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== Rankings of Bishops ==In the degree of their ordinationAccording to [[Canon law|Church Law]], all bishops are equalof an area must meet in [[council]]s. Nevertheless When doing so, there are distinctions of administrative rank among bishopsthe metropolitan or patriarchate presides administratively.
=== ''Archbishops Through the [[sacrament]] of [[Ordination|holy orders]] bishops give order to the Church. Bishops guarantee the continuity and Metropolitans'' ===The title unity of '''archbishop''' or '''metropolitan''' may be granted the Church from age to age and from place to a senior bishopplace, usually one who that is , from the time of Christ and the apostles until the establishment of God's Kingdom in charge eternity. Bishops receive the gift of a large ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocesethe Holy Spirit to manifest Christ in the Spirit to men. He may or may not have suffragan bishops assisting himBishops are neither vicars, substitutes, nor representatives of Christ. In the Slavic It is Christ, through his chosen ministers, who acts as teacher, good shepherd, forgiver, and Antiochian traditions, a metropolitan outranks an archbishophealer. The reverse It is true in Christ remitting sins, and curing the Greek traditionphysical, mental, and spiritual ills of mankind. The Antiochian tradition also uses the style This is a mystery of '''metropolitan archbishop''' to differentiate from metropolitans in the Greek traditionChurch.
The change in ==Ruling bishop==A '''ruling bishop''' or '''diocesan bishop''' is responsible for and the head of all the Greek tradition came about because at one point [[parish]]es located in historyhis a particular geographical territory, the called a [[diocese|diocesan]] bishops or [[archdiocese]]. All authority of ancient sees (which in the Greek world are pretty much all lower orders of them) all came to be styled as metropolitansclergy is derived from the bishop. Thus, while No divine services may be served in any Orthodox temple without the Slavic and Antiochian traditions, an archbishop is a senior bishop with an honorific title, a metropolitan is authorization of a bishop in charge of a major see and thus holding a territorial title. In Saint [[Ignatius of Antioch|Ignatius the God-bearer of Antioch]] went so far as to state that "he who acts without the Greek tradition, all diocesan bishops (with a few exceptions) are metropolitans by default, and thus an archbishop bishop's knowledge is one who holds his title by reason of territoryin the devil's service."
=== He may be called ''PatriarchsBishop'' ===The title or ''Archbishop''or '[[patriarch]]'Metropolitan'' 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 (''Metropolitan Archbishop'' or some combination)''Patriarch''.
In general, when referring to a hierarch, His The title patriarch is often used (e.g. His All Holiness, BARTHOLOMEW, Archbishop reserved for the [[primate]] of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch visited Tarpon Springs, Florida in January certain of 2006)the [[autocephalous]] Orthodox churches. When speaking to a The first [[hierarch Your is often used (Your Eminence, I'm so glad to see you!)]] of the other autocephalous churches are styled metropolitan or archbishop or archbishop.
Bishop The title patriarch was first applied to the original three major [[see]]s of [[Tikhon (Fitzgerald) Church of Rome|Rome]], [[Church of San Francisco Alexandria|Alexandria]], and Los Angeles[[Church of Antioch|Tikhon (Fitzgerald) Antioch]], and shortly after extended to include [[Church of San Francisco Constantinople|Constantinople]] and the West[[Church of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]] (cf. [[OCAPentarchy]]) wrote a short memo on the [http://www.holy-trinity.org/general/conventions.html ''Conventions of writing to a hierarch''].
{{stub}}[[Category:Clergy]][[Category:Bishops|*]]
very minor edit: changed "his Holy Spirit" to "the Holy Spirit". Paired with "his people" and "his Church", "his Holy Spirit" makes the Spirit sound like an attribute or subordinate of Christ
{{incomplete}} {{Template:Clergy}}The '''Bishopbishop''' is the first and highest degree of the [[clergy]] in the [[Orthodox Church]] (επίσκοπος or ''episkopos'' in Greek, which means overseer). He is the successor to the Apostles in the service and government of the Church. A bishop is responsible for and the head of all the parishes located in his diocese. 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.
== Episcopal Ministry ministry==A bishop is the [[Apostolic succession|successor]] to the [[Apostles]] in the service and government of the Church. The bishop thus serves εις τόπον και τύπον Χριστού (in place and as a type of Christ) in the Church. No bishop in Orthodoxy is considered infallible. None has any authority over or apart from his priests, deacons, and people or the other bishops. They have the responsibility of maintaining the unity of the Church throughout the world by insuring the truth and unity of the faith and practice of their diocese. The bishop represent his particular diocese to the other churches or dioceses, and represents the Universal Church to his own particular [[priest]]s, [[deacon]]s, and people.
===''Patriarchal Vicars''=Male monastics only==In the [[Orthodox Church of Antioch]], a bishop who is in charge of a newly-created diocese on behalf of, and under from about the supervision ofsixth century, it has been the Patriarch of Antioch. The diocese is usually kept under the direct control of the patriarch until it becomes self-supportingrule that bishops are single men or widowers. Patriarchal vicars Bishops are not members of the Holy Synod. When the diocese becomes self-supporting, it is also usually granted a ruling bishop who is a member of the Holy Synod. The equivalent title in at least the Roman Catholic Church is ''Vicar Apostolic''. They are significantly different from auxilliary bishopsfirst degree of [[monastic]] orders.
