Wikipedia:Naming conventions (Western clergy)
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This page is a naming conventions guideline for Wikipedia, reflecting how authors of this encyclopedia address certain issues. This guideline is intended to help you improve Wikipedia content. Feel free to update this page as needed, but please use the discussion page to propose major changes. |
This is an elaboration of Wikipedia:Naming conventions (people), including some related topics from the realm of religion. "Western" includes, in the context of this particular guideline, Judaism and Islam, while historically related. For names of people related with religion in other cultures, see e.g. Wikipedia:Naming conventions (Korean), Wikipedia:Naming conventions (Chinese), Wikipedia:Manual of Style (Japan-related articles), etc...
While most clerical names are clear, unambiguous and known, some names associated with clergy of some faiths make this difficult. In those religions which have hierarchies, the higher the level within that hierarchy the greater the likelihood that the person's first name may have ceased to be used publicly, being replaced by a title. Others replace their own name completely with a new one.
As with nobility, this requires a different set of guidelines, not least in so far as it may be difficult to discover what their first name actually was, particularly when dealing with ancient historical church clergy at the higher level.
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[edit] Christianity
The following are the agreed conventions for some types senior clergymen (and related topics):
[edit] Popes
For popes, whether Roman Catholic, Coptic, or otherwise, use the format "Pope {papal name} {ordinal if more than one} of {episcopal see}". Popes of Rome should not be linked with their episcopal sees; Rome is understood. Also, do not use a pope's personal name. For example, use Pope John Paul I, not Albino Luciani or Pope John Paul I of Rome.
[edit] Patriarchs
For patriarchs, whether the Ecumenical Patriarch, Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria, or otherwise, use the format "Patriarch {papal name} {ordinal if more than one} of {episcopal see}". Do not use a patriarch's personal name; e.g., use Patriarch Nikon, not Nikita Minov. However, if there is already a well established name in English for a particular patriarch, use that format instead. For example, use John Chrysostom as the main title of article, with Patriarch John I of Constantinople and John I of Constantinople as redirects. This last convention, regarding well-established names for patriarchs, is still under discussion on the talk page archive.'
[edit] Cardinals
In the titles of articles, cardinals generally go by their full name (both first name and surname) alone, without the title "Cardinal", as "Ascanio Sforza", not "Cardinal Ascanio Sforza", nor "Ascanio Cardinal Sforza". Exceptions are cardinals who are identifiable only by the cardinalitial title (as in the case of a hypothetical Cardinal John Smith), those best known by the title "Cardinal" followed by a surname (as Cardinal Richelieu), and those of the period before the introduction of surnames. (For many of the latter, however, their place of origin will serve the same function as a surname.)
When it is necessary to add the title "Cardinal", it will usually be sufficient to prefix it to the surname of the cardinal, especially in the body of an article, as "Cardinal Sforza". If both name and surname are used, wikilinking is straightforward if the title is prefixed to the name, as in "Cardinal Ascanio Sforza". However, those who prefer the form "Ascanio Cardinal Sforza" should take care to ensure there is a redirect to the form used in the title of the article on the cardinal in question, or use a piped link.
[edit] Eastern Orthodox Metropolitans, Archbishops and Bishops
For Orthodox metropolitans use "Metropolitan {episcopal name} ({surname}) of {episcopal see}". For Orthodox archbishops use "Archbishop {episcopal name} ({surname)} of {episcopal see}". For Orthodox bishops use "Bishop {episcopal name} ({surname)} of {episcopal see}". Examples Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh; Archbishop Gabriel (de Vylder) of Komana; Bishop Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia. (The episcopal name may not be the same as the name which the hierarch possessed before ordination - thus Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia was originally Timothy Ware, not 'Kallistos Ware'; nonetheless he is Bishop Kallistos, not 'Bishop Timothy'.)
[edit] Prelates without a disambiguate name
Particularly in Middle Ages, but sometimes elsewhere, a notable cleric does not have anything else generally used of him than first name. It's not the task of Wikipedia to invent any surname for such. General guideline is then to use the ecclesiastical title the person was best known, or was highest: Arnulf, Archbishop of Reims, Matilda, abbess of Quedlinburg.
[edit] Saints
Saints go by their most common English name, minus the "Saint", unless they are only recognisable by its inclusion. For example, Paul of Tarsus, Ulrich of Augsburg but Saint Patrick. (See also List of saints.) Make redirects from forms with "St.", "St", and "Saint". Popes who are also saints are given their papal name, with a redirect from the forms with "Saint". For example, Pope Pius X, with redirects from Pope Saint Pius X and other forms.
[edit] Buildings named after people
- See also: Wikipedia:Naming conventions (architecture) (proposal)
Cathedral and church names, unless they individually use something different, are written as St. not Saint. Hence St. Paul's Cathedral not Saint Paul's Cathedral, St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral not Saint Mary's Pro-Cathedral, etc.
[edit] Antiquity
Neither "pontifex" nor "pontifex maximus" nor any other priestly function (like the prophecising function of a "Sibyl", the worshipping function of a "Maenad" or "Korybante",...) is used in the page name of articles on individual ancient Romans, Greeks, etc..., except in rare cases of "bracketed" disambiguation, for example:
[edit] Judaism
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[edit] Islam
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[edit] Latter Day Saint movement (Mormonism)
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[edit] Other
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