Monsignori or Corepiscopoi? I am planning to attend the 50th anniversary of the priestly ordination of a bi-ritual Malankara Syriac priest (also celebrates Latin Liturgy) and would like to ask all the above to begin this process, so that this wonderful priest (and his wife) can receive this recognition during his celebration. He is now in his 80s and retired, but still assists the nearby Latin church whenever necessary, and also when asked at any Syriac parish.

Only a bishop can petition the Pope to name a priest Chaplain of His Holiness. On the other hand you can certainly petition the bishop to raise him to archpriest or chorbishop.

Michael,

In a matter that seems to have gotten little press coverage, HH Pope Francis announced, back in January, that the honorific of Monsignor was to be further limited. See here [nypost.com].

Deacon Lance's suggestion that your petition be directed to the priest's bishop seems to indeed be the option to pursue.

The Syriac/Malankara Orthodox and Catholic Churches both grant the honorific of chorbishop. Periodeut, however, seems to have fallen by the wayside in both (although the Maronites still confer it).

As to archpriest (conferred on married presbyters in Byzantine Churches), it's a functional title in the Syriac/Malankara Orthodox Churches, not sure if that same usage carries over to the Syriac/Malankara Catholics or if it's also conferred as an honorific by either the Catholics or Orthodox.

Proto-presbyter is also used by the Syriac/Malankara Orthodox and Catholics, but I'm not certain if it's granted as an honorific or solely as a functional title.

Many years,

Neil

A little off topic but the article whihc Neil posted a link brought up two questions for me.

What is a “chaplain of the Holy Father”?

For those priest who were granted the title of Monsignor and are under 65, are they allowed to continue to use the title?

Searcher.

A chaplain of the Holy Father was one of the former grades of Monsignori (if memory serves, there were seven in all, until the last reform of the Latin honorifics). As to your other question, I was wondering the same, but couldn't find any definitive answer.

Many years,

Neil

A bit off topic, but I thought Malankara Catholic priests were all celibate?

Nelson - from the decree of acceptance into communion of the Syro-Malankara:


Don't even get me started about the opening sentence but, of course, it is entirely possible that the priest of Michael's acquaintance came into union from the Malankara Orthodox Church.

Many years,

Neil

Thanks Irish Melkite. I remember reading about the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the celibacy issue before. I wonder if Michael's priest friend came into communion with Rome from the Malankara Orthodox?

Though, if he was a married man ordained as a Malankara Catholic priest even better!

I've never understood the term Corepiscopoi. Could someone elaborate what this title means? Is it like an Archpriest? Or is it more than an honorific title?

Nelson

Nelson,

Chorepiscopoi has been both functional and an honorific - still is both, depending on where you are.

A chorepiscopus or chorbishop (or, in the West, a choir bishop) was originally an auxiliary essentially. Initially, they had some episcopal functions in the non-metropolitan cities, but those were diminished over time, as it was determined that a priest would suffice outside metropolitan areas.

In Catholic and Orthodox Churches of the Byzantine Traditions, the title disappeared rather early, except among the Melkites and Antiochians. I believe that the Melkites last conferred it in the late 19th century; my guess would be that the Antiochians did so about that same time.

It's unknown among the Armenians, to the best of my knowledge. The Ethiopians, Eritreans, and Copts make less use of it than the other Oriental Churches (although I've seen a single usage of Arch-chorbishop by the Ethiopians - only time that I've ever run across that.)

The other Oriental Churches, both Catholic and Orthodox, as well as the Maronites, Chaldeans, and Assyrians, all employ as an honorific and several as a functional title.

A chorbishop, whether functional or honorific, is usually entitled to wear some of the episcopal insignia and vesture. In the Churches that confer it as a functional title, he can represent the bishop, and in some he can confer the minor orders, but not the diaconate or priesthood, and can consecrate or dedicate a temple.

As an honorific, it best equates to a Mitred Archimandrite, Archpriest, Monsignor, or to those titled honorifically as Proto-synchellus, Economos, or Proto-Presbyter (as opposed to those who hold those titles functionally).

It's often given honorifically to long-time pastors and, functionally, to presbyters who serve in various capacities in the administration of a patriarchate or eparchy (especially in offices that might once have been held by a bishop).

There's also an equivalent title - periodeut - most common these days among the Maronites, but not used much anymore even by them (the Syriacs, Chaldeans, and Assyrians might also still employ it). A periodeut was also an equivalent auxiliary or a vicar - often described as a 'rural dean' or 'rural bishop'. It was/is primarily a functional title, although there may be some honorific usage..

You might want to look at an old thread here that rambled through a long list of honorific and functional titles. See
Archimandrite? Mitred Archpriest? Hegumen?, Probably a few things there that could use fixing up, but most of it is valid.

Many years,

Neil

Father was first a minister in the 'Marthoma Syrian Church' - the Anglicized off-shoot of the Malankara Syrian Tradition. He is the antithesis of the 'career-seeking' type that the Holy Father warned against. At the time he joined the Catholic Church, sometime in the 60s, he was the secretary to the head Metropolitan of that protestant body, and could have easily stayed there and moved into high-level positions. Instead he, his wife, and children joined the Syro-Malankara Church, where he was ordained to the priesthood, and pastored various mission parishes, while assisting the local Latin communities.

It may in fact be the only grade left. Pope Paul VI reduced the 14 Pre-Vatican II grades to 3: Chaplains of His Holiness, Honorary Prelates of His Holiness, and Protonotaries Apostolic. Pope Francis recently announced the only award he would be giving to Diocesan priests was Chaplain of His Holiness, without stating if the other two classes were abolished or simply restricted to priests of the Roman Curia.

Thanks Neil!

Thanks for the background Michael! May God grant his priest servant many blessed years!

No problem, Nelson. We haven't had a good discussion here about honorific and functional titles in years. It was one of those topics (clerical headgear was another) that would pop up now and again, we'd talk through all the variations, nobody would go polemic or apologetic (or apoplectic either), we'd wrap it up and everyone went home unbloodied!

Many years,

Neil

Far be it from me to go polemic(al) or to cause apoplexy -- moi?! -- there is an issue raised by the Holy See (of Rome) and that is that Eastern Catholic clergy, especially when these are married, should not receive monastic honorifics. Needless to say, Eastern clergy should not receive Western honorifics nor vice-versa. Despite this wise prohibition I still find 'secular' priests, though celibate, with the honorific 'archimandrite'. The mere fact that one does not have a lady wife does not make one a monk!
In my Church (Melkite) the honorific Chorepiscopos is so routine that it simply means parish priest (= pastor). Hence the colloquial use of khoury for priest. That leaves archpriest, economos and exarch as honorifics for the parish (secular) clergy and archimandrite for the monastics.
In the Church in which I serve (Russian) there is, to be sure, a broader spectrum of honorifics.
Here, Pope Francis is on the side of the angels!