Incardination is the technical term for being accepted into one diocese or jurisdiction from another. Generally speaking, in both the eastern and western churches, a priest or deacon cannot be accepted into a diocese or jurisdiction without appropriate letters of release from the bishop of the diocese they are leaving.

The Orthodox Church has always maintained Apostolic Tradition. Part of Apostolic Tradition is to encourage both married and celibate clergy. The Orthodox Church has always maintained this Apostolic Tradition, and will not move away from it.

For priests outside the Eastern Orthodox Church wishing to enter the Orthodox Church and exercise priestly ministry, the process is different from incardination.

The Orthodox Church does not steal priests from any other jurisdiction, including the Anglican Church or the Roman Catholic Church.

But if any person wants to become Orthodox for the right reasons, they will be received into the Orthodox Church, after a period of training appropriate to their individual situation.

If it is apparent they also have a vocation to the priesthood in the Orthodox Church, then after suitable training in Orthodox tradition and practice, they may be called by a diocesan bishop into the Orthodox priesthood as a deacon or priest. The length and type of training depends on the individual circumstances of each applicant.

The process of acceptance differs from one jurisdiction to another, with some jurisdictions being more receptive towards clergy wishing to convert to Orthodox Christianity than other jurisdictions.

The Antiochian jurisdiction is particularly focussed on serving people in their own language. In the archdioceses outside the Arabic speaking countries, we serve in the language(s) of that country, and also in Arabic if sufficient people there want that language. The Antiochian Patriarchate uses both western rites as well as eastern rites outside the middle east, according to the needs and desires of each congregation.

The Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East is keen to establish new missions in keeping with Christ's command to teach all people. But all Antiochian Orthodox missions need the permission of the diocesan bishop before they can be established. In areas where there is no diocesan bishop, the patriarchate makes a decision. Once accepted, they will be provided with the assistance and supervision appropriate to their individual circumstances.

If people genuinely want the assistance of the Antiochian Orthodox Patriarchate, they may write about their own individual circumstances to their closest Antiochian Orthodox bishop, or in the Philippines to

All inquiries in the Philippines are dealt with in strictest confidence.