When people enter the temple, icons, wall paintings, gilded candlesticks, and many burning candles catch their eye. If there is a service, then the smell of incense is felt , quiet church singing is heard.
In the Russian Orthodox Church, as elsewhere, there is a hierarchy of its own. Its head is the abbot, then the rest of the priests, deacons, headman, Ponomari, altars, reciters, singers, candlesticks and so on. All this concerns one arrival.
However, there is another post that a certain minister of the church holds - the Dean. This is a special position held by the archpriest serving in the Russian Orthodox Church. Such a minister is intended for a kind of oversight of the order in each church district as part of a certain diocese.
Who is assigned to this service?
If a priest or priest bears a tremendous responsibility before God, the people and the clergy, then the dean is responsible for the totality of the parishes of a certain district.
The main feature of the archpriest, appointed to this position, should be sociability, and he should be in contact not only with his parish. The priest is obliged to establish communication with the government, and with the Armed forces, and with social political movements. The attitude of the authorities to the temple and parish depends on the dean. If there is no mutual understanding, the Russian Orthodox Church will not be able to solve the assigned tasks, and this minister should make sure that her voice is heard. However, to adapt to someone, sacrificing the interests of Christianity, is criminal.
These and many other tasks are confronted by the priest, and those parishioners who voluntarily contribute personally to the parish’s social life will become handy to him. Priest can only choose his assistants from among them.
Responsibilities of the Dean
According to the charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the duties of the archpriest, who is assigned to this service, include the following tasks:
- Take care of the purity of the Orthodox faith.
- In a religious spirit, educate believers.
- Watch for proper worship.
- To take care of the spiritual life of believers in parishes where the priest is temporarily absent.
- Supervise the construction and repair of temples.
- Bear responsibility for the clergy subordinate to him.
- Visit at least once a year all the parishes of your district.
And this is far from all that a priest must obey. In fact, the dean is the assistant bishop, who is obliged to observe the clergy and parishioners of the district entrusted to him.
Assistants Archpriest
Some parishioners can help at Sunday School, teach the basics of Orthodoxy to children and anyone interested in Christianity, and teach the basics of Orthodox culture. Others help in the financial and business areas of the parish. Some of them carry out missionary, educational service with the laity and so on. And all this passes under the control of the priest. Consequently, he must possess administrative skills, be able to distribute duties and ask from the laity.
Monastery Service
In the monastery, the dean father must follow the charter and control the fraternity, be responsible for discipline, for the obedience that the monks bear. During the Liturgy, it is he who is responsible for the silence and order in the temple.
If one of the monks violates the discipline of the monastery, does not behave in a Christian way, then he should admonish him fatherly, give priesthood instructions, obediently put on this service. In addition, the dean priest has the right to enter the cells of his brothers, monitor cleanliness, recognize the needs of the monks, and help them if necessary. The monastic cells are strictly forbidden to enter the laity, even if they are parents or close relatives. Therefore, only with the blessing of the priest, visits are allowed taking place in a specially designated room.
How are the weekdays in the monastery
Also, the duty of the dean serving in the monastery is the blessing of all pilgrims to a meal in a fraternal or general refectory. He monitors the correct reading of the synodics, notes submitted by the laity at the Liturgy, at prayers and funeral services.
It is difficult for one to cope with all duties, therefore the priest has an assistant with the blessing of the Viceroy. Often fathers have to go on monastic affairs, then the assistant assumes all functions.
Wipers, church watchmen, sellers of candles and prosphora, ringleaders obey him. The deanery must perform this service with God's help and with humility.
Often parishioners, even those who have come to church for a long time, regularly confess and receive communion, do not know and are not interested in the proper address to bishops, priests, deacons. But these are the basics of communication culture.
Of course, it is easiest to turn to priest "father" or "father Alexander", "father Paul" and so on. In non-standard situations (for example, when writing a letter or congratulations to the priest), in order not to get into a mess, you need to know how to turn to the white and black clergy.
How to appeal to the dean?
Married priests belong to the white clergy, and monks belong to the black clergy. The archpriest should be addressed as follows: "Your High Reverend, father (name)." The same words are said when they refer to the monastic clergy, that is, to the abbot and archimandrite.
As for the Dean, then “Your High Reverend” should also be addressed to him. They call to the abbess: "Honorable Mother"; to the bishop - “Your Grace” or “His Grace”. The Archbishop and Metropolitan are addressed by “Your Eminence” or “His Eminence Bishop”, and the Patriarch is addressed by “Your Holiness” or “His Holiness”.
So, we found out that the dean is a mediator between the parish and the diocesan leadership, who should devote his life to the service of God and people.