priests
Wearers of vestments
Priests is the plural of priest, a person authorized to perform religious rites and ceremonies.
In Christianity, priests serve as intermediaries between congregations and God, administering sacraments and leading worship.
Other religions have priests with varying roles: The temple priests performed the sacrifice.
Figuratively, priests of any domain are its devoted practitioners: priests of high fashion.
Formal worship structure
- massQuantity of matter
- communionProfound shared closeness
- baptismRitual water purification ceremony
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
sacrament · absolution · anointing · blessing · consecration · benediction · homily · sermon
Christian congregation leader
- ministerReligious leader or serve
- reverendWorthy of veneration
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- vicarClergy substitute for bishop
chaplain · deacon · archbishop · cardinal · pope · monsignor · canon · curate
Clergy appointment ceremony
- seminaryClergy training college
- dioceseBishop's territorial jurisdiction
- archbishopSenior prelate over province
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
cardinal · pope · monsignor · vicar · deacon · prelate · primate · synod
Indigenous spiritual healer
- druidAncient Celtic priest-scholar
- rabbiJewish spiritual leader
- imamMuslim religious guide
- lamaAndean beast of burden
monk · oracle · temple · shrine · sacrifice · offering · ritual · ceremony
liturgy
Formal worship structure
confession · sacrament · absolution · anointing · blessing · consecration · benediction · homily · sermon · altar
pastor
Christian congregation leader
vicar · chaplain · deacon · archbishop · cardinal · pope · monsignor · canon · curate · rector
ordination
Clergy appointment ceremony
- seminaryClergy training college
- dioceseBishop's territorial jurisdiction
- archbishopSenior prelate over province
bishop · cardinal · pope · monsignor · vicar · deacon · prelate · primate · synod · Vatican
shaman
Indigenous spiritual healer
lama · monk · oracle · temple · shrine · sacrifice · offering · ritual · ceremony · invocation
prayer
Address to deity
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- meditationFocused attention practice
- intercessionActing on another's behalf
piety · holiness · sanctity · celibacy · vows · calling · vocation · faith · grace · salvation
shepherd
One who tends flocks
mentor · advisor · caregiver · comforter · listener · parishioner · flock · congregation · ministry · visitation
- Catholic ChurchVatican, papacy, cardinals, popes, papal
- Ancient IsraelIsraelites, Jerusalem, Israel, twelve tribes, Judea
- Catholic figurescardinals, archbishops, abbots, bishops, friars
- Hammurabi's Codeeye for an eye, stele, cuneiform, Babylon, property law
- Aztec societyAztec Empire, Tenochtitlan, Moctezuma, noble class, commoners
- Catholicsparishioners, parishioner, communicant, archbishops, lapsed Catholic
priestslaypeople
Those outside a profession
laity · laypersons · laymen · parishioners · congregation
priestssecularists
Advocates for nonreligious governance
materialists · politicians · businessmen · merchants · civilians
- high priestChief temple officiant
- high priestessSenior female clergy leader
- Catholic priestRoman church minister
- parish priestLocal church leader
- high priestessesSenior female religious leaders
- chief priestSenior religious leader
priest, priesthood, priestly, priestess, priestesses, high priest