pastores

Pastores is the plural form of pastor in Spanish and can refer to two related senses: a person who tends sheep or other livestock, and a religious leader in Christian communities. The root is Latin pastor, meaning shepherd, and the term conveys the idea of guiding and caring for a community.

In religious contexts, a pastor is a clergy member charged with the care of a congregation. Typical duties include preaching, teaching, administering sacraments or ordinances, leading worship, visiting the sick, offering counsel, and providing administrative leadership. The precise role and title vary by denomination and tradition. In the Catholic Church, a pastor usually refers to a priest who presides over a parish and coordinates its activities under a bishop. In many Protestant, evangelical, and Anglican churches, pastor is the common title for the local church leader, who may be ordained or commissioned and who often serves as the chief preacher and caregiver of the congregation.

Training and ordination requirements differ across traditions. Catholic priests undergo seminary formation and ordination by a bishop. Protestant pastors generally complete formal theological education and receive ordination or licensing from their denomination. Some churches also employ or recognize lay pastors with specialized training.

Outside religious usage, pastores historically described individuals who tended flocks, and in modern Spanish they can simply mean shepherds in rural contexts. The term is widely used in Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain and Latin America, to refer to both professional clergy and the broader idea of shepherding and guidance in a community.