Forms of address

[Rdunbar123]

What are the proper forms of address for a Patriarch, Metropolitan, bishop, ect?

[Michał Kalina]

Here.

[LizaSymonenko]

Is that accurate?  It states to address a monk as "brother".

I was told that only monks refer to other monks as "brother", and that laypeople are to call them "father".

[Asteriktos]

I don't know, I thought only novices were called brother, and the rest Father...

[Gamliel]

I think a "monk" is brother and "hieromonk" father, at least from the Greek jurisdiction.

[LizaSymonenko]

From :  http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/clergy_etiquette.aspx

All male monastics in the Orthodox Church are called "Father," whether they hold the Priesthood or not, and are formally addressed as "Monk (name)," if they do not have a Priestly rank. If they are of Priestly rank, they are formally addressed as "Hieromonk" or "Hierodeacon" (see above). Monastics are some-times addressed according to their monastic rank; for example, "Rasophore—monk (name)," "Stavrophore—monk (name)," or "Schemamonk (name)." The Abbot of a monastery is addressed as "The Very Reverend Abbot," whether he holds Priestly rank or not and whether or not he is an Archimandrite by rank. Under no circumstances whatsoever is an Orthodox monk addressed by laymen as "Brother." This is a Latin custom. The term "Brother" is used in Orthodox monasteries in two instances only: first, to designate beginners in the monastic life (novices or, in Greek, dokimoi ["those being tested"]), who are given a blessing, in the strictest tradition, to wear only the inner cassock and a monastic cap; and second, as an occasional, informal form of address between monastics themselves (including Bishops).

[Benjamin the Red]

The article that Liza has linked to from Orthodox Info above, I think, is one of the most accurate you'll find. What I have been taught is:

Bishops

All ethnic jurisdictions have an informal title for their hierarchs, usually unique to their language. For example, the Greeks will refer to their bishops as "Despota" or "Despota N.". The Russians will say "Vladyka" or "Valdyka N.". The translation into English is usually something like "Lord" or "Master" although these are not usually translated when speaking of a bishop, but remain in the language native to the ethnicity of the jurisdiction in question. Liturgically, however, the bishop is often referred to as "Master" (usually as direct address) and "Lord" (in reference, such as commemoration during the litany). Below are more formal forms of address.

Patriarch
Reference/Spoken: His/Your Holiness. In some traditions His/Your Beatitude. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is styled as "His/Your All Holiness.
Official: The Most Reverend Patriarch. Those styled "Beatitude" may also be addressed as "The Most Blessed."
Religious: Patriarch N.

Metropolitan
Reference/Spoken: His/Your Eminence. For metropolitans that head an autocephalous church, His/Your Beatitude (such as the Metropolitan of Slovakia and the Czech Lands, currently His Beatitude Metropolitan Christopher).
Official: The Most Reverend Metropolitan. For autocephalous Metropolitans, "The Most Blessed."
Religious: Metropolitan N.

Archbishop
Reference/Spoken: His/Your Eminence. For archbishops that head an autocephalous church, His/Your Beatitude (such as the Archbishop of Athens, currently His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos).
Official: The Most Reverend Archbishop. For autocephalous Archbishops, "The Most Blessed."
Religious: Archbishop N.

Bishop
Reference/Spoken: His/Your Grace
Official: The Right Reverend Bishop.
Religious: Bishop N.

Priests

Priest
Reference/Spoken: The Reverend Father
Official: Father N.
Religious: Priest N.

Archpriest
Reference/Spoken: The Very Reverend Father
Official: Father N.
Religious: Archpriest N.

Protopresbyter
Reference/Spoken: The Very Reverend Protopresbyter
Official: Father N.
Religious: Protopresbyter N.


Archimandrite
Reference/Spoken: The Very Reverend Archimandrite (In the Slavic tradition: The Right Reverend Archimandrite)
Official: Father N.
Religious: Archimandrite N.

Priest-Monk
Reference/Spoken: The Reverend Hieromonk
Official: Father N.
Religious: Hieromonk N.
(NB: archimandrites are, by definition, highly-honored hieromonks.)

