Ordination

Ordination is the term for a Minister of religion to "take holy orders" (be consecrated; be licenced by the church organisation; be bestowed with subordinate authority by a superior religious authority (such as a Pope).

• A person who has been through this process is said to be ordained.
• A person who is in preparation for, or who is undergoing the process of ordination, is sometimes called an ordinand.

A person ordained as a minister of religion is typically allowed to officiate at religious ceremonies, notably the sacraments: Christenings, weddings (marrying people), burials. Ordination is one requirement in many secular jurisdictions to officiate at weddings, although that jurisdiction may also have a system of performing secular marriage ceremonies.

Ordination of women

The ordination of women is a controversial issue in some religions or denominations, where either the office of ordination, or the role that an ordained person fulfils, is traditionally restricted to men for various theological and practical reasons.