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.
Precedence may also apply to feasts or actions, as for example in the order of precedence of liturgical days.

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 1965–1990, 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 patriarchs. The current practice reflects a more Catholic, and less Latinized, ecclesiology.

Order of precedence

Order of precedence in general

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

    Precedence of forms of consecrated life

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

    Precedence within religious institutes

  20. Superiors General of religious institutes
  21. Assistants Superiors General
  22. #Procurator-general
  23. #Definitors-general
  24. Provincial superior, Provincial prior, Archimandrite
  25. Religious superior - Monastic superiors
  26. #Abbot
  27. #conventual prior
  28. #Obedientiary prior
  29. Second
  30. #Claustral prior or Deans
  31. #Sub-prior
  32. Archimandrite, honorary
  33. Hieromonks
  34. Religious Brothers and Sisters

    Precedence within chapters

  35. Dean/Provost or other heads of chapters
  36. Other officers
  37. Capitulars or canons