Diocesan bishop

The term diocesan bishop is used in churches with Episcopal church orders to a bishop, the head of a diocese ( diocese ) is to be distinguished from the other bishops ( titular bishop, suffragan bishop ).

The diocesan Bishop has the supreme teaching and legal authority ( jurisdiction ) for his diocese, in the Roman Catholic Church he the Pope (see hierarchy) is responsible. Diocesan and auxiliary bishops are of the consecration ago on the same level with each other ( Sacrament of Holy Orders ); both can run the same as bishops ordination actions. Auxiliary bishops, however, are subordinate to their diocesan bishops.

All the bishops of a country is usually close to a Bishops' Conference together, in which they discuss practical issues of pastoral cooperation and coordinate their actions with each other. In the Episcopal Church of the United States of America the right to vote is limited in the body of bishops in some cases only to the diocesan bishops.

A bishop in the Catholic Church is either diocesan bishop or titular bishop ( can. 376 CIC). A titular bishop is a bishop without jurisdiction, that is, it does not forward any diocese. He works in the diplomatic service or in the Roman Curia; or he helps as a diocesan bishop suffragan bishop in the diocese.

See also: Altdiözesanbischof, Patriarch, Metropolitan, Archbishop.

• Episcopal Office