Feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, 1983
Carpenter, Wyoming

"And He ordained twelve (Apostles), that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach".

Mark 3:14, AV

The sacrament of Ordination is the means instituted by God for conferring upon a man whom He has chosen, one of the three degrees of the priesthood of His Church. It is the visible sign in that man's life of a God-given call (klesis) having been accepted and prepared for by the man and recognized and commissioned by Holy Church.

Through this sacrament, an additional measure of grace is granted the ordinand to assist him in the preaching of the Gospel through his words and actions and the administration of the sacraments of the Church as a means of grace for himself, and more especially for others. This strengthening is accomplished through the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the ordinand at the Bishop's laying on of his hands. This impartation of grace is not a static symbol; it is spiritual strength (dunamis (grk)) and authority (exousia (grk)) bestowed upon the ordinand. The recipient is empowered both to teach and live the Gospel, convincing all men of the truth of its message and sanctifying those who follow after our Lord.

The outward sign of the sacrament of ordination is the laying on of the Bishop's hands with prayers offered to God. The Bishop is the minister of the sacrament because the ministries of Deacon and Priest are extensions of the bishop's Office, rather than integral offices in and of themselves. The office of Bishop itself may not be prepared for, as it is elected by the Church and thrust upon the unprepared, regardless of the man's background.

Ordination to the priesthood is the sacrament which enables the rites and common prayer of the Church. As such, each man who aspires to the priesthood shall examine himself and be examined by others, and shall study to show himself approved prior to his ordination. The Fathers of the Church have observed that the efficacy of the sacrament is not dependent upon the moral character of the Bishop (although the administration of the office is); that the priesthood imparts divine grace which cannot be purchased; and that the priesthood constitutes a worthy office and authority containing gifts of the Holy Spirit, received at the time of ordination.

As a call to service, the qualifications are specific and significant, the ordinand must be prepared and qualified to serve. He must be Orthodox (Nicaea Canon 19); irreproachable in faith and conduct (Titus 1:7, 1 Tim 3:2 & 4:14, Laodicaea Canon 12); knowing Scripture and Tradition and the Canons of the Church and in good health without physical shortcomings which would inhibit him in the fulfillment of his ministry (Canon 78 of the Holy Apostles). Minimum age for Deacons is 25 and for Priests is 30, although these minimums are regularly waived by the Church for good cause. Ordinands may be married or not, but must decide prior to ordination to the diaconate and the marriage must occur prior to ordination as a Priest.

"These they set before the Apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them", (Acts 6:6)

Reception into Orthodoxy

Candidacy

Ordination to the Diaconate

Ordination to the Priesthood

The following may be seen as ideal criteria for the fully mature candidate for ordination, not all of which may be found in the applicant at the beginning. Evaluations shall be made over the course of the candidate's training:

1. Motivation. The most important factor is motivation. The candidate for ordination should have a well-examined calling (klesis) for his vocation. It should be informed, serious, of substantial duration, and should arise from deep inner conviction.
2. Maturity. The candidate should demonstrate well-developed social skills. He should demonstrate responsibility and good judgment in his conduct of the affairs of life. He should have a well-developed sense of himself as a whole person, of social responsibility, and should be independent and quite able to carry the responsibilities for the welfare of other people easily and effectively.
3. Balance. The candidate should have a balanced life. He should certainly be able to satisfy his own needs from inner resources, from his own spiritual life, and from his friends and family. He should bring to his vocation a reservoir of strength and support for the needs of others and the demands of his work. The candidate should have a range of interests and activities in his life that are restorative and uplifting.
4. Integrity. The candidate should display a high degree of consonance in his life; consonance between what he says and what he does; what he professes and what he believes; what he does in private and what he does in public; what he experiences inwardly and what he demonstrates outwardly.
5. Competence. The candidate should be intelligent. He should be able to express himself effectively. He should have valuable skills that can augment his pastoral responsibilities.
6. Sense of Humor. The candidate should have a good sense of humor. He should be able to laugh at himself. He ought never to laugh at the expense of others. He ought to find humor spontaneously in the little things of life that evoke amusement.
7. Humility. The candidate should be free of excessive vanity and self-importance. He should be industrious rather than ambitious. He should be determined and self-reliant but not insensitive or authoritarian. He should be able to recognize his own weaknesses and strive always to correct them.
8. Obedience. The candidate should have a habitual attitude of submission to duly constituted authority, especially to his Bishop, the Canons of the Church and others placed over him.
9. Psychological Impairments. The candidate should be free from psychological impairments of a serious nature. If psychological or emotional problems seem indicated at any time during candidacy, completion of a psychological testing instrument shall be required of the candidate, with the scores available to the Seminary and the candidate's Bishop. Serious problems shall require Christian counseling and therapy prior to ordination.
10. Moderation. The candidate should be moderate in all of his qualities, except perhaps, in virtue and charity.

1. Spiritual. The candidate must be a man of regular private and public prayer, a follower and examplar of the traditional precepts of the Church and one who demonstrates in his family, work and ministry a virtuous life and his love for God and for his neighbor. Appropriate attestations of these facts will be necessary.
2. Doctrinal. The candidate must be a man of sound Orthodox Christian faith, holding the tenets of the faith of the Church within those boundaries deemed permissable in traditional Orthodox thought. He shall certify his faith to his Bishop.
3. Academics. Academic degrees are not a requirement, yet competence is required in the following areas:
   a. Holy Scripture -- the English Bible with its full content, plus an understanding of the importance of the original languages of the canon of scripture;
   b. Church History -- from the beginnings of the Church to the present time with special emphasis on the Sacred Traditions of the Church and Patristics.
   c. Doctrine -- the teaching of the Orthodox Church as set forth in Holy Scripture and the rest of Holy Tradition;
   d. Liturgics -- the principles of Orthodox worship with an especial understanding of the rites, practices, sacraments and governance of the Russian Orthodox Church. Working competence is required in dealing with all of the regular services of the Church.
   e. Homiletics -- the preparation and delivery of sermons. The capacity to study the Scriptures in the light of Tradition and teach others the content of the Gospel contained therein.
   f. Pastoral Arts -- counseling the faithful, administering the sacraments, and parish management. The use of the voice in reading, speaking and singing/chanting.