Order of precedence in the Catholic Church


Precedence signifies the right to enjoy a prerogative of honor before other persons; for example, to have the most distinguished place in a procession, a ceremony, or an assembly, to have the right to express an opinion, cast a vote, or append a signature before others, to perform the most honorable offices.
The order of precedence in the Catholic Church is organized by rank within the hierarchy according first to order, then jurisdiction, and finally to titular or ad personam honors granted to individuals despite a lack of jurisdiction. Emeritus ecclesiastics are counted among the latter.

Principles and customs

As noted above, the first consideration for precedence is always the hierarchy of order: first bishops, then presbyters, next deacons. At earlier times in the Church's history, deacons were ranked above presbyters, or the two orders considered equal, but the bishop always came first. Laity are not part of the hierarchy of order.
The next principle is the hierarchy of jurisdiction: one who has authority over other persons has the right of precedence over them. This considers a person's office, and therefore can include laity, particularly lay ecclesial ministers and religious.
Relatedly, those with jurisdiction take precedence over those with titular, ad personam, or emeritus titles, so someone serving in a specific office has precedence over someone with a titular claim to the same rank or someone who used to serve in an equivalent office.
Generally speaking, function, or the exercise of office, has precedence over purely honorary titles. De facto precedence should be applied where, a non-ordained religious or lay ecclesial minister serves in an office equivalent listed below.
Among honorary titles, geographic extent is considered.
If two persons hold the same office, precedence is given to the one of a higher order.
If two persons are of the same order and office, the one who was promoted earlier takes precedence.
If two persons of the same order and office were promoted at the same time, precedence goes to the one who was ordained first .
In the case of cardinals of the same rank created at the same consistory, precedence is given according to the order in which their names were published.
In their own dioceses, bishops have precedence before other bishops and archbishops, but not before their own metropolitan. A metropolitan archbishop has precedence before all other bishops and archbishops within his own province, and a patriarch has precedence over other patriarchs within his own jurisdiction.
Similarly, in their own parishes, pastors have precedence before other presbyters and deacons, even monsignors, but not before their own dean or archdeacon.
Diplomatic precedence in the Holy See's diplomatic corps incorporates the Congress of Vienna and the updated Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The office of nuncio is primarily a diplomatic rank and not of an ecclesiastical nature. Most nuncios are ordained as titular archbishops, and would be ranked accordingly. If, however, the nuncio is present in a diocese or at an event acting as the personal representative of the pope, as for example at the ordination of a bishop, he is granted precedence accordingly, taking precedence over even cardinals present.
Patriarchs of autonomous churches have precedence above all other bishops of any rank, including cardinals. This has been defined in law since 1990. From 1965 to 1990, they were ranked as equal to Cardinal-bishops. It remains the case that, if a patriarch is also made a cardinal in the Latin Church, he is created at the rank of cardinal-bishop, without a named see, but retains his place of precedence. From the 1917 Code of Canon Law until the motu proprio of Paul VI in 1965, cardinals of all ranks took precedence over non-cardinal patriarchs.

