For even if some of the venerable symbols are performed by the priests, yet the priest will never effect the sacred divine birth without the most divine Myron, nor will he complete the mysteries of the divine communion unless the symbols of communion have been placed on the most divine altar. But neither will he himself be a priest, unless he has been assigned to this by the hierarchic consecrations. Wherefore the divine ordinance has assigned as a unity the sanctification of the priestly orders, and the consecration of the divine Myron, and the sacred rite of the altar to the perfecting powers of the divinely-inspired hierarchs. <6> The hierarchic order, therefore, is that which is filled with the perfecting power, uniquely performing the perfecting rites of the hierarchy, and initiating into the knowledge of the sacred things in a revelatory manner, and teaching their corresponding and sacred states and powers. But the illuminative order of priests guides those who are being initiated to the divine visions of the rites under the order of the divinely-inspired hierarchs, and with it, performs its own sacred rites, in which it acts, showing forth the divine works through the most sacred symbols, and making those who approach contemplative and partakers of the holy rites, but sending up to the hierarch those who yearn for the knowledge of the sacred rites they have contemplated. And the order of ministers, which is purificatory and discerns what is dissimilar, before the approach to the sacred rites of the priests, purifies those who draw near, rendering them unmixed with contrary things, and fit for sacred vision and communion. Wherefore, in the sacred divine birth, the ministers strip the one approaching of his old garment, and furthermore they un-shoe him, and stand him towards the west for renunciation, and again turn him towards the east [for they are of the purificatory order and power] commanding those who approach to cast off completely the vestures of their former life, and showing the darkness of their former life and teaching them, having renounced the things without light, to be transferred to the things that give light. The ministerial order, therefore, is purificatory, leading up the purified to the bright sacred rites of the priests, and purifying the uninitiated, and bringing to birth by the purifying illuminations and teachings of the oracles, and furthermore purely separating the unholy from the holy. For this reason, the hierarchic ordinance also sets it over the sacred gates, signifying the entrance of those who approach to the sacred things through complete purifications, and entrusting to the purificatory powers their approach to the sacred visions and communions, and through these receiving them unstained. <7> It has been shown, therefore, that the order of hierarchs is perfecting and consecrating, that of the priests is illuminating and light-guiding, and that of the ministers is purificatory and discerning; that is, the hierarchic order knows not only how to consecrate, but also at the same time how to illuminate and to purify, and the power of the priests has in itself, along with the illuminative, also the purificatory knowledge. For the lesser are unable to leap up to the greater things—and it is not even lawful for them to attempt such arrogance—but the more divine powers, along with their own, also know the sacred sciences of the orders subordinate to their perfection. Nevertheless, since the priestly orders are images of the divine energies, showing in themselves the orderly illuminations of the well-ordered and unconfused order of the divine energies, they were arranged in first, middle, and last sacred energies and orders in hierarchic distinctions, manifesting, as I said, in themselves the ordered and unmingled nature of the divine energies. For since the Godhead first purifies the minds in which it abides, then illuminates them, and having illuminated them, perfects them for godlike consecration, fittingly the hierarchic image of divine things divides itself into distinct orders and powers, clearly showing the divine energies standing steadfastly and unconfusedly in all-holy and unmixed orders. But since we have spoken of the priestly orders and allotments, and their powers and energies, as far as was attainable for us, let us also contemplate their most sacred consecrations, as we are able.

