Protocol and Forms of Address

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The following is a summary of forms of address and protocol in the Church.

CLERGY WITH NOBLE TITLES

Clergy who hold a title of nobility of the rank of Baron or higher use that title in place of "Dom" or "Monsignor" or other religious styles (except for those of religious orders. Clergy who are  members of the immediate household of the Bishop-Imperator or who are honourary (electoral members) use the style of Grand Duke in place of "Dom" or "Monsignor" as given in the preceding for clergy in general. In the case of Cardinals, however, Cardinal is place preceding the noble title and informally may be used alone interchangably with the noble title. 

RELATIVE RANKS

Ranks are in four broad categories: clerical, noble, military, and civil. When an individual holds ranks in more than one category, the one in the highest category takes precedence, i.e., military takes precedence over civil, noble takes precedence over both military and civil, and clerical takes precedence over everything. This does not, however, preclude an individual from using ranks simultaneously from more than one category. For example, a cardinal who is a baron and a colonel, following this principle would be styled as: His Eminence Baron N. The rank of colonel could be added as well.

Holders of doctorates who hold higher titles may still use the title of Doctor. This is appended following clerical, noble, and military ranks. If a novel title is placed instead after the name, then Doctor may precede the name immediately.

Four equivalent military ranks, the naval is above land, followed by air in the naval settings; the land rank is above naval, followed by air in land settings; and the air rank is above naval, followed by land in the air settings.

Spouses and children of titled nobles of the rank of Baron and above use the same rank as the head of household. However, the full title is never appended after the name by the children as it would be for the principal titleholder. (The exception to this is certain specific titles that constitute ranks themselves, such as Prince of the Pontifical Imperial State.) For example, a Count (the actual titleholder) could be styled His Excellency Count N. of NN., or His Excellency N., Count of NN. His wife could be styled Her Excellency Countess N. of NN., or Her Excellency N., Countess of NN. The children, however, could only be styled His/Her Excellency Count(ess) N. of NN.

In some cases a child (frequently, if used, it is the heir) is allowed to use a lesser title of the principal titleholder. In such cases, they use it in the same manner as a principal titleholder.

Wives of Knights, if they do not hold a another title themselves, are styled Lady + Name.

Wives of clergy are entitled to the style of Dame. If their husband is entitled to the style of Excellency or Eminence, it is likewise used by the wife (however, in the Russian forms of the titles, which are only appropriate for clergy, the wives use the style of Excellency and High Excellency respectively as given for noble and civil individuals. However, wives of clergy who hold a title of nobility, either in their own right or by right of their husband, use their noble title rather than "Dame."

Spouses of others within the table of precedence do not have specific styles or titles assigned and therefore simply use the standard courtesy title to which they are generally entitled in society.

Wives of all individuals contained within the table of precidence rank equal to their husbands unless they hold a higher individual rank. This applies even if the rank does not have a specific female equivalent for the spouse. For example, the wife of a Baron ranks equivalent to her husband and is also entitled to the title of Baroness; and the wife of a Colonel likewise ranks equivalent to her husband, but does not have a female equivalent of her husband's rank.