Deacons

Deacon
Reference/Spoken: The Reverend Deacon
Official: Deacon N. (in the Slavic tradition also, Father Deacon N. or simply Father N.)
Religious: Deacon N.

Protodeacon
Reference/Spoken: The Reverend Protodeacon
Official: Protodeacon N. (in the Slavic tradition also, Father Protodeacon N. or simply Father N.)
Religious: Protodeacon N.

Archdeacon
Reference/Spoken: The Reverend Archdeacon
Official: Archdeacon N. (in the Slavic tradition also, Father Archdeacon N. or simply Father N.)
Religious: Archdeacon N.

Deacon-Monks
Reference/Spoken: The Reverend Hierodeacon
Official: Father N.
Religious: Hierodeacon N.
(NB: heirodeacons of higher rank may incorpoerate this into their title, i.e. "The Reverend Hieroprotodeacon" or "The Reverend Hieroarchdeacon.")

Monastics

Male Monastics
Reference/Spoken: Father
Religious: Monk. May also be address with monastic rank, such as "Rassophore-Monk", "Stravrophore-Monk" or "Schemamonk."
NB: monks of clerical rank may incorporate it into their title, i.e. "Schema-hieromonk"

Female Monastics
Reference/Spoken: Mother
Religious: Nun. May also be address with monastic rank, such as "Rassophore-Nun", "Stravrophore-Nun" or "Schemanun."
NB: Rassophore-nuns, unlike their male counterparts, are often addressed as "Sister."

Novices

Male:
Reference/Spoken: Brother
Religious: Novice

Female:
Reference/Spoken: Sister
Religious: Novice

Clerics' Wives

Married clergy share, in some mystical way, their office with their wives, since the two are one flesh. This does not mean, of course, that the wife may serve as if she were a deacon or a priest, but she is honored with a title nonetheless. These vary based on ethnicity. Some examples are:

Priest/Deacon Wife in the Russian Tradition: Matushka.
In the Ukrainian Tradition: Panimatuska
In the Serbian Tradition: Papadiya

In the Greek tradition, separate titles are used.
Priest's wife: Presbytera
Deacon's wife: Diakonissa

Of course, there's even more out there than what I've listed above, but, this should be a decent start and reference.

[LizaSymonenko]

The problem lies in distinguishing if he/she is a novice.

I often bump into nuns at various services, and I end up avoiding them, only because I am not certain how to greet them properly....so, I simply smile from a distance.  

[Benjamin the Red]

The problem lies in distinguishing if he/she is a novice.

I often bump into nuns at various services, and I end up avoiding them, only because I am not certain how to greet them properly....so, I simply smile from a distance.  

Lol. Perhaps my next large post should be on how to tell all these different people apart! Much easier in the Slavic churches, but there are still issues...like telling who is and isn't a novice outside of church services!!

[biro]

The Goarch list has "geron" for spiritual father. If your parish has only one priest, is it acceptable to stick with calling him "Father"?

[Benjamin the Red]

The Goarch list has "geron" for spiritual father. If your parish has only one priest, is it acceptable to stick with calling him "Father"?

"Geron" or "Geronda" is a Greek word that means "elder" and most appropriately is applied to advanced monastic spiritual fathers, rather than the everyday parish priest.  It is important to note that in the Greek tradition, confession is not synonomous with "priest" as not every priest is given the dispensation by his bishop to hear confessions, as it is in the slavic tradition. Often a parish priest only has the ability to serve the Liturgy. Some others are given the authority to preach. Only few hear confessions, and their ability to do so is noted by the epigonation, a diamond-shaped liturgical vestment awarded to senior priests that rests on the hip. All bishops wear this vestment.

Since not many parish priests hear confessions in the Greek tradition, those seeking confession would develop relationships with the nearby monastery and go to the old monastics (both priests and laymen) for confession. If they saw a priest at a monastery who was able to hear confessions, he also gave the absolution. If they saw a lay monk, he would handle their confession, and then direct them to the nearest priest with the ability to absolve.

I hope that made sense...

EDIT: So, to actually answer the question, lol, it's the norm to simply call your parish priest "father"...even if he hears confession!


EDIT 2: The Russian equivalent to this word, by the way, would be "staretz."

[biro]

Thank you. 

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