Editing Priest (section)

==== Catholicism ====
{{Main|Priesthood in the Catholic Church}}
[[File:Dominus vobiscum 1960s.jpg|thumb|A [[Catholic]] priest celebrating  [[Mass in the Catholic Church|Mass]]]]
The most significant [[Christian liturgy|liturgical]] acts reserved to priests in these traditions are the administration of the [[Sacrament]]s, including the celebration of the [[Mass (liturgy)|Holy Mass]] or [[Divine Liturgy]] (the terms for the celebration of the [[Eucharist]] in the [[Latin Church|Latin]] and Byzantine traditions, respectively), and the [[Sacrament of Reconciliation]], also called [[Confession (religion)|Confession]]. The sacraments of [[Anointing of the Sick]] ([[Extreme Unction]]) and [[Confirmation (Catholic Church)|Confirmation]] are also administered by priests, though in the Western tradition Confirmation is ordinarily celebrated by a [[bishop]]. In the East, Chrismation is performed by the priest (using oil specially [[Consecration in Christianity|consecrated]] by a bishop) immediately after Baptism, and [[Unction]] is normally performed by several priests (ideally seven), but may be performed by one if necessary. In the West, [[Baptism|Holy Baptism]] may be celebrated by anyone. The Vatican catechism states that "According to Latin tradition, the spouses as ministers of Christ's grace mutually confer upon each other the sacrament of [[Catholic marriage|Matrimony]]".<ref name="vatican">{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm |title=Catechism of the Catholic Church – The sacrament of Matrimony |publisher=vatican.va |access-date=2015-07-25}}</ref> Thus marriage is a sacrament administered by the couple to themselves, but may be witnessed and blessed by a deacon, or priest (who usually administers the ceremony). In the East, Holy Baptism and Marriage (which is called "Crowning") may be performed only by a priest. If a person is baptized ''in extremis'' (i.e., when in fear of immediate death), only the actual threefold immersion together with the scriptural words<ref>{{bibleverse||Matthew|28:19|KJV}}</ref> may be performed by a layperson or deacon. The remainder of the rite, and [[Chrismation]], must still be performed by a priest, if the person survives. The only sacrament which may be celebrated only by a bishop is that of [[Ordination]] (''cheirotonia'', "Laying-on of Hands"), or [[Holy orders in the Catholic Church|Holy Orders]].{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

In these traditions, only men who meet certain requirements may become priests. In Catholicism, the [[canon law|canonical]] minimum age is twenty-five. Bishops may dispense with this rule and ordain men up to one year younger. Dispensations of more than a year are reserved to the [[Holy See]] (Can. 1031 §§&nbsp;1, 4.) A Catholic priest must be [[Incardination and excardination|incardinated]] by his bishop or his major religious [[Superior (hierarchy)|superior]] in order to engage in public ministry. [[Secular clergy|Secular priests]] are incardinated into a [[diocese]], whereas religious priests live the [[consecrated life]] and can work anywhere in the world that their specific community operates.

Married men may become priests in the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]], but cannot marry after ordination, even if they become widowed.