Question asked by Hong Fat Ham
According to Wikipedia, the style “Your Eminence” is used of Roman Catholic cardinals, along with certain Orthodox patriarchs or archbishops and Muslim imams. Whose idea was it that you should use “H.E”, and why was this style (rather than His Beatitude, His Grace, etc.) thought appropriate to your role?
Dear Hong,
Not everything in Wikipedia is accurate or correct. It is updated by anyone and anytime.
Many of the Tibetan titles if translated into English sounds odd.
I think it was some of my students who wanted to show deep respect that they started calling me Your Eminence. In the Ashvagosha’s writings, it says that we should never address our teacher directly by the name, and that we should add some honorific titles to show respect. What titles is up to us. It is good for our practice to do so and helps others to gain faith in our teacher if you do so according to Ashvagosha.
Certainly I am not deserving of such a title.
Your Eminence is not exclusively or copywritten just for the people you mentioned I would assume. Any religious figure can use it..
Interesting question..thanks.