Eἰ γὰρ καὶ πρὸς τῶν ἱερέων τελοῦνταί τινα τῶν σεβασμίων συμβόλων, ἀλλ' οὔποτε τὴν ἱερὰν θεογενεσίαν ὁ ἱερεὺς ἐνεργήσει τοῦ θειοτάτου μύρου χωρὶς οὐδὲ τὰ τῆς θείας κοινωνίας τελέσει μυστήρια μὴ τῷ θειοτάτῳ θυσιαστηρίῳ τῶν κοινωνικῶν ἐπιτεθέντων συμβόλων. Ἀλλ' οὐδ' αὐτὸς ἱερεὺς ἔσται μὴ πρὸς τῶν ἱεραρχικῶν τελειώσεων εἰς τοῦτο κεκληρωμένος. Ὅθεν ἡ θεία θεσμοθεσία τὴν τῶν ἱερατικῶν τάξεων ἁγιαστείαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ θείου μύρου τελείωσιν καὶ τὴν ἱερὰν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τελετουργίαν ταῖς τῶν ἐνθέων ἱεραρχῶν τελεσιουργοῖς δυνάμεσιν ἑνιαίως ἀπεκλήρωσεν. <6> Ἔστιν οὖν ἡ ἱεραρχικὴ τάξις ἡ τῆς τελειωτικῆς δυνάμεως ἀναπεπλησμένη τὰ τελεσιουργὰ τῆς ἱεραρχίας ἐκκρίτως τελετουργοῦσα καὶ τὰς ἐπιστήμας τῶν ἱερῶν ἐκφαντορικῶς μυοῦσα καὶ ἐκδιδάσκουσα τὰς ἀναλόγους αὐτῶν καὶ ἱερὰς ἕξεις τε καὶ δυνάμεις. Ἡ δὲ τῶν ἱερέων φωταγωγικὴ τάξις ἐπὶ τὰς θείας τῶν τελετῶν ἐποψίας χειραγωγεῖ τοὺς τελουμένους ὑπὸ τῇ τῶν ἐνθέων ἱεραρχῶν τάξει καὶ μετ' αὐτῆς ἱερουργοῦσα τὰς οἰκείας ἱερουργίας, ἐν οἷς μὲν αὐτὴ δρᾷ τὰς θεουργίας ὑποδεικνῦσα διὰ τῶν ἱερωτάτων συμβόλων καὶ θεωρητικοὺς τοὺς προσιόντας ἀποτελοῦσα καὶ τῶν ὁσίων τελετῶν κοινωνούς, εἰς τὸν ἱεράρχην δὲ ἀναπέμπουσα τοὺς τῆς ἐπιστήμης τῶν θεωρηθεισῶν ἱερουργιῶν ἐφιεμένους. Ἡ δὲ τῶν λειτουργῶν τάξις ἡ καθαρτικὴ καὶ τῶν ἀνομοίων διακριτικὴ πρὸ τῆς ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν ἱερέων ἱερουργίας προσαγωγῆς ἀποκαθαίρει τοὺς προσιόντας ἀμιγεῖς αὐτοὺς ἀποτελοῦσα τῶν ἐναντίων καὶ πρὸς ἱερουργικὴν ἐποψίαν καὶ κοινωνίαν ἐπιτηδείους. Ὅθεν ἐπὶ τῆς ἱερᾶς θεογενεσίας οἱ λειτουργοὶ τὸν προσιόντα τῆς παλαιᾶς ἀπογυμνοῦσιν ἐσθῆτος, ἔτι μὴν καὶ ὑπολύουσι καὶ πρὸς δυσμὰς εἰς ἀποταγὴν ἱστῶσι καὶ αὖθις πρὸς ἕω μετάγουσι [τῆς καθαρτικῆς γάρ εἰσι τάξεως καὶ δυνάμεως] ἀποβάλλειν ὁλικῶς ἐγκελευόμενοι τοῖς προσιοῦσι τὰς τῆς προτέρας ζωῆς ἀμφιάσεις καὶ τὸ τοῦ προτέρου βίου σκοτεινὸν ὑποδεικνύντες καὶ ἐκδιδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς ἀποταξαμένους τοῖς ἀλαμπέσιν ἐπὶ τὰ φωτιστικὰ μεταταχθῆναι. Καθαρτικὴ τοίνυν ἐστὶν ἡ λειτουργικὴ διακόσμησις ἐπὶ τὰς φανὰς τῶν ἱερέων ἱερουργίας