A Christian ordination: what is conferred, what is asked, what to expect.

Catholic ordination is the sacrament of Holy Orders, conferred in three degrees: the diaconate, the priesthood, and the episcopacy. Most candidates for the priesthood are first ordained to the diaconate (the transitional diaconate, normally six to twelve months before priestly ordination); the permanent diaconate is a separate vocation for men who will remain deacons. Seminary formation is normally six to eight years for diocesan priests, longer for religious-order priests. The ordination rite is celebrated by the bishop within a Mass, with the laying on of hands as the sacramental gesture; the rite of priestly ordination includes the anointing of the candidate's hands with chrism.

The newly ordained priest celebrates his first Mass the day after ordination (or, in some places, on the same evening). Family and parish are normally present. The Catholic tradition of the "first blessing" by a newly ordained priest is widely observed: family members and close friends receive a brief blessing from the priest after the ordination Mass or the first Mass. The chalice given by the candidate's family is one of the day's most distinctive items.

Orthodox ordination is also conferred in three degrees: deacon, priest, and bishop. The rite is celebrated by the bishop within the Divine Liturgy, with the laying on of hands as the sacramental gesture. Orthodox practice carries distinctive marriage rules: a candidate for the priesthood or diaconate may be married, but the marriage must be entered before ordination; a married man cannot be made a bishop, and a celibate priest cannot marry after ordination. The bishop is normally chosen from the monastic clergy.

Seminary formation varies by jurisdiction. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the Orthodox Church in America, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, and the smaller Orthodox bodies in the United States each have their own seminaries and formation programs. After ordination the new priest celebrates his first Liturgy, with family and parish present. Gifts often include vestments (the Orthodox vestment set is rich and distinctive), a Gospel book, and an icon of a patron saint of priests.

Anglican and Episcopal ordination follows the three-fold pattern of deacon, priest, and bishop, set out in the Book of Common Prayer ordinal. The Episcopal Church (TEC), the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), and the smaller continuing Anglican bodies each follow this pattern with their own polity. Candidates are ordained first to the transitional diaconate, normally six to twelve months before priestly ordination; the vocational diaconate is a separate, permanent vocation.

The rite is celebrated by the bishop, normally at the cathedral or at a major parish. Seminary formation is typically three years following an undergraduate degree. After ordination the new priest celebrates a first Eucharist with the parish and family present; the first stole given at the diaconal ordination by a family member or mentor often carries into the priestly ordination some months later. The Anglican gift register sits between Catholic and Mainline Protestant practice, with parish style determining whether the more vestment gifts are conventional.

Mainline Protestant ordination varies sharply by denominational polity. United Methodist Church: ordination as deacon or elder is conferred by the bishop at the annual conference, with the candidate received into full membership in the conference. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA): ordination is normally conferred at the candidate's call to a specific parish, with the local bishop or a designated minister presiding; the candidate is ordained to Word and Sacrament ministry. Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS): ordination follows the call to a congregation, with the district president or a senior pastor presiding. Presbyterian Church (USA) and other Presbyterian bodies: ordination is conferred by the presbytery, with a commission of teaching and ruling elders presiding; the candidate is ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament.

Across Mainline Protestant practice, the candidate is normally vested in an alb and stole at the rite. Gifts typically include a clerical stole, a substantial study Bible, and books for the candidate's ministry library. The catechetical and academic formation varies by tradition: Methodist and Lutheran candidates normally hold a Master of Divinity from an accredited seminary; Presbyterian candidates similarly hold the M.Div. and have been examined by the presbytery on theology, polity, and biblical content.

Evangelical ordination is often described as commissioning rather than sacramental ordination. The Southern Baptist Convention, the Assemblies of God, non-denominational congregations, and other evangelical bodies normally ordain pastors through a process led by the local church (with regional or denominational involvement varying by tradition). The candidate is examined on his call to ministry, his doctrinal positions, and his fitness for pastoral work; the rite itself is the congregation's public ratification of the candidate's call.

Formation is normally a Master of Divinity or a Bachelor of Theology, though some evangelical traditions accept other formation pathways. Gifts at evangelical ordinations center on the study Bible (a preaching Bible the candidate will use weekly), the ministry library (a set of commentaries, books on pastoral theology, preaching helps), and (in some traditions where worn) a clerical collar set. The sacramental gifts (chalice, full vestment set, Book of the Gospels) are not the right register for most evangelical commissioning.