=== ''Diocesan Bishops'' =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 the [[Holy Spirit]].
=== ''Special Forms'' =Rankings of bishops==The primate of the [[Church of Constantinople]] takes the title ''Ecumenical Patriarch''Sacramentally, all bishops are equal. The primate of the [[Church of Alexandria]] takes the title ''Pope and Patriarch''. The primate of the [[Church Nevertheless, there are distinctions of Georgia]] takes the title ''Catholicos-Patriarch''administrative rank among bishops.
== Etiquette =====CorrespondencePatriarchs===''Main Article: [[Patriarch]]''
Much later the term was granted to the heads of other most significant churches. Significance for some churches now may be more historical than actual. == =Archbishops and Metropolitans===The title of archbishop or metropolitan may be granted to a senior bishop, usually one who is in charge of a large ecclesiastical [[jurisdiction]]. He may or may not have provincial oversight of suffragan bishops. He may or may not have [[auxiliary bishop]]s assisting him. In the Slavonic and Antiochian traditions, a [[metropolitan]] outranks an archbishop. The reverse is the situation in the Greek tradition. The Antiochian tradition also uses the style metropolitan archbishop to differentiate from metropolitan bishops in the Greek tradition. The change in the Greek tradition came about in later Greek history, because the diocesan bishops of ancient sees (which in the Greek [[diaspora]] include most) came to be styled metropolitans, short for "metropolitan bishops." The Slavonic and Antiochian churches continue to follow the older tradition, where an archbishop is a senior bishop in charge of a major see, and a metropolitan is a bishop in charge of a province which may include a number of minor and/or major sees. In the Greek tradition, all diocesan bishops of autocephalous churches such as the Church of Greece (the bishop of Patras being Metropolitan) are now metropolitans, and an archbishop holds his title as an indication of greater importance for whatever reason. The [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]] is the notable exception in the Greek practice where diocesan bishops carry the title of metropolitan. In other churches under the jurisdiction of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] such as the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia]] the ruling bishop is the archbishop while the other bishops are auxiliary bishops with titles of the ancient sees. ===Non-ruling bishops===A bishop who does not rule his own diocese is either a Patriarchal Vicar or an Auxiliary Bishop. ===Patriarchal vicars===''Main Article: [[Vicar]]'' In the [[Church of Antioch]], a bishop who is in charge of a newly-created diocese on behalf of, and under the supervision of, the Patriarch of Antioch is called a Patriarchal Vicar. The diocese is usually kept under the direct control of the patriarch until it becomes self-supporting. Patriarchal Vicars are not members of the [[Holy Synod]], and do not answer to the Holy Synod. When a diocese becomes self-supporting, it is usually granted a ruling bishop who becomes a member of the Holy Synod. The equivalent title in some Orthodox jurisdictions is [[Exarch]]. The equivalent title in the Roman Catholic Church is "Vicar Apostolic." ===Auxiliary bishops===''Main Article: [[Auxiliary bishop]]'' Most Orthodox Churches allow themselves the capacity to appoint auxiliary bishops to assist ruling bishops within their own dioceses or archdioceses. Auxiliary bishops do not govern in their own right but only act as directed by their diocesan bishop. ===Titular bishops===''Main Article: [[Titular bishop]]'' Bishops who are assigned a title of ancient dioceses that no longer function are called titular bishops. The [[Diocese of Sourozh]], the diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Great Britain and Ireland, is an example. However, generally, titular bishops are auxiliary bishops. ===Special forms===The primate of the [[Church of Constantinople]] assumed the title Ecumenical Patriarch. The [[primate]] of the [[Church of Alexandria]] was granted the title Pope and Patriarch. The primate of the [[Church of Georgia]] recently amended his title from [[Catholicos]] to Catholicos-Patriarch. ==Hierarchical vestments==''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, purple for bishops and Greek metropolitans, blue for 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 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 Vestments 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==At services in the Slavic traditions, the bishop stands on a small round or oval rug, called [[orlets]], upon which is represented an eagle hovering over a city. This symbolizes his rule over a city and the eagle reminds the bishop that by his teaching and life he must rise above his flock and be an example of one hopeful to the things of heaven. In the Greek traditions, the bishop sits or stands at the [[cathedra|bishop's throne]] on the south side of the church, on the [[solea]]. The back of the chair of this throne has an icon depicting Christ the King, and the bishop will first venerate this icon before occupying the throne. At times during the services, the bishop blesses the faithful with two candlesticks, one with two candles called [[dikiri]] and the other with three called [[trikiri]], the first symbolizing the two natures of Christ, the other symbolizing the three persons of the [[Holy Trinity]].
==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Hierarchs]]
[[Categoryel:ClergyΕπίσκοπος]][[fr:Évêque]][[mk:Епископ]][[ro:Episcop]]
