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Major OrdersThe term major orders was a part of the clerical terminology of the Roman Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council. During the Counter-reformation, the Council of Trent issued a decree outlining seven orders of the clergy. The first four, the minor orders, had various liturgical functions and were conferred upon seminarians studying for the priesthood. The major orders were the final three, namely: A man could be admitted to the major orders only after receiving the minor orders. The major orders had a common vestment, the maniple, which was worn in liturgical functions until the Second Vatican Council, as well as the stole, which continues in use. Over the other vestments, the subdeacon and deacon wear the tunicle, while the chasabule is the vestment proper to the presbyter. The reason that these orders were considered "major" was that, with ordination to the subdeaconite, both the recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours and perpetual celibacy became mandatory. Those in minor orders did not have this obligation; thus, e.g., an acolyte did not have to pray the Divine Office and, if he left the seminary before becoming a subdeacon, could still marry. The rest of the orders were seen as simply liturgical functions which could be changed on the authority of the Church. This is exactly what happened after the Second Vatican Council when Paul VI in 1972 suppressed the both minor orders and the subdiaconate.
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