Worship (style)

'''''Worship''''' is an honorific prefix for mayors, justices of the peace, peace commissioners, and magistrates in some present or former Commonwealth realms. In spoken address, these officials are addressed as '''Your Worship''' or referred to as '''His Worship''', '''Her Worship''', or '''Their Worship''' (French: {{lang|fr|Son Honneur}}). In Australia, all states now use Your Honour as the form of address for magistrates (the same as has always been used for judges in higher courts).{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

==Etymology==

The term ''worship'' implies that citizens give or attribute special worth or esteem (''worthship'') to their first-citizen or mayor.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eMxEGuxAouoC&dq=origin+%22of+the+style%22+OR+%22of+the+term%22+%22his+worship%22+mayor+OR+mayors&pg=PA10|title=Worship in the early church|author=Ralph P. Martin|year=1974|isbn=9780802816139}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/truebasisofeffic00dickrich/truebasisofeffic00dickrich_djvu.txt|title=The True Basis of Efficiency|author=Lawrence R. Dicksee, M.Com., F.C.A|year=1922 }}</ref>

==The Right Worshipful==

'''The Right Worshipful''' ('''The Rt Wpful.''', '''Rt. W''' or '''RW''')<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jlZBAAAAcAAJ&q=the+right+worshipful+abbreviation&pg=PT8|title=The Universal Technological Dictionary (Volume 1)|last=Crabb|first=George|year=1823}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Davidson|first=Thomas|title=List of Abbreviations|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Chambers's_Twentieth_Century_Dictionary_1908/List_of_Abbreviations|journal=Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908}}</ref> is an honorific style of address for all lord mayors and mayors of specific cities including the original Cinque Ports (Sandwich, Hythe, Dover, Romney and Hastings). Some historic boroughs, such as Shrewsbury and Atcham<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shrewsbury.gov.uk/public/news/newmayor2006.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222841/http://www.shrewsbury.gov.uk/public/news/newmayor2006.htm|archive-date=2007-09-27|title=New Mayor of Shrewsbury and Atcham|date=19 May 2006|url-status=dead|access-date=2008-03-09}}</ref> in Shropshire, also address their mayors by this prefix. In India, the mayors of cities such as Bengaluru,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bbmp.gov.in/councillors|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813175227/http://bbmp.gov.in/councillors|archive-date=2017-08-13|title=COUNCILLORS|work=BBMP|url-status=dead}}</ref> Mysore<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uni-mysore.ac.in/sites/default/files/content/valedictory_invite_1.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907170120/http://www.uni-mysore.ac.in/sites/default/files/content/valedictory_invite_1.pdf|archive-date=2017-09-07|title=University of Mysore invitation|url-status=live}}</ref> and Chennai<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiarailwayinfo.com/2014/09/honble-railway-ministers-inspecton-at.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907165358/http://www.indiarailwayinfo.com/2014/09/honble-railway-ministers-inspecton-at.html|archive-date=2017-09-07|url-status=dead|title=HON'BLE RAILWAY MINISTER'S INSPECTION AT ROYAPURAM RAILWAY STATION|date=26 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.india.diplo.de/Vertretung/indien/en/03__Chennai/03__06/CourtesyCallMayor.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406124051/http://www.india.diplo.de/Vertretung/indien/en/03__Chennai/03__06/CourtesyCallMayor.html|archive-date=2018-04-06|title=Courtesy call on the Worshipful Mayor Thiru Saidai Duraisamy, Corporation of Chennai}}</ref> are addressed as Worshipful Mayor with robes and attire as for the Lord Mayor of the City of London. The style was done away with by the Government of Kerala and the mayors in Kerala are now referred to as Respected Mayor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/The-Kerala-government-on-Wednesday-decided-to-do-away-with-the-practice-of-addressing-city-mayors-as-Worshipful-Mayor-They-will-be-addressed-as-Respected-Mayor-instead-City-corporations-will-now-be-known-as-municipal-corporations-/articleshow/19601910.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105081215/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/The-Kerala-government-on-Wednesday-decided-to-do-away-with-the-practice-of-addressing-city-mayors-as-Worshipful-Mayor-They-will-be-addressed-as-Respected-Mayor-instead-City-corporations-will-now-be-known-as-municipal-corporations-/articleshow/19601910.cms|archive-date=2017-11-05|title=The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to do away with the practice of addressing city mayors as 'Worshipful Mayor'. They will be addressed as 'Respected Mayor' instead. City corporations will now be known as municipal corporations.|website=The Times of India|date=April 17, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The style is also traditionally used for the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.<ref>{{cite web|work=Debretts|url=http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/professions/academics/vice-chancellor.aspx|title=Executive Head of a University, including Vice-Chancellor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104004303/http://www.debretts.com/forms-of-address/professions/academics/vice-chancellor.aspx|archive-date=2012-11-04|url-status=dead}}</ref> In Australia, the lord mayors of Darwin, Northern Territory; Parramatta, New South Wales; Newcastle, New South Wales; and Wollongong, New South Wales are also styled thus. The "Right Worshipful" for is also used for certain higher-ranked Freemasonic Officials, generally those holding appointments in Grand Lodges.

==The Worshipful==

'''The Worshipful''' is an honorific style of address for all Chancellors of Dioceses. A Chancellor's role as a judge, presiding over any consistory or ecclesiastical court, determines that the individual should be styled in this manner.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Contact – Guildford Diocesan Registry|url=https://guildforddiocesanregistry.co.uk/contact-us/|access-date=2021-03-31|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-11|title=New Chancellor appointed for the Diocese of London|url=https://www.london.anglican.org/articles/new-chancellor-appointed-for-the-diocese-of-london/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Diocese of London|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Worshipful Master==

In Freemasonry, ''Worshipful Master'' is the traditional style of address for the Master of a lodge, who essentially acts as the chairperson during his tenure.

==References==

Category:Culture of the United Kingdom Category:Styles (forms of address) Category:Titles