The Vows of a Worthy Priest

 

It is well known that the brotherhood of the St. Gregory Palamas Monastery, as evidenced by the publications of the Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies and many articles, over the years, in Orthodox Tradition, has a deep and special veneration for St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco. As a result, we were given a small Relic of the Saint (by way of the late Archbishop Anthony of San Francisco) and, through the kindness of several of St. John’s close spiritual children, both clergymen and laymen, in the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (with which we were in communion before its reunion with the Moscow Patriarchate in 2007), we have collected a treasury of gifts from his personal possessions: an episcopal staff, [1] a phelonion and mitre worn by him, several of his cassocks, and a few of his personal papers.

Among the latter items, we found a typewritten “Examination,” given to potential candidates for Ordination. In addition to providing personal data, the candidate was required to affirm a number of “Statements” and, “in witness of which,” to sign his affirmations with the oath: “I kiss the Words and Cross of my Saviour.”

This document, a precious attestation to the high regard in which a Saint of our own day held the supposed “external” aspects of the Priesthood—externals that reveal, when properly respected, the internal sobriety of a clergyman—also convicts those clergy who ignore and trivialize such priestly traditions, by not adhering to them, of deviating from a standard and ideal that all should strive to uphold. We offer the document without further comment, since it quite adequately speaks for itself. We can only hope that it will help to shape and form a future generation of clergy.

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1. I have no physical infirmities which would be an impediment to my sacred service, nor do I have any contagious illness or incurable disease. I am of the Orthodox faith and have no relationship with schismatic or heretical groups.

2. I am in a first marriage with [name], daughter of [parents’ names], a virgin of Orthodox faith, blameless and of virtuous conduct.

3. I accept ordination to [rank of Priesthood] only for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, of my own free will, and with the sincere intention to serve the holy Church, and not for any profit.

4. I accept the obligation to perform all liturgical services or prayers according to the rules of the Church, piously, contenting myself with the salary assigned to me and the freewill gifts of my parishioners, never extorting payment for special services. I promise always to perform divine services on Sundays and Holy Days, not only the Divine Liturgy, but also the other services prescribed by the rubrics.

5. I promise to wear the dress proper to the clergy, not to cut my hair and beard, [2] to observe the Fasts of the Orthodox Church, not to smoke, not to indulge in drunkenness or gambling, and in general to conduct myself as befits a clergyman, taking care not to compromise my high position, and not to scandalize the faithful by unbecoming behavior.

6. I will direct my home life and raise my children as befits a servant of the Altar, according to the Christian faith and in the fear of God.

7. I will celebrate the services connected with the Sacraments [3] always with the necessary preparation, piously and with fear of God. In the holy Altar and in the Church generally, I will conduct myself in accordance with the holiness of the place, instructing others as well to be respectful of this holiness.

8. In my service I will never forget that a clergyman may do nothing without the sanction of his Bishop. I promise to be obedient to the ecclesiastical authorities and act according to the Canons of the Holy Apostles, of the Ecumenical and Local Councils [4] and the teachings of the Holy Fathers.

9. As a constant reminder of the high office that I am accepting and to kindle in me the gift of the Grace of Holy Orders, I promise to fill the time that I am free from services by reading the Holy Scriptures, the works of the Holy Fathers, and studying the “Typicon.”

 

NOTES

1. Presented as a gift to His Grace, Bishop Flavian, Abbot of the beautiful Old Calendar Monastery of the Dormition in Bucharest, Romania, by Their Eminences, Metropolitan Chrysostomos and Bishop Auxentios, where it is especially honored by the clergy, monastics, and faithful.

2. We underscore this promise, if only because it is so widely ignored among clergy today, and even those who cannot excuse themselves by reason of holding secular employment in which military or industrial safety regulations require one to trim his hair and beard to some extent.

3. I.e., the Mysteries.

4. Synods.

 

Source: Orthodox Tradition, Vol. XXXIV (2017), No. 3, pp. 34-35.