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''Presbytera'' ( el, πρεσβυτέρα, pronounced ''presvytéra'') is a Greek title of honor that is used to refer to a priest's wife. It is derived from ''presbyteros''—the Greek word for ''priest'' (literally, "elder"). Although 'Presbyteress' or 'eldress' has an equivalent meaning, it has a very small usage: most English-speaking Orthodox Christians will use the title most common in the old country churches from which their local family or parish finds its origin.


Other languages

''Presbytera'' corresponds to the following equivalent titles: * Albanian: ''Prifteresha'' * Armenian: ''Yeretzgin'' * Arabic: خورية (k''hūrīah,'' from the word خوري ''khūrī'' , a title of Greek origin meaning "priest") or قسيسة (qasīsa'','' from the word قسيس ''qasīs'' , a title of Syriac origin meaning "priest") * Bulgarian: ''Popadija'' (from the word ''pop'', meaning married priest) * Carpatho-Russian: ''Pani'' (literally "lady," comparable to ''Pan'' for priests, meaning "lord") * Coptic: ''Tasoni'' (pronounced ''TAH-son-ee'', Coptic word for "''Sister''" but also used to address the wife of a priest) * Estonian: ''Presvitera'' * Finnish: ''Ruustinna'' (from the word ''rovasti'' (protoiereos), in Karelia: Maatuska) * Italian: ''Presbitera'' * Malayalam (Kerala, India): ''Kochamma'' literal meaning is little or young mother. In Syrian Christian churches, they are formally called "baskiamo" (from Syriac ''Bath Qyomo''). * Macedonian: ''Popadija'' (from the word ''pop'', meaning married priest) * Portuguese: ''Presbítera'' * Romanian: ''Preoteasă'' * Russian: ''Matushka'' (pronounced ''MAH'-too-shkah'', literally means "mama," i.e., the intimate form of "mother"); (antiquated) ''Popadya'' ("priest's wife") * Serbian: ''Popadija'' (from the word ''pop'', meaning married priest); ''Protinica'' (pronounced ''proh-tee-NEE'-tsah'') for a protopresbyter's wife * Syriac: ''Bath Qyomo'' (meaning a daughter of the covenant) * Ukrainian: ''Panimatka'' or ''Panimatushka'' (''pani'', "lady" + ''matushka'', loving, deminutivum form of "mama"); ''Dobrodijka'' (pronounced ''doh-BROH-deey-kah'', literally means "a woman who does good"); ''Popadya'' ("priest's wife")


See also

* '' Diakonissa'' * '' Episcopa Theodora''


References

*


Further reading

* ''Presbytera: The Life, Mission, and Service of the Priest's Wife'', by Athanasia Papademetriou ()


External links


National Sisterhood of Presvyteres
( GOARCH)
"The Orthodox Clergy Wife"
by Matushka Valerie G. Zahirsky (''Orthodox Family Life'')

from ''Orthodox America''
Clergy Etiquette
{{DEFAULTSORT:Presbytera Eastern Christian ecclesiastical offices