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According to [[Canon law|Church Law]], bishops of an area must meet in [[council]]s. When doing so, the metropolitan or patriarchate presides administratively.
In the Orthodox Church, from about the sixth century, it has been the rule that bishops are single men or widowers. Bishops are also usually in at least the first degree of [[monastic]] orders.
==Holy orders==
It is the belief of Orthodoxy that [[Christ]] is the only priest, pastor, and teacher of the Christian Church. He alone forgives sins and offers communion with [[God]], his [[God the Father|Father]]. Christ alone guides and rules his people. Christ remains with his Church as its living and unique head. Christ remains present and active in the Church through his the [[Holy Spirit]].
Through the [[sacrament]] of [[Ordination|holy orders]] bishops give order to the Church. Bishops guarantee the continuity and unity of the Church from age to age and from place to place, that is, from the time of Christ and the apostles until the establishment of God's Kingdom in eternity. Bishops receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to manifest Christ in the Spirit to men. Bishops are neither vicars, substitutes, nor representatives of Christ. It is Christ, through his chosen ministers, who acts as teacher, good shepherd, forgiver, and healer. It is Christ remitting sins, and curing the physical, mental, and spiritual ills of mankind. This is a mystery of the Church.
A '''ruling bishop''' or '''diocesan bishop''' is responsible for and the head of all the [[parish]]es located in his a particular geographical territory, called a [[diocese]] or [[archdiocese]]. All authority of the lower orders of clergy is derived from the bishop. No divine services may be served in any Orthodox temple without the authorization of a bishop. Saint [[Ignatius of Antioch|Ignatius the God-bearer of Antioch]] went so far as to state that "he who acts without the bishop's knowledge is in the devil's service."
He may be called ''Bishop'' or , ''Archbishop'' or , ''Metropolitan'' or , ''Metropolitan Archbishop'' or ''Patriarch''.
==Rankings of bishops==
''Main Article: [[Patriarch]]''
The title patriarch is reserved for the [[primate]] of certain of the [[autocephalous]] Orthodox churches. The first [[hierarch]] of the other autocephalous churches are styled metropolitan or archbishop or archbishop.
The title patriarch was first applied to the original three major [[see]]s of [[Church of Rome|Rome]], [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]], and [[Church of Antioch|Antioch]], and shortly after extended to include [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] and [[Church of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]] (cf. [[Pentarchy]]).
''Main Article: [[Vestments]]''
The bishop wears a monastic garment called a [[mantiya]] when he arrives at a divine service. Unlike the typical monastic mantiya, which is black, that of the bishop is some other color, usually red or purple for bishops and Greek metropolitans, bluefor archbishops and non-Greek metropolitans, and green for a patriarch, and upon it are sewn the Tables of the Law, square patches at the neck and feet, characterizing the Old and New Covenants. In addition, strips of cloth, called fountains, are sewn horizontally around the mantiya, representing the streams of teachings which flow from the bishop's mouth.
In the slavonic traditions, a ruling bishop is usually liturgically vested in the center of his church. In the Greek traditions, bishops are often vested in at the altar. In the Antiochian tradition, the bishop usually vests in the sanctuary.
Liturgically, except for the [[phelonion]] and the [[nabedrennik]], a bishop wears all the vestments of a priest. The phelonion was at first part of the bishop's vestments but was replaced by a garment, similar to the deacon's [[sticharion]], called a [[sakkos]] (also ''saccos''), a garment of humility. As Christ's robe was without seam, the bishop, as an icon of Christ, wears the saccos either sewn or buttoned at the sides.
Over the saccos, the bishop wears a wide shoulder covering called the [[omophorion]]. It hangs down in front and back, and symbolizes the wandering sheep which Christ took upon his shoulders as the Good Shepherd. In ancient times, was made of sheepskin. At other times at services, the bishop may wear a shorter omophorion that has both ends hanging down the front called the small omophorion
The bishop wears a richly embroidered crown, called a [[miter|mitre]]. This is to represent the power conferred upon a minister of the Church.
Together with his [[pectoral cross]], the bishop also wears a small, circular icon of the Savior or of the Mother of God, called the [[Panagia (vestment)|Panagia]] (All-Holy), or [[Engolpion]], over his heart. This is to remind him that he must always bear in his heart our Lord and his Holy Mother, and thus his own heart must be pure.
An episcopal staff called a [[crosier|crozier]] is carried by the bishop, as a shepherd's crook, to be reminiscent that he is a shepherd of Christ's flock. It has a cross at the top, just above a double crook. This double crook is sometimes in the shape of serpents' heads, symbolizing the serpent lifted up by [[Moses]] in the wilderness. (Now Christ lifted up on the Cross.)
==Liturgical items==
[[el:Επίσκοπος]]
[[fr:Évêque]]
[[mk:Епископ]]
[[ro:Episcop]]