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Titles

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › The Church › Titles

The question

I have always wondered why we call our Bishops and the Pope "Sayedna." which means "Master."  The Holy Bible teaches that we are to have only one Lord and Master; that is our Lord Jesus Christ. Also, the bishops and the pope are supposed to be living a life of humility, yet we adorn them with the titles of "His Grace..." and "His Holiness..." Why is this so?

The answer

There is a difference between using the word Master when we talk about our Lord Jesus Christ for He is the Master of all and when we address others as of respect. In the world today we address men and women by Mr., Mrs., or Miss as a sign of respect to the person. This does not make them by any means masters over us. When we address His Holiness the Pope or the bishops with the word Sayedna we always have in mind that they represent our Lord on this earth.

As for the titles 'His Grace' and 'His Holiness', they mean the Grace and the Holiness of God that are bestowed on them not because of their worthiness but because of their office and role in the church. So it is a constant reminder to them of the gift of God that they have received and which they should use for His glory.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 1058 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.