ἀνάγουσα τοὺς κεκαθαρμένους καὶ τοὺς ἀτελέστους ἀποκαθαίρουσα καὶ μαιευομένη ταῖς καθαρτικαῖς τῶν λογίων ἐλλάμψει καὶ διδασκαλίαις καὶ προσέτι τοὺς ἀν ιέρους τῶν ἱερῶν ἀμιγῶς ἀποδιαστέλλουσα. ∆ιὸ καὶ ταῖς ἱεραῖς αὐτὴν ἐφίστησι πύλαις ἡ ἱεραρχικὴ θεσμοθεσία τὴν πρὸς τὰ ἱερὰ τῶν προσιόντων εἴσοδον ἐν ταῖς παντελέσι καθάρσεσιν αἰνισσομένη καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τὰς ἱερὰς αὐτῶν ἐποψίας καὶ κοινωνίας προσαγωγὴν ταῖς καθαρτικαῖς δυνάμεσιν ἐγχειρίζουσα καὶ διὰ τούτων αὐτοὺς ἀκηλιδώτους εἰσδεχομένη. <7> ∆έδεικται τοίνυν ἡ μὲν τῶν ἱεραρχῶν τάξις τελειωτικὴ καὶ τελεσιουργός, ἡ δὲ τῶν ἱερέων φωτιστικὴ καὶ φωταγωγός, ἡ δὲ τῶν λειτουργῶν καθαρτικὴ καὶ διακριτική, δηλαδὴ τῆς ἱεραρχικῆς τάξεως οὐ τελεσιουργεῖν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ φωτίζειν ἅμα καὶ καθαίρειν ἐπισταμένης καὶ τῆς τῶν ἱερέων δυνάμεως ἐχούσης ἐν ἑαυτῇ μετὰ τῆς φωτιστικῆς καὶ τὴν καθαρτικὴν ἐπιστήμην. Aἱ μὲν γὰρ ἥττους ἐπὶ τὰ κρείττω μεταπηδᾶν ἀδυνατοῦσιν-πρὸς τῷ μηδὲ θεμιτὸν αὐταῖς εἶναι πρὸς τοιαύτην ἐγχειρεῖν ἀλαζονείαν-, αἱ δὲ θειότεραι δυνάμεις μετὰ τῶν οἰκείων καὶ τὰς ὑφειμένας τῆς αὐτῶν τελειότητος ἱερὰς ἐπιστήμας γινώσκουσιν. Ὅμως ἐπειδὴ θείων εἰσὶν ἐνεργειῶν εἰκόνες αἱ ἱερατικαὶ διακοσμήσεις τῆς εὐκόσμου καὶ ἀσυγχύτου τῶν θείων ἐνεργειῶν τάξεως ἐν ἑαυταῖς δεικνῦσαι τὰς τεταγμένας ἐλλάμψεις, εἰς πρώτας καὶ μέσας καὶ τελευταίας ἱερὰς ἐνεργείας καὶ τάξεις ἐν διακρίσεσιν ἱεραρχικαῖς ἐτάχθησαν ἐμφαίνουσαι καθάπερ ἔφην ἐν ἑαυταῖς τῶν θείων ἐνεργειῶν τὸ τεταγμένον καὶ ἀσύμφυρτον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ θεαρχία τοὺς ἐν οἷς ἂν ἐγγένηται, νόας ἀποκαθαίρει πρῶτον, εἶτα φωτίζει καὶ φωτισθέντας ἀποτελειοῖ πρὸς θεοειδῆ τελεσιουργίαν, εἰκότως ἡ ἱεραρχικὴ τῶν θείων εἰκὼν εἰς διακεκριμένας ἑαυτὴν διαιρεῖ τάξεις τε καὶ δυνάμεις ἐναργῶς ὑποδεικνῦσα τὰς θεαρχικὰς ἐνεργείας ἐν παναγεστάταις καὶ ἀμιγέσι τάξεσιν εὐσταθῶς καὶ ἀσυγχύτως ἑστηκυίας. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τὰς ἱερατικὰς τάξεις τε καὶ ἀποκληρώσεις δυνάμεις τε αὐτῶν καὶ ἐνεργείας εἰρήκαμεν ὡς ἡμῖν ἐφικτόν, καὶ τὰς ἱερωτάτας αὐτῶν, ὡς οἷοί τέ ἐσμεν, ἐποπτεύσωμεν τελειώσεις.