They were either a clerical class and/or a hereditary clan.

Hence the bishops and the vicars, who formed the clerical upper class, would frequently have manors similar to those of other country gentry.

Iran is a society with high walls between public and private life, walls that are even more impenetrable among the clerical class.

And there was no distinction between a clerical class, and laity.

The problem really centres round the existence of a separate and exclusive clerical class.

Erasmus, like all the reformers without exception, began by ignoring the existence of a privileged clerical class.

Tolerance of the clerical class is so low.

"I'd love to show the clerical class, the clerical culture - from the inside," he added.

On 10 March 1937, he was promoted to the clerical class.

He wore a red-and-white-checked ghutra on his head, the fashion of the clerical class.