Metropolitan bishop
The Office of the Metropolitan has been known since the early Christianity a top bishop, who heads a network of dioceses and his seat in a provincial capital ( Metropolis, AltGr. Μητρόπολις, " mother city of a colony " ) has. Today, the Office of Metropolitan still exists in the Roman Catholic Church as well as in the Orthodox Churches, with the legal structure differs.
- 3.1 Ecclesiastical Provinces
- 3.2 powers
- 3.3 Metropolitanates in German-speaking
Orthodox Metropolis
Origin
Μητρόπολις designated in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, the capital of a provincia ( ἐπαρχία ). The political term was added to the church terminology, describing the merger of several dioceses ( ἐνορία, ἐπισκοπή ) under the direction of a top bishop.
The Metropolitan title is based on the so-called Metropolitan Church Constitution, whose origin dates back to the 2nd century, and which was fully developed until the 4th century. During this period Christian bishopric Associations ( Metropolitanates ) had formed in the Roman Empire, the scope was inspired by the political structure of the empire, and which were at that epitome of the local church. Since the Christian mission usually ran out of the cities, the authority of the Metropolitan Bishop also covering the surrounding areas.
At the Synod of Antioch was a tendency on the approximation of church and state administrative units recognizable (Kan. 9). In the Acts of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325 ) are μητρόπολις (Kan. 7) and μητροπολίτης (Kan. 4, 6 ), whereby the Metropolia of political province ( ἐπαρχία ) corresponds to (Kan. 4, 5, 6). The agreement between church and state administrative structures was reaffirmed at the Council of Chalcedon (Kan. 17) and the Trullanum II (Kan. 38).
Tasks
The Metropolitan was responsible for disciplinary control of their province, they were the second instance after the Bishop court and the first instance in disputes of the bishops among themselves. Furthermore, they were incumbent supervises and confirmation of the election of suffragan bishops, as well as the management and convening of Metropolitan Synods, which were originally twice a year, at Easter and in the fall, take place.
As part of the training of Patriarchalverfassung in the 5th century the metropolitans lost significance, but had continued with the Patriarchate management by participating in the Endemusa Synod and in the choice of the Patriarch and the Metropolitans.
Archiepiskopoi
Some Metropolitans of the Eastern Churches bore the title archiepiskopos ( ἀρχιεπίσκοπος ), such as Athens, Thessaloniki and Ephesus. The Patriarch of Alexandria is probably the first Chief Bishop, who bore the title archiepiskopos before the 4th century. The title was distributed in Illyricum and may have been taken from there the conceptual world of the Roman Church ( Archbishop ). Also metropolitans of cities, who appealed to an apostolic origin, led the Archiepiskopos title.
In contrast to Archiepiskopoi the autocephalous archbishops had ( ἀρχιεπίσκοποι αὐτοκέφαλοι ) a rank between metropolitans and bishops held. These were mostly bishoprics, which had become independent by a favorable coincidence of their Metropolitanates throughout history; in contrast to Metropolitanates them no suffragans were usually assumed. Otherwise, the autocephalous archbishops metropolitans were equal and entitled to participate at about the Endemusa. The autocephalous archbishops often formed a political prop of the Patriarchs against the interests of the metropolitan.
In contrast to the small autocephalous archbishops, the bishops of some large autocephalous archbishoprics as Ohrid ( Bulgaria ), Cyprus and Kiev Patriarchate without de facto patriarch titles were. From the 13th or 14th century, the Serbian Archbishopric Žiča were ( Peć ) and the Bulgarian Archbishopric Trnovo temporarily recognized as patriarchates.
Rank
The rank of Metropolitan, Archiepiskopoi and bishops within their categories was determined by the rank of their dioceses, which was written from the 4th to the 15th century in several diocese lists ( Klesis, Notitiae episcopatuum ). The Metropolitan of Caesarea, as the most senior Metropolitan of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Opel was designated protothronos of patriarchy. Similarly, the highest ranking a suffragan of the Metropolitan Church was protothronos.
Choice
The choice of the Metropolitan resembled originally an ordinary bishop election and was responsible for the Metropolitan Synod. At the Patriarchate of Constantinople Opel however, went from about the 7th century to about suggesting the metropolitans of the Patriarchal Synod ( Endemusa ) and can be selected by the patriarch. The Endemusa suggested to the patriarch to three candidates, of whom the patriarch specific one to metropolitans. The Emperor reserved the right to veto the proposal of three candidates.
The election of the Patriarch of Constantinople Opel was carried out according to the same pattern: the Endemusa suggested three candidates, of which the emperor chose a patriarch.
Catholic Eastern Churches
In the Eastern Catholic Churches, the role of the Metropolitan is equal to the Orthodox in the Church.
Roman Catholic Church
Ecclesiastical Provinces
In the Roman Catholic Church is the Metropolitan of the head of an ecclesiastical province, an association of dioceses. He is the Archbishop and the Resident Bishop of a diocese of the Ecclesiastical Province ( can. 435 CIC). This diocese has a metropolitan see, and is referred to as Metropolitan bishopric, the other dioceses of the ecclesiastical province are its suffragans ( suffragan ).
Powers
Compared with the diocesan bishops belonging to his ecclesiastical province dioceses, the Metropolitan has the following additional rights:
- He should ensure that faith and ecclesiastical discipline are respected and possible abuses inform the Pope.
- He is to perform a canonical visitation, if a suffragan bishop has this refrain; However, the reason for this must first be recognized by the Apostolic See.
- He shall appoint the diocesan administrator of a vacant Episcopal chair when it was not legitimately elected within eight days or does not meet the conditions prescribed by law. ( Can. 436 § 1 CIC).
- The Court of the Metropolitan Committee in his ecclesiastical province usually as a court of second instance ( can. 1438 § 1 No 1 CIC)
- He cites with approval of his suffragan bishops one the provincial council.
If special circumstances so require, the Metropolitan may be assigned by the Apostolic See specific duties and powers that are legally attempts to understand fully ( can. 436 § 2 CIC). Other cable powers do not come to the Metropolitan; can nevertheless put in all the churches of his ecclesiastical province ecclesiastical acts as a bishop in his own diocese, in another Episcopal church, but only after prior consultation with the bishop (canon 436 § 3 CIC).
Metropolitans have the right, within their church province during the celebration to wear the pallium, which they get handed out as special characters by the Pope.
Metropolitanates in German-speaking
Metropolitanbistümer in Germany are: Archdiocese of Berlin, Archdiocese of Bamberg, Archdiocese of Freiburg, Cologne Archdiocese, Archdiocese of Munich and Freising Archdiocese of Hamburg and archdiocese of Paderborn.
Metropolitan seats in Austria are the Archdiocese of Vienna and the Archdiocese of Salzburg.
Switzerland has no metropolitan sees, as the Confederation sees the establishment of ecclesiastical provinces as directed against the egalitarian spirit of the cantons. Also, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein have no ecclesiastical provinces, but each consist of a archdiocese which directly subordinate to the Holy See ( Immediate, exemption ). This archbishops are not therefore Metropolitan bishops and also do not wear the pallium.
The majority of German -speaking diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone part of the Italian Metropolitan Bishopric of Trento.
Evangelical churches
In Protestant churches the title is not common. Only in the rural county of Hesse single pastor (mostly at city churches ) provides part-time basis to metropolitans in the 16th century. They were under the Superintendent and each had in a smaller area, the supervision of the pastor. Both in the Evangelical Church in Hesse and in the Evangelical Church in Hesse -Kassel was in office until the 19th century.