Members of the Christian clergy; priests, ministers, or other religious officials who lead services and perform religious duties.
From Old French 'clerc' (Latin 'clericus') meaning priest or scholar. In Medieval times, clergy were often the only literate members of society.
For over a thousand years, the clergy monopolized literacy in Europe—being 'clerical' meant being educated, which is why we still use terms like 'clerical work' for administrative tasks.
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