Spectre’s Sayings

In a comment on Amy Welborn’s blog, Gil Garza explains some Eastern Catholic ecclesial terminology:

An Apostolic Exarchy is a portion of the people of God which, because of special circumstances, is not erected as an eparchy (or diocese), and which is established within territorial limits or other kinds of limits (such as ethnicity) and is committed to an exarch.

The Apostolic Exarch rules in the name of the Roman Pontiff who is responsible for the establishment, modification or suppression of an exarchy. Exarchies may also be established, modified or suppressed by Eastern Catholic Patriarchs.

An Eparchy is the Eastern equivalent to a diocese. It is a portion of the people of God which is entrusted for pastoral care to a bishop with the cooperation of the presbyterate. The bishop, as vicar and legate of Christ, governs in his own name.

Autonomous Metropolitan Churches (sui iuris) are presided over by a metropolitan (called an Archbishop in the Latin Church) of a determined see who is a bishop and appointed by the Roman Pontiff and assisted by a council of hierarchs (i.e., suffragan bishops). Autonomous Metropolitan Churches are self-governing in all internal ecclesiastical affairs. Autonomous Metropolitans are able to: ordain and enthrone suffragan bishops; convoke synods; erect metropolitan tribunals; oversee the faith and ensure that ecclesiastical discipline are observed; conduct canonical visitations; appoint administrators; appoint or confirm elected offices and communicate acts of the Roman Pontiff to whom they pertain.

Patriarchal Churches are presided over by a patriarch who is a bishop who enjoys power over all bishops including metropolitans and other Christian faithful of the Church over which he presides. A patriarch is elected by the synod of bishops of the patriarchal Church. Notice of the election is sent to the Roman Pontiff and to the other patriarchs of the other Eastern Churches. New patriarchs request ecclesiastical communion from the Roman Pontiff as soon as possible after his election. Patriarchal Churches are self-governing in all internal ecclesiastical, doctrinal, moral and religious affairs. Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches precede all bishops of any degree everywhere in the world.

I wonder, though, if he really meant that last sentence. Do Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches precede patriarchs of the Western Churches (such as the Partriarch Archbishop of Milan, as head of the Milanese Apostolic Catholic church, and leader of Ambrosian rite Catholics?) and do they precede the Roman Pontiff? Otherwise, it’s not a bad explanation.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.