Order of precedence

Order of precedence in general

  1. Patriarchs
  2. # The Pope, Bishop and Patriarch of Rome
  3. # The Patriarch of Constantinople
  4. #The Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria
  5. #Patriarchs of Antioch, in order of promotion to the Patriarchal dignity, currently:
  6. ##The Maronite Patriarch of Antioch
  7. ##The Syriac Patriarch of Antioch
  8. ##The Melkite Greek Patriarch of Antioch, of Alexandria and Jerusalem
  9. # The Patriarch of Jerusalem
  10. #The Patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans
  11. #The Patriarch of Cilicia
  12. #Patriarchs emeritus, in the same order
  13. Major Archbishops
  14. #The Major Archbishop of Kyiv–Galicia
  15. #The Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly
  16. #The Major Archbishop of Trivandrum
  17. #The Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Julia
  18. Cardinals
  19. #Cardinal-bishops
  20. ##Dean of the Sacred College
  21. ##Vice-Dean of the Sacred College
  22. ##Other Cardinal-bishops of Suburbicarian Sees
  23. #Cardinal-presbyters
  24. ##Cardinal Protopresbyter
  25. ##Other Cardinal-presbyters
  26. #Cardinal-deacons
  27. ##Cardinal Protodeacon
  28. ##Other Cardinal-deacons
  29. Primates or Episcopal Conference Presidents
  30. Titular Patriarchs
  31. #The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
  32. #The Latin Patriarch of Venice
  33. #The Latin Patriarch of the West Indies
  34. #The Latin Patriarch of Lisbon
  35. #The Latin Patriarch of the East Indies
  36. Archbishops
  37. #Metropolitan Archbishops
  38. #Diocesan Archbishops
  39. #Coadjutor Archbishops
  40. #Archbishops ad personam
  41. #Titular Archbishops
  42. Bishops
  43. #Diocesan Bishops
  44. #Coadjutor Bishops
  45. #Titular Bishops or Chorbishops
  46. Ordinaries of territorial jurisdictions other than dioceses
  47. #Territorial Prelate
  48. #Territorial Abbot
  49. #Vicar apostolic
  50. #Exarch apostolic
  51. #Prefect apostolic
  52. #Apostolic administrator
  53. Ordinaries of personal jurisdictions
  54. #Supreme Moderators of Institutes of Consecrated Life or Societies of Apostolic Life
  55. #Prelate of Personal prelature
  56. #Ordinary of Personal ordinariate or Military ordinariate
  57. #Presidents of international associations of the faithful
  58. Ordinaries
  59. #Diocesan administrators
  60. #Archdeacons
  61. #Vicars general or protosyncellus
  62. #Vicars episcopal
  63. #Provincial Superiors
  64. Protonotary apostolic
  65. #De Numero
  66. #Supernumerary
  67. Members of the Order of Pope Pius IX
  68. #Knight/Dame Grand Cross with Collar
  69. #Knight/Dame Grand Cross
  70. #Knight/Dame Grand Officer
  71. #Knight/Dame Commander
  72. #Knight/Dame
  73. Canons of
  74. #Metropolitan chapters
  75. #Cathedral chapters
  76. #Collegiate Chapters
  77. Diocesan Consultors
  78. Honorary Prelates of His Holiness
  79. Members of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
  80. #Knight/Dame Grand Cross
  81. #Knight/Dame Commander with Star
  82. #Knight/Dame Commander
  83. #Knight/Dame
  84. Chaplains of His Holiness, Archpriests, and Archimandrites
  85. Members of the Order of St. Sylvester
  86. #Knight/Dame Grand Cross
  87. #Knight/Dame Commander with Star
  88. #Knight/Dame Commander
  89. #Knight/Dame
  90. Recipients of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal
  91. Vicars forane & Deans
  92. Recipients of the Benemerenti Medal
  93. Pastors or Pastoral Life Coordinators
  94. Parochial vicars or Pastoral Associates
  95. Deacons

Precedence of forms of consecrated life

Within each category, precedence is determined by the date of founding of the institute, society, or association.
  1. Forms of Individual Consecrated Life
  2. # Consecrated virgins
  3. # Hermits
  4. Institutes of Consecrated Life
  5. # Religious institutes
  6. ## Monastic Orders
  7. ## Canons Regular
  8. ## Mendicant Orders
  9. ## Clerics Regular
  10. ## Clerical Religious Congregations
  11. ## Lay Religious Congregations
  12. # Secular institutes
  13. ## Clerical Secular Institutes
  14. ## Lay Secular Institutes
  15. Lay Societies
  16. Personal prelatures
  17. Associations of the Christian Faithful or Lay Movements
  18. # Public Associations
  19. ## Third Orders, Oblates, etc.
  20. ## Archconfraternities
  21. ## Confraternities
  22. ## Other Associations
  23. # Private Associations

Precedence within religious institutes

  1. Superiors General of religious institutes
  2. Assistants Superiors General
  3. #Procurator-general
  4. #Definitors-general
  5. Provincial superior, Provincial prior, Archimandrite
  6. Religious superior - Monastic superiors
  7. #Abbot
  8. #conventual prior
  9. #Obedientiary prior
  10. Second
  11. #Claustral prior or Deans
  12. #Sub-prior
  13. Archimandrite, honorary
  14. Hieromonks
  15. Religious Brothers and Sisters

Precedence within chapters

  1. Dean/Provost or other heads of chapters
  2. Other officers
  3. Capitulars or canons