ordain v
1. order by virtue of superior authority; decree; "The King ordained the persecution and expulsion of the Jews"; "the legislature enacted this law in 1985" [syn: enact]
2. appoint to a clerical posts; "he was ordained in the Church" [syn: consecrate, ordinate, order]
3. invest with ministerial or priestly authority; "The minister was ordained only last month"
4. issue an order

Ordain \Or*dain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ordained; p. pr. & vb. n. Ordaining.] [OE. ordeinen, OF. ordener, F. ordonner, fr. L. ordinare, from ordo, ordinis, order. See Order, and cf. Ordinance.]
1. To set in order; to arrange according to rule; to regulate; to set; to establish. ``Battle well ordained.'' --Spenser. The stake that shall be ordained on either side. --Chaucer.
2. To regulate, or establish, by appointment, decree, or law; to constitute; to decree; to appoint; to institute. Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month. --1 Kings xii. 32. And doth the power that man adores ordain Their doom ? --Byron.
3. To set apart for an office; to appoint. Being ordained his special governor. --Shak.
4. (Eccl.) To invest with ministerial or sacerdotal functions; to introduce into the office of the Christian ministry, by the laying on of hands, or other forms; to set apart by the ceremony of ordination. Meletius was ordained by Arian bishops. --Bp. Stillingfleet.

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In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is undergoing the process of, ordination is sometimes called an ordinand. The liturgy used at an ordination is sometimes referred to as an ordinal.

There are three 'levels' of ordination (or Holy Orders) in these Churches: bishop, priest and deacon (there have been others in the past and minor changes and evolution of the hierarchical definitions have occurred). Normally these levels of ordination are sequential: first, to the diaconate (as a deacon), then to the presbyterate (priesthood), then to the episcopacy (as a bishop). The majority of clergy are initially 'transitional deacons' before ordination as priest; 'permanent deacons' do not go on to priesthood: this allows married men to be ordained within the Roman Catholic Church. Archbishops, cardinals and popes are all bishops, however in the past deacon-cardinals and priest-cardinals did exist.

• Edina pastor develops new app to "Ordain Thyself" - Minneapolis Star Tribune
  Ever wonder what it would be like to be a man or woman of God? Well, now’s your chance, thanks to a new iPhone app developed by Edina pastor and author Tony Jones. Here’s an iTunes description of the new “app-tly” named “Ordain Thyself ... Read more on this news related to 'Ordain'
• Ricken to ordain deacons at Mass - Green Bay Press-Gazette
  GREEN BAY — On Saturday, Bishop David L. Ricken will ordain deacons during the 10 a.m. Mass of Ordination at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. Peter Gard, St. Anne Parish, Coleman/Lena, and David Scheuer, All Saints Parish, Denmark, will be ... Read more on this news related to 'Ordain'
• Portland to ordain largest number of priests ever - patheos.com
  With ordination season kicking off, Oregon is about to set a local record next month: Archbishop John G. Vlazny will ordain 10 priests on Saturday, June 9, at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The Mass of ordination will begin at 11 a.m ... Read more on this news related to 'Ordain'