ARCHBISHOP, Archepiscopus, a metropolitan prelate, having several suffragan bishops under him. See BISHOP, SUFFRAGAN, etc. Archbishops were not known in the East, till about the year 320; and though there were some soon after this who had the title, yet that was only a personal honor by which the bishops of considerable cities were distinguished. It was not until later that archbishops became metropolitans, and had suffragans under them. See METROPOLITAN.
Athanasius appears to be the first that used the title Archbishop, which he gave occasionally to his predecessor; Gregory Nazianzen, in like manner, gave it to Athanasius: not that either of them were entitled to any jurisdiction, or even precedence, in virtue thereof. Among the Latins, Isidore of Seville is the first that speaks of archbishops. He distinguishes four orders of degrees in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, viz. patriarchs, metropolitans, and bishops.
See PATRIARCHY, etc.
England is divided into two archbishoprics, or provinces. See ARCHBISHOPRIC.
ARCHBISHOP
- Details
- Written by: Ephraïm Chambers
- Category: Unclassified