Sacerdotal

Sacerdotal is an adjective deriving from Latin sacerdotalis, meaning of a priest or relating to priesthood. In theology and church discipline, it describes objects, roles, or actions associated with ordained clergy, especially bishops or priests. The term can refer to the priestly character of a person, the authority claimed by the priestly office, or the rites and vestments connected to sacred functions.

In practice, sacerdotal usage appears in discussions of liturgy, sacraments, and church governance. For example, sacerdotal vestments such as stoles and chasubles, or sacerdotal authority over certain rites, are contrasted with lay participation or non-ordained ministry. The word is commonly used in Catholic and Anglican contexts, but can also appear in broader Christian or historical discourse when describing priestly systems in various cultures.

A related term is sacerdotalism, the doctrine that the spiritual benefits of the sacraments are mediated exclusively through the ordained priesthood, sometimes implying that laypeople lack access to grace apart from the priest. The concept is controversial and largely rejected by many Protestant traditions and by contemporary Catholic theology.

Etymologically, sacerdotalis comes from sacerdos (priest) with the suffix -alis. While closely related to terms like ordained or liturgical, sacerdotal emphasizes the priestly role, status, or acts as such, rather than the sacraments themselves or general clergy.