Presbytera

Presbytera (Greek: πρεσβυτέρα, pronounced presvytéra) is a Greek title of honor that is used to refer to a priest's wife. It is derived from presbyteros—the Greek word for priest (literally, "elder"). Although 'Presbyteress' or 'eldress' has an equivalent meaning, it has a very small usage: most English-speaking Orthodox Christians will use the title most common in the old country churches from which their local family or parish finds its origin.

Other languages

Presbytera corresponds to the following equivalent titles:

• Albanian: Prifteresha
• Arabic: Khouria (from the word khoury, meaning "priest")
• Bulgarian: Popadija (from the word pop, meaning married priest)
• Carpatho-Russian: Pani (literally "lady," comparable to Pan for priests, meaning "lord")
• Coptic: Tasoni (pronounced TAH-son-ee, Coptic word for "Sister" but also used to address the wife of a priest)
• Estonian: Presvitera
• Finnish: Ruustinna (from the word rovasti (protoiereos), in Karelia: Maatuska)
• Macedonian: Popadija (from the word pop, meaning married priest)
• Romanian: Preoteasă
• Russian: Matushka (pronounced MAH'-too-shkah, literally means "mama," i.e., the intimate form of "mother"); (antiquated) Popadya ("priest's wife")
• Serbian: Popadija (from the word pop, meaning married priest); Protinica (pronounced proh-tee-NEE'-tsah) for a protopresbyter's wife
• Ukrainian: Panimatka or Panimatushka (pani, "lady" + matushka, "little mama"); Dobrodijka (pronounced doh-BROH-deey-kah, literally means "a woman who does good"); Popadya ("priest's wife")

See also

• Diakonissa

Books

• Presbytera: The Life, Mission, and Service of the Priest's Wife, by Athanasia Papademetriou (ISBN 0972466142)

External links

• National Sisterhood of Presvyteres (GOARCH)
• "The Orthodox Clergy Wife" by Matushka Valerie G. Zahirsky (Orthodox Family Life)
• "The Shadow of a Priest" from Orthodox America
• Clergy Etiquette

References

This article incorporates text from Presbytera at OrthodoxWiki which is licensed under the CC-BY-SA and GFDL.