Multiple ordinations

[Michał Kalina]

What is a reason for forbidding ordinations of multiple representative of the same grade? Why can't you ordain two bishops on the same time?

[Fr.Aidan]

The grace of Ordination is very special and very wonderful, so the Orthodox have always been motivated to restrict ordinations so that they cannot become common, too easy, or too commonplace.

In the Eastern rite, this is done by having only one ordination to one rank on one day.

In the Western rite, this is done in rather an opposite fashion, by restricting ordinations to the four Ember Saturdays of the year (an ancient fast observance even older than Lent itself), on which days all the ranks and orders and their ordinations are performed "en masse," with great fasting and reverence and maximum lengthiness of divine services. 

The two seem very different on the surface, but arise from a common understanding and a common impulse.

I hope this is helpful.

[Michał Kalina]

Multiple baptism and chrismations are allowed, multiple marriages are allowed, the same for unction. Why not for ordination?

[Fr.Aidan]

One thing I forgot to mention: there is no canon against mass ordinations. But for some reason I can't understand, many clergy in America think there is such a canon. It must be in the same vanished volume which contained the canon against three-dimensional statues (there is no such canon).

But to an extent, the received and ancient usages of the Church do acquire some canonical force by dint of their long acculturation in the Church. There is a canon which says, basically, that it's uncanonical to overturn ancient established usage. How one interprets or applies THAT canon seems to be a matter exceeding my understanding.

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