Priest

Priest, one especially consecrated to the service of a divinity and through whom worship, prayer, sacrifice, or other service is offered to the object of worship, pardon, blessing, or deliverance is obtained by the worshipper. In earliest history the functions of priest were discharged by the head of the family; later the office became a public one, in many instances associated with that of the sovereign.

Under Jewish law, priests especially consecrated to the service of the Temple and the altar were selected from the tribe of Levi. The actual priesthood of Israel, however, was reserved for the male descendants of Aaron, who were authorized to offer sacrifice, supervise hygiene, and instruct the people in the Law of Moses. With the destruction of Jerusalem in ad 70, the concept of a priesthood disappeared from Judaism.

In the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches and in the Church of England and other Anglican Churches, the priest is a member of the sacerdotal ministry. The priest has the power to celebrate Mass and to administer the sacraments, except holy orders (reserved for the bishop), matrimony (administered to one another by the couple and witnessed by the priest), and, in the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, confirmation (usually performed by a bishop). The Mormons recognize both a high priesthood and a lower one. Most Protestant Churches acknowledge no specific priesthood. They believe in the universal priesthood of all believers and do not recognize the need for a mediator between themselves and God. The priesthood has traditionally been restricted to men, but in recent years women have been ordained as priests within the Anglican Communion.

Religions outside the Judaeo-Christian tradition have often had a priesthood. A priestly class was recognized by the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, Egypt, and by the Celtic peoples of Ireland, Britain, and Gaul. The priestly function continues to be important in modern-day Shinto, Buddhism, and Hinduism.