The '''Bishop''' is the first and highest degree of the [[clergy]] in the [[Orthodox Church]] Maxim (''episkopos'' in Greek, which means overseerVasilijevic). He is the successor to the Apostles in the service and government of the Church. A was enthroned as bishop is responsible for and the head of all the parishes located in his diocese. All authority Diocese of the lower orders Western America of clergy is derived from the bishop. No divine services may be served in any Serbian Orthodox temple without the authorization of a bishop. == Episcopal Ministry == == Rankings of Bishops == SacramentallyChurch on July 30, all bishops are equal2006. NeverthelessPreviously, there are distinctions of administrative rank among bishops.   === Patriarchs === 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 metropolitan archbishop.  The title patriarch he was first applied to the original three major sees Bishop of RomeHum, Alexandria, and Antioch, and shortly after extended to include Constantinople and Jerusalem.  Much later Vicar bishop in the term was granted to the heads Metropolitanate 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 bishopDabro-Bosna, 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 auxilliary bishops assisting him.  In the Slavonic Serbia and Antiochian traditions, was a metropolitan outranks an archbishop. The reverse is professor at 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 Orthodox Theological Faculty in later Greek historyBelgrade, because the [[diocese|diocesan]] bishops of ancient sees (which in the Greek world are pretty much all of them) came to be styled metropolitans.  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 seesHe was enthroned by Bp.  In the Greek tradition, all diocesan bishops (with a few exceptions) are now metropolitans, and an archbishop holds his title as an indication Longin of greater importance for whatever reason. == Diocese Bishop == ===''Non Ruling Bishops''=== A bishop who does not rule his own diocese is either a Patriarchal Vicar or an Auxilliary Bishop. ===Patriarchal Vicars=== In the [[Church of Antioch]]New Gracanica Metropolitanate, a bishop who is in charge of a newly-created diocese on behalf of, and under the supervision Cathedral Church of, the Patriarch of Antioch is called a Patriarchal VicarSt. The diocese is usually kept under the direct control of Steven the patriarch until it becomes selfFirst-supporting. Patriarchal Vicars are not members of the Holy Synod, and do not answer to the Holy Synod. When a diocese becomes self-supportingCrowned in Alhambra, it is usually granted a ruling bishop who becomes a member of the Holy SynodCalifornia.  The equivalent title in some Orthodox jurisdictions is [[Exarch]]Bp. The equivalent title in Maxim was elected to the Roman Catholic Church is Vicar Apostolic. ===Auxilliary Bishops=== Auxilliary Bishops are significantly different from Patriarchal Vicars.  Most Orthodox Churches allow themselves the capacity to appoint Auxilliary Bishops to assist ruling bishops within their own dioceses or archdioceses.  Auxilliary Bishops do not govern in their own right but only act as directed by their diocesan bishop.  === ''Special Forms'' === The primate see of the [[Church Diocese of Constantinople]] assumed Western America at the title Ecumenical Patriarch. The primate regular session of the [[Church Holy Assembly of Alexandria]] was granted the title Pope and Patriarch. The primate Bishops of the [[Serbian Orthodox Church of Georgia]] recently amended his title from Catholicos to Catholicos-Patriarch. == Etiquette =====Correspondence=== In general, when referring to a hierarchheld in May, His is often used (e2006.gBp. His All Holiness, BARTHOLOMEW, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch visited Tarpon Springs, Florida in January of 2006)Maxim succeeded Bp. When speaking to a hierarch Your is often used (Your EminenceLongin, I'm so glad to see you!). Bishop [[Tikhon (Fitzgerald) of San Francisco and Los Angeles|Tikhon (Fitzgerald) who previously was the Administrator of San Francisco and the West]] ([[OCA]]) wrote a short memo on the [http://www.holy-trinitydiocese.org/general/conventions.html ''Conventions of writing to a hierarch'']. == Bishop's Vestments == ==See also== * [[:Category:Images of Hierarchs]] {{incomplete}} [[Category:Clergy]][[Category:Bishops|*]]