Priest

A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform sacred rites and administer sacraments within a religious community. The word derives from Latin presbyter, meaning "elder," and from Old English preost, reflecting historical roles as early church leaders.

In Christianity, priests are typically ordained ministers who conduct worship, celebrate the Eucharist, administer baptism, hear confessions, and anoint the sick, though practices vary by denomination. In the Catholic, Orthodox, and many Anglican and Lutheran churches, priesthood is a distinct sacramental order below the bishop. Denominational differences determine whether women may be ordained and whether celibacy is required, as in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, where celibacy is common though not universal.

Ordination usually requires formal education, spiritual formation, and the laying on of hands by a bishop or church authority. A priest’s duties often include leading worship, preaching, providing pastoral care, teaching, and guiding the community in moral and liturgical life. Priests commonly oversee parishes, manage liturgical schedules, and engage in charitable and educational work.

Vestments and symbols vary by tradition but commonly include items such as a stole, chasuble or alb, a crucifix, and a liturgical book. The scope of priestly authority and the emphasis on sacramental powers versus pastoral leadership differ across denominations.

Outside Christianity, the term priest is also used for temple priests or ritual specialists in Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, and other traditions, though duties, training, and ordination procedures vary from Christian practice.