The name chorepiscopus or chorbishop is taken from the Greek, and means country bishop. Chorepiscopi are first mentioned by Eusebius in the second century. Eusebius is the name of several significant historical people: Pope Eusebius - Pope in AD 309 - 310. ...

In the beginning the chorepiscopi seem to have exercised all episcopal functions in their rural districts, but from the second half of the third century they were subject to the city or metropolitan bishops. The Synod of Ancyra (314) specifically forbade them to ordain deacons or priests. The Synod of Sardica (343) decreed that no chorepiscopus should be consecrated where a priest would suffice, and so the chorepiscopi in the Eastern Church gradually disappeared. In the Western Church they were treated as an auxiliary bishop, as a rule having no fixed territory or see of their own. They gradually disappeared as an office and were replaced by archdeacons to administer subdivisions of a diocese. When the word metropolitan (from the Greek metera = mother and polis = town) is used as an adjective, as in metropolitan bishop, metropolitan France, or metropolitan area it can mean: of or characteristic of a metropolis; see also metropolitan area, Metropolitan Police, Metropolitan Railway of or belonging to the home territories... An important ecclesiastical synod was held at Ancyra, the seat of the Roman administration for the province of Galatia, in 314. ... An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial... An archdeacon is a senior position in some Christian churches, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. ...

Both Catholic and Orthodox Eastern Churches still have chorbishops. In some, they are like auxiliary bishops, in others chorbishop is an honorary title.

In the Maronite Church, a chorbishop is ordained and is similar to an auxiliary bishop. A chorbishop may wear a bishop's vestments including the mitre (hat) and crozier (staff), and has the power to confer minor orders (reader and the subdiaconate) but not the diaconate or priesthood. In some Eastern Orthodox Churches, an auxiliary bishop may also be called a chorbishop. Maronites (Marunoye ܡܪܘܢܝܐܶ; in Syriac, Mâruniyya مارونية in Arabic) are members of an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. ... MITRE is a US not-for-profit corporation that manages three federally-funded research and development centers whose main activities are applying computer-based automation to large and complex tasks. ... A crosier (crozier, pastoral staff) is the stylized staff of office carried by high-ranking Catholic prelates. ... The minor orders were formally a part of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church. ... In some Christian churches, the Reader is responsible for reading aloud excerpts of the scripture at a liturgy. ... Subdeacon is a title used in various branches of Christianity. ... ...

For the Melkite Greek Catholic Church and other Eastern Catholic Churches, chorbishop is an honorary title. The coat of arms of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Rite sui juris particular Church in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope of Rome. ... The term Eastern Rites may refer to the liturgical rites used by many ancient Christian Churches of Eastern Europe and the Middle East that, while being part of the Roman Catholic Church, are distinct from the Latin Rite or Western Church. ...

See also

• Synods of Antioch
• Synod of Ancyra

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia.

This article is part of the series on Eastern Christianity — Also see the Eastern Christianity Portal