Editing Ordination (section)

===The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints===
{{main|Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)}}
In [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], a rite of ordination is performed to bestow either the [[Aaronic priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Aaronic]] or [[Melchizedek priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Melchizedek priesthood]] (Hebrews 5:4–6) upon a worthy male member. As in the Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox traditions, great care is taken to assure that the candidate for priesthood is ordained by those with proper authority and ordained properly and validly; thorough records of priesthood ordination are kept by the church. Ordination is performed by the [[laying on of hands]]. Ordination to the office of [[Priest (Latter Day Saints)|priest]] in the Aaronic priesthood gives the ordained person the authority to:
* baptize converts and children over the age of 8 into the church
* bless and administer the [[Sacrament (LDS Church)|sacrament]] (the Lord's Supper)
* participate in, or perform, ordinations of others to the Aaronic Priesthood or its offices
* collect [[fast offerings]] for the [[Bishop (Latter Day Saints)|Bishop]] (usually ordained [[Deacon (Latter Day Saints)|Deacons]] and [[Teacher (Latter Day Saints)|Teachers]] perform this)

Ordination to the Melchizedek priesthood includes the authority to perform all the duties of the Aaronic priesthood, as well as ordain others to the Melchizedek or Aaronic priesthood, perform [[Confirmation (Latter Day Saints)|confirmations]], bless and anoint the sick with oil, bless and dedicate graves, and other such rites. There are five offices within the Melchizedek Priesthood to which one could potentially be ordained:
* [[Elder (Latter Day Saints)|Elder]]
* [[High priest (Latter Day Saints)|High Priest]]
* [[Patriarch (Latter Day Saints)|Patriarch]]
* [[Seventy (LDS Church)|Seventy]]
* [[Apostle (Latter Day Saints)|Apostle]]
"Ordination to an office in the Aaronic Priesthood is done by or under the direction of the bishop or branch president. Ordination to an office in the Melchizedek Priesthood is done by or under the direction of the stake or mission president. To perform a priesthood ordination, one or more authorized priesthood holders place their hands lightly on the person's head."<ref>''Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood'' Part B Lesson 5></ref>

Latter-day Saints believe in a line of priesthood authority that traces back to Jesus Christ and his [[Apostles in the New Testament|apostles]].  LDS adherents believe the church's founder, [[Joseph Smith]], was ordained under the hands of apostles [[St. Peter|Peter]], [[James, son of Zebedee|James]], and [[John the Apostle|John]], who appeared to Smith as angelic messengers in 1829.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bd/melchizedek-priesthood?lang=eng&letter=m |title=Melchizedek Priesthood |work=[[Bible Dictionary (LDS Church)|Bible Dictionary]], [[LDS edition of the Bible|KJV (LDS)]] |publisher=LDS Church |year=1979 }}</ref>