Most Eastern Churches distinguish between "monastic" and "non-monastic" clergy.

This partly reflected the increasing dominance of illumination both commissioned and executed by laymen rather than monastic clergy.

Although not always harmoniously, the hierarchy and the secular clergy were aided in this work by the monastic or regular clergy.

Bishops are required by the sacred canons of the Orthodox Church to be chosen from among the monastic clergy.

An archdeacon is similar, but is among the monastic clergy.

The Armenian church has both married (secular) and monastic (celibate) clergy.

The Black, or monastic, Orthodox clergy enjoyed a very high status in the Hetmanate, controlling 17% of the Hetmanate's land.

Orthodox priests are divided into two distinct groups, married clergy, and monastic clergy.

In the Russian Orthodox Church, married clergy often wear grey, while monastic clergy wear black.

During the paschal season both monastic and married clergy will often wear a white inner cassock.