Bishop

A **bishop** is an ordained member o the Christian clergy that hauds a poseetion o authority an owersicht wiin a kirk. In maist Christian traditions that keep the historic episcopate, bishops are chairgit wi the governance, teachin, an pastoral care o a defined ecclesiastical territory, maistlins cried a diocese, eparchy, or see. The office o a bishop is kent as the episcopacy or episcopate.  
  
Bishops uisualie play leadin roles in the Catholic Kirk, the Eastern Orthodox Kirk, the Oriental Orthodox Kirkes, the Anglican Communion, certain Lutheran kirks, Independent Catholic an Independent Anglican kirks, an in some Methodist an ither Christian denominations an aa.

## Types o bishops
  
Monie kirks hae developed episcopal structures wi different types o bishops, includin:  
* **Diocesan bishop** – the ordinar bishop o a diocese  
* **Archbishop** – a bishop o an archdiocese, aften o historical or administrative importance  
* **[[Metropolitan bishop]]** – an archbishop wi leemitit owersicht ower ither dioceses in a kirk province  
* **Suffragan bishop** – a bishop subordinate ti a metropolitan or diocesan bishop  
* **Auxiliary bishop** or **Assistant bishop** – a bishop appyntit ti assist a diocesan bishop  
* **Coadjutor bishop** – an auxiliary bishop wi the richt o succession  
* **Titular bishop** – a bishop withoot a residential diocese, assignit a titular see  
* **Patriarch** – the heid o certain ancient autocephalous or *sui iuris* kirks  
* **Major archbishop** – the heid o some Eastren Catholic Kirks wi authority like a patriarch  
* **Catholicos** – a title uised for heids o certain Eastren kirks  
* **Primate** – aften an honorific title for the senior bishop o a national kirk  
* **Bishop-elect** – a person appyntit as bishop but no yet ordained  
  
### Archbishop
  
In Christianity, an **archbishop** is a heich-rankin bishop. The jurisdiction or area governit bi an archbishop is cried a metropolis (or a metropolitan archdiocese).   
  
In the Catholic Kirk, whan a bishop becomes an archbishop, he disna receive onie additional Holy Orders or ither sacrament — his sacramental rank remains the same as that o a bishop. The heid o an archdiocese is aften cried a **metropolitan archbishop**. Tho no aa archbishops (nor aa bishops) are cardinals, some archbishops — especially thae o lairge or historically important ceeties — may be appyntit as cardinals bi the Pape.  
  
In the Eastren Orthodox Kirk, archbishops aften owerset lairge or historically significant territories. The structure varies bi tradition, an in some Orthodox kirks, archbishops are ranked laicher nor metropolitans, dependin on the ecclesiastical system o that kirk.  
  
In the Anglican Communion, archbishops haud roles similar ti thae in the Catholic Kirk. The maist notable example is the Archbishop o Canterbury, wha is regardit as the spiritual leader o the Kirk o England an the Anglican Communion warldwide.  
  
### Coadjutor bishop
A **coadjutor bishop** is a bishop wha is appyntit tae help the main bishop o a diocese an wha succeeds him automatical-like whan he retires or dees.  
  
### Bishop-elect
A **bishop-elect** is a person (uisualie a priest), that haes been appyntit tae become a bishop, but that haesna yet been ordinatit.  
  
### Suffragan bishop
In the Catholic Kirk, a **suffragan bishop** leids a diocese that is pairt o a kirk province, but that isna the main diocese (which is uisualie ledit bi the metropolitan bishop). A diocese ledit bi a suffragan bishop is cried a suffragan diocese.  
  
In the Anglican Church, a suffragan bishop is unner a metropolitan bishop or a diocesan bishop (the main bishop o a diocese). They uisualie dinnae hae fu authority, but may tak care o pairts o a diocese or o areas that hae nae cathedral.  

## Episcopal symbols an heraldry

File:External Ornaments of an Anglican Bishop.svg|External ornaments o an Anglican bishop’s coat o airms
File:Template-Bishop.svg|Catholic bishop’s episcopal coat o airms
File:Template-Archbishop.svg|Catholic archbishop’s episcopal coat o airms
File:Template-Archbishop (byzantine rite).png|Archbishop’s coat o airms (Byzantine rite)
File:Template-Armenian Catholic Church Patriarch.svg|Patriarch’s coat o airms (Armenian Catholic Kirk)

  
## See forbye
* Catholic Kirk  
* Metropolitan bishop  
* Anglicanism  
* Orthodox Christianity  
  
## References