Order of precedence in the Catholic Church

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Hierarchy of the Catholic Church
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Ecclesiastical titles (order of precedence)
Pope Cardinal Cardinal-nephew Cardinal protector Crown-cardinal Cardinal Vicar Moderator of the curia Chaplain of His Holiness Papal legate Papal majordomo Apostolic Nuncio Apostolic Delegate Apostolic Syndic Apostolic visitor Vicar Apostolic Apostolic Exarch Apostolic Prefect Assistant at the Pontifical Throne Eparch Metropolitan Patriarch Bishop Archbishop Bishop Emeritus Diocesan bishop Major archbishop Primate Suffragan bishop Titular bishop Coadjutor bishop Auxiliary bishop Territorial prelate Territorial abbot
Liturgical titles Acolyte Consecrator Lector Reader Subdeacon
Administrative and pastoral titles Auditor Brother Chancellor Chaplain Military chaplain Military ordinary Coarb Confessor Consultor Curate Deacon Defender of the Bond Definitor Devil's advocate Diocesan administrator Ecclesiastical judge Episcopal vicar Exorcist Judicial vicar Lay brother Lay cardinal Monsignor Officialis Pastor Assistant pastor Personal prelate Preacher Prefect Presbyter Priest Protonotary Apostolic Saint Blessed Venerable Seminarian Vicar forane Vicar general
Consecrated and professed titles Abbess Abbot Consecrated virgin Corrector Custos Friar Dean Grand Master Hermit Master general Master of novices Monk Novice Nun Postulant Oblate Prior Provincial superior Rector Religious Superior general
Additional titles Almoner Altar server Archimandrite Archpriest Archdeacon Canon Chorbishop Commissary Apostolic Datarius Honorary Prelate Minor canon Notarius Ostiarius Peritus Postulator Precentor Prince-bishop Promotor Fidei Protopriest Protodeacon Protosyncellus Regionarius
Organization titles Grand Master Sovereign Military Order of Malta Order of the Holy Sepulchre Teutonic Knights
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The order of precedence in the Catholic Church is contingent upon the organisation of its hierarchy, including of jurisdictions, orders, and honorary titles.

This article gives the order in force in 1911, as indicated in the Catholic Encyclopedia, with which is mixed in other material for which no evidence is provided. The order of precedence was actually not of the Catholic Church but really of the Papal court of the Holy See. Nevertheless, it is generally followed throughout the Catholic Church.

Order of precedence

Cardinals and nuncios have higher status not based on their ecclesiastical status but under international protocol as princes and ambassadors, respectively. For the same reason, the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta ranks immediately below the cardinals.

Prelates

In this group, priority of ordination and promotion determines precedence, among bishops or archbishops the date of their first promotion to the episcopal or archiepiscopal dignity.

1. Patriarchs^[1]
   1. Major patriarchal sees by Pentarchy order. For those of the same See, they then use the date of Preconization^[2]
      1. The Pope, Patriarch of Rome
      2. Patriarch of Constantinople [when in communion]
      3. Patriarchs of Alexandria
         1. The Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria and
         2. The Melkite Greek Patriarch of Antioch, of Alexandria and Jerusalem Ad honorem
      4. Patriarchs of Antioch
         1. The Maronite Patriarch of Antioch
         2. The Syrian Patriarch of Antioch
   2. Minor patriarchal sees^[2]
      1. The Chaldean Patriarch of Babylonia
      2. The Armenian Patriarch of Cilicia^[2]
   3. Patriarchs emeritus, in the same order
      1. Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop emeritus of Rome
2. Cardinals^[1]
   1. Cardinal-Bishops
      1. Dean of the Sacred College
      2. Vice-Dean of the Sacred College
      3. Other Cardinal-Bishops of Suburbicarian Sees (by date of elevation)
      4. Patriarchal Cardinal-Bishops
   2. Cardinal-presbyters (by date of elevation, and then by order of listing in the consistory)
      1. Cardinal Protopresbyter
      2. Other Cardinal-Presbyters
   3. Cardinal-Deacons (by date of elevation, and then by order of listing in the consistory)
      1. Cardinal Protodeacon
      2. Other Cardinal-Deacons
3. Major Archbishops^[3]
   1. The Major Archbishop of Kiev–Galicia (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
   2. The Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly (Syro-Malabar Church)
   3. The Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (Syro-Malankara Catholic Church)
   4. The Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Julia (Romanian Greek Catholic Church)
4. Titular Patriarchs
   1. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
   2. The Latin Patriarch of Venice
   3. The Latin Patriarch of the West Indies (vacant since 1963)
   4. The Latin Patriarch of Lisbon
   5. The Latin Patriarch of the East Indies^[2]
5. Apostolic Nuncio of the country
6. Primates or Presidents of the National Conference of Bishops -- Archbishop of Baltimore has right of precedence in the United States^[1]
7. Metropolitan Archbishops^[1]
8. Host Diocesan Bishop^[1]
   1. Archbishops^[1]
   2. Coadjutor Archbishops
   3. Titular Archbishops
9. Bishops
   1. Diocesan Bishops
      1. Exempt
      2. Suffragan^[1]
   2. Coadjutor Bishops
   3. Titular Bishops (includes auxiliaries, curia staff, and diplomats)^[1]
10. Prelate nullius^[1]
    1. Abbot nullius
    2. Vicar apostolic & Exarch apostolic
    3. Prefect apostolic
11. Apostolic administrator
12. Prelate of Personal prelature
13. Ordinary of Personal ordinariate

Clergy

Secular clergy (according to the importance of their office or the date of their ordination )^[1]

1. Priest administrators /vicar capitular
2. Vicars General or Archdeacons
3. Vicars episcopal
   1. A lay ecclesial minister serving as Secretary or Director of a diocesan dicastery deemed equivalent
4. Protonotary apostolic (Monsignor)
   1. De Numero
   2. Supranumerary
5. Honorary Prelates of His Holiness (Monsignor)
6. Chaplains of His Holiness (Monsignor)
7. Chapters
   1. Metropolitan bishop
   2. Cathedral
   3. Collegiate^[1]
8. Vicars forane, Deans, Archpriests and Diocesan Consultors
9. Pastors
   1. A lay ecclesial minister serving as Pastoral Coordinator of a parish deemed equivalent^[4]
10. Parochial vicars^[5]
    1. A lay ecclesial minister serving as Pastoral Associate
    2. A lay ecclesial minister serving as Pastoral Assistant
11. Deacons (Permanent/Ordinary)
12. religious institute^[1]
    1. Clerics regular
    2. Monastic orders
    3. Mendicant orders^[1]
    4. Transitional deacons

Instituted ministries

At times called minor orders, the following are not clergy in the Catholic Church but nevertheless exercise approved ministry and offices.

1. Acolytes
2. Lectors

1. Candidates for ministry
   1. Seminarians
   2. Deacon candidates
   3. Candidates for Lay Ecclesial Ministry

Religious institutes

1. Superiors General of religious institutes
2. Assistants Superiors General
   1. Procurator-general
   2. Definitors-general
3. Provincial superior, Provincial prior, Archimandrite
4. Religious superior - Monastic superiors
   1. Abbot
   2. conventual prior
   3. Obedientiary prior
5. Second
   1. Claustral prior or Deans
   2. Sub-prior
6. Archimandrite, honorary
7. Hieromonks (priests of religious institutes)
8. Religious Brothers and Sisters^[6]

Chapters

Precedence with chapters:

1. Dean/Provost or other heads of chapters
2. Other officers (treasurer, a secretary, and a sacristan, canon theologian, canon penitentiary)
3. capitulars or canons^[7]

References