word diocese {StoiKrja-i,^) passed from the political into the ecclesi- astical terminology, and denoted at first a patriarchal district, comprising several provinces (thus the expression occurs con- tinually in the Greek acts of councils), but afterward came to be applied in the West to each episcopal district. The circuit of a metropolitan was called in the East an eparchy {eTrap^id), in the West provincia. An ordinary bishopric was called in the East a parish {irapocKLa), while in the Latin church the term (parochia) was usually applied to a mere pastoral charge. The lowest rank in the episcopal hierarchy was occupied by the country bishops,^ the presiding oificers of those rural congregations, which were not supplied with presbyters from neighboring cities. In Xorth Africa, with its multitude of small dioceses, these country bishops were very numerous, and stood on an equal footing with the others. But in the East they became more and more subordinate to the neighboring city bishops ; until at last, partly on account of their own in- competence, chiefly for the sake of the rising hierarchy, they were wholly extinguished. Often they were utterly unfit for their ofiice ; at least Basil of Cassarea, who had fifty country bishops in his metropolitan district, reproached them with frequently receiving men totally unworthy into the clerical ranks. And moreover, they stood in the way of the aspira- tions of the city bishops ; for the greater the number of bish- ops, the smaller the diocese and the power of each, though probably the better the collective influence of all upon the church. The council of Sardica, in 343, doubtless had both considerations in view, when, on motion of Hosius, the presi- dent, it decreed : " It is not permitted, that, in a village or * XcopeTTiffKOTroi. The principal statements respecting them are : Epist. Synodi Antioch., a. d. 270, in Euseb. H. E. vii. 89 (where they are called eViV/fOTroi tUv ' (j o/xSptov a.ypcov') ; Concil. Ancyr., a. d. 315, can. 13 (where they are forbidden to ordain presbyters and deacons); Concil. Antioch., a. d. 341, can. 10 (same prohibition); ^^ j Cone. Laodic, between 320 and 3*72, can. 57 (where the erection of new countrv ^^ia=&:!; bishoprics is forbidden) ; and Cone. Sardic, a. d. 343, can. 6 (where they are whollt abolished). 270 THIRD PERIOD. A.D. 311-590. small town, for which a single priest is sufficient, a hishop should be stationed, lest the episcopal dignity and authority suffer scandal ; ^ but the bishops of the eparchy (province) shall appoint bishops only for those places where bishops have already been, or where the town is so populous that it is considered worthy to be a bishopric." The place of these chorepiscopi was thenceforth supplied either by visitators {irepLohevraL), who in the name of the bishop visited the country congregations from time to time, and performed the necessary functions, or by resident presbj^ters (parochi), under the immediate supervision of the city bishop. Among the city bishops