If you want to speak to a clergyman of the Armenian Apostolic Church, you should consider some formal rules of piety. When you step on a clergyman, bow before him and ask him for his blessing. To do this, place one palm in the other (the right to the left) and tilt your head. The clergyman will bless you with the sign of the cross. When you have received the blessing, kiss the priest’s hand, which blesses you, like the invisible hand of Christ himself. After that, you can ask your question.

If you contact a clergyman and do not know his name, simply call him „Srbasan Hayr“ (if it is a bishop), „Hayr Surb“ (if it is a celibate priest) or „Ter Hayr „ (if it is a married priest). It is the Armenian form of salutation, it is polite, simple and appropriate.

If you know the name of the clergyman,call him “ Hayr (Father) …“ (in the case of celibate priests) or „Ter (Lord) … “ (in the case of married ones). Family names are not (very rarely) used in the Church.

If you are addressing a bishop (how to distinguish a bishop, archbishop, metropolitan or patriarch in the robes, see chapter 2 „The ecclesial robes“), precede his name with the word „Vladyko“ (area), e.g. „Vladyko Sergij“. You can ask for his blessing just as you have from a priest.

Never think that the clergyman has no time to talk to you, and you would only harass him with your questions! The clergyman in the Church is your shepherd, he must respond to all your spiritual needs and help you. Therefore, you do not conceal important questions for you that you cannot solve without the clergyman, out of false modesty.

Below we present you in detail the forms of address to the clergy in Armenian, Armenian transcription and in German (this is not a translation, but the form of address customary in Germany).