An ordinal (Latin: ordinale), in a modern context, is a liturgical book that contains the rites and prayers for the ordination and consecration to the Holy Orders of deacons, priests, and bishops in multiple Christian denominations, especially the Edwardine Ordinals within Anglicanism.[1] The term "ordinal" has been applied to the prayers and ceremonies for ordinations in the Catholic Church, where the pontificals of the Latin liturgical rites typically compile them along with other liturgies exclusive to bishops.[2][3] In medieval liturgies, ordinals supplied instruction on how to use the various books necessary to celebrate a liturgy and added rubrical direction.[4]
Historically, ordinals were texts that contained the order (Latin: ordo) of prayers and rituals in liturgies.[1] Additionally, some medieval ordinals were books containing the ordinary of the divine office that would be modified according to the liturgical calendar.[5]: 989 These ordinals would establish the ritual order of a rite and provide rubrical direct not present in the other texts used to celebrate liturgies.[6] Ordinals could serve to apply the specific practices of a cathedral or religious order, as contained in their customary, to the other liturgical books.[4] The relationship with medieval ordinals and customaries has sometimes led to them being identified as synonymous.[7][8]
In a modern context, an "ordinal" typically refers to the liturgical book containing the prayers and rituals associated with conferring Holy Orders in the Latin tradition of the Catholic Church and in Anglicanism.[9]: 245 The use of the word in this context is thought to have originated sometime around 1600, perhaps first in John Bramhall's 1636 The consecration and succession of protestant bishops justified.[5]: 989 [10]
The English Reformation saw the introduction of Protestant liturgical ethos into the Church of England. Thomas Cranmer led the revision process that produced the Book of Common Prayer – the first version being the 1549 prayer book –, a vernacular replacement of both the various Latin-language missals and breviaries that had previously been used for the celebration of the Holy Communion and daily offices.
In 1550, Cranmer's revision of the medieval Sarum Pontifical, the first Edwardine Ordinal, was adopted. This text dropped many of the rituals that would persist in Roman Pontificals, including the presentation of mitre and ring, putting on of gloves, and anointing of the episcopal candidate. Further Reformed modifications were made in the 1552 ordinal that accompanied the second prayer book of King Edward VI the same year, but very little changed with the adoption of the 1559 Book of Common Prayer. Examining chaplains were introduced via a canon independent of the ordinal in the 1604 prayer book.[5]: 990
The 1552 ordinal has been a focus in debates over the validity of Anglican ordinations, with its preceding non-liturgical preface–containing reformed theological statements–and the ritual itself considered defective and "heretical" by the Catholic Church. These aspects of the 1552 ordinal played a significant part in Pope Leo XIII rejecting Anglican orders in his 1896 papal bull Apostolicae curae. This papal statement was challenged by Saepius officio, penned by members of the Church of England in 1897.[11]: 9