Minimum Age for Episcopal Ordination
Church canons do not establish a specific minimum age for ordination into the sacred episcopal rank (and the Patriarch, as a representative of the highest episcopal service, falls under this category). Thus, according to the text from the document, "The canons do not specify a minimum age for consecration into the episcopate" (source: link txt).As for the current Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, for candidates for episcopacy (i.e., for ordination to the highest rank) the minimum age is set at 30 years: "According to the currently applicable Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, deacons and priests may be ordained upon reaching the age of majority (i.e., 18 years), but candidates for the episcopate must be at least 30 years old" (source: link txt). Moreover, in the provision reflected in the Canonical Charter of the year 2000, it is stated: "candidates for hierarchs are elected at the age of not less than 30 years" (source: link txt).Thus, for service in the highest episcopal positions (which includes the Patriarchate), a requirement of reaching 30 years of age is established, while canonical sources, in general, do not specify a definite minimum age for ordination into the episcopal rank.Supporting citation(s):"The canons do not specify a minimum age for consecration into the episcopate" (source: link txt)"According to the currently applicable Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church ... candidates for the episcopate must be at least 30 years old" (source: link txt)"candidates for hierarchs are elected at the age of not less than 30 years" (source: link txt)