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All following information taken from Church Vestments: Their Origin and Development, by Herbert Norris.
Originally published 1950; reprinted 2002 by Dover.
Hierarchy
Minor Orders
(In the middle ages, minor orders did not require celibacy, which was the major dividing factor between them
and the major orders.)
Doorkeeper/Porter
Lector/Reader
Exorcist (as far as I am aware, this is only performed by priests in modern times)
Acolyte
Major (Sacred) Orders
Subdeacon
Deacon
Priest
According to Norris, bishops, archbishops, patriarchs and popes are degrees of rank among the priestly order.
Cardinal is an office, not an order, as is abbot, abbess, canon, etc. prelatures.
Historic Origins
Deacon - First appeared in the first century. Derives from the Greek word "diakonos" which referred to a
servant (a personal servant in particular).
Priest - First appeared in the first century. Derives from the Greek word "presbuteros" which meant "elder."
Bishop - First appeared in the second century. Derives from the Greek word "episkopos" which meant "one
who watches over."
Subdeacon - First appeared in the third century. Originally he was to assist the deacon, but his job later
narrowed to assisting at the door, bringing the water for the priest to wash his hands, and the carrying in and out
of the alter vessels. In the seventh or eighth century he also read the epistle. In modern times, his vestment is
the tunicle and maniple.
Canon- First appeared in the third or fourth century. The term was applied widely, but by the 12th century
seems to have been reserved for clergy living within some type of community. Norris likens them to an
intermediate step between monks and secular clergy.
Abbot - First appeared in the fourth century. From the Latinization of the Hebrew word "ab" meaning "father."
In 1063 a mitred abbot first appeared; they are not subject to the jurisdiction of a bishop. All abbots wore the
same full vestments as bishops (although only a mitred abbot also wore the mitre).
Archbishop- First appeared in the fourth century. This term first came into use when bishops would meet and
either elect one of their number to preside over their meeting, or the bishop in whose diocese they were meeting
would be termed the archbishop. As the church expanded, the term became permanently applied to those
bishops who oversaw numerous dioceses.
Pope - First appeared in the fifth century, but the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome over all other bishops was
not universal until the early seventh. Derives from the Greek word "papas" meaning "father." It was originally
applied to anyone who taught the faith to others, then was used only by bishops, then finally claimed exclusively
by the Bishop of Rome in the fifth century.
Cardinal - First appeared in the ninth century. Derives from the Latin word "cardo" meaning "hinge," referring
to the fact that their office was deemed of such great importance that many things hinged upon it. Cardinals
(apparently without regard to their rank within the cardinalship) wore the same vestments at mass as a bishop,
including the miter and crozier.
Vestments by Rank
Doorkeeper, Lector, Exorcist, Acolyte - Alb
Subdeacon - Alb, maniple and tunicle
Deacon - Alb, maniple, amice, stole and dalmatic
Priest - Alb, maniple, amice, stole and chasuble
Bishop, cardinal and mitred abbot - Alb, maniple, amice, stole, chasuble, tunicle, dalmatic, buskins, sandals,
mitre, gloves, ring and staff
Archbishop - Alb, maniple, amice, stole, chasuble, tunicle, dalmatic, buskins, sandals, mitre, gloves, ring, staff,
pallium
Pope - Alb, maniple, amice, stole, chasuble, tunicle, dalmatic, buskins, sandals, mitre, gloves, ring, orale and
subcingulum
The origin of all of these garments is found in Greek and Roman dress at the time of the formation of the
church. Early churchmen would have been indistinguishable from the common people around them. It was
only when Roman fashion gave way in Europe to that worn by the various barbarous tribes that priests, etc.
made a point to continue to wear the old Roman clothing, thus separating their clothing from that of the common
people. Over time, this clothing underwent its own fashion evolution, albeit it slowly and not very dramatically.
Originally published 1950; reprinted 2002 by Dover.
Hierarchy
Minor Orders
(In the middle ages, minor orders did not require celibacy, which was the major dividing factor between them
and the major orders.)
Doorkeeper/Porter
Lector/Reader
Exorcist (as far as I am aware, this is only performed by priests in modern times)
Acolyte
Major (Sacred) Orders
Subdeacon
Deacon
Priest
According to Norris, bishops, archbishops, patriarchs and popes are degrees of rank among the priestly order.
Cardinal is an office, not an order, as is abbot, abbess, canon, etc. prelatures.
Historic Origins
Deacon - First appeared in the first century. Derives from the Greek word "diakonos" which referred to a
servant (a personal servant in particular).
Priest - First appeared in the first century. Derives from the Greek word "presbuteros" which meant "elder."
Bishop - First appeared in the second century. Derives from the Greek word "episkopos" which meant "one
who watches over."
Subdeacon - First appeared in the third century. Originally he was to assist the deacon, but his job later
narrowed to assisting at the door, bringing the water for the priest to wash his hands, and the carrying in and out
of the alter vessels. In the seventh or eighth century he also read the epistle. In modern times, his vestment is
the tunicle and maniple.
Canon- First appeared in the third or fourth century. The term was applied widely, but by the 12th century
seems to have been reserved for clergy living within some type of community. Norris likens them to an
intermediate step between monks and secular clergy.
Abbot - First appeared in the fourth century. From the Latinization of the Hebrew word "ab" meaning "father."
In 1063 a mitred abbot first appeared; they are not subject to the jurisdiction of a bishop. All abbots wore the
same full vestments as bishops (although only a mitred abbot also wore the mitre).
Archbishop- First appeared in the fourth century. This term first came into use when bishops would meet and
either elect one of their number to preside over their meeting, or the bishop in whose diocese they were meeting
would be termed the archbishop. As the church expanded, the term became permanently applied to those
bishops who oversaw numerous dioceses.
Pope - First appeared in the fifth century, but the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome over all other bishops was
not universal until the early seventh. Derives from the Greek word "papas" meaning "father." It was originally
applied to anyone who taught the faith to others, then was used only by bishops, then finally claimed exclusively
by the Bishop of Rome in the fifth century.
Cardinal - First appeared in the ninth century. Derives from the Latin word "cardo" meaning "hinge," referring
to the fact that their office was deemed of such great importance that many things hinged upon it. Cardinals
(apparently without regard to their rank within the cardinalship) wore the same vestments at mass as a bishop,
including the miter and crozier.
Vestments by Rank
Doorkeeper, Lector, Exorcist, Acolyte - Alb
Subdeacon - Alb, maniple and tunicle
Deacon - Alb, maniple, amice, stole and dalmatic
Priest - Alb, maniple, amice, stole and chasuble
Bishop, cardinal and mitred abbot - Alb, maniple, amice, stole, chasuble, tunicle, dalmatic, buskins, sandals,
mitre, gloves, ring and staff
Archbishop - Alb, maniple, amice, stole, chasuble, tunicle, dalmatic, buskins, sandals, mitre, gloves, ring, staff,
pallium
Pope - Alb, maniple, amice, stole, chasuble, tunicle, dalmatic, buskins, sandals, mitre, gloves, ring, orale and
subcingulum
The origin of all of these garments is found in Greek and Roman dress at the time of the formation of the
church. Early churchmen would have been indistinguishable from the common people around them. It was
only when Roman fashion gave way in Europe to that worn by the various barbarous tribes that priests, etc.
made a point to continue to wear the old Roman clothing, thus separating their clothing from that of the common
people. Over time, this clothing underwent its own fashion evolution, albeit it slowly and not very dramatically.