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Exarch

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This article is about the political and military office of exarch, and also about the ecclesiastical office of the same name. For other uses, seeExarch (disambiguation).
Originaldiocesesof the Roman Empire, created by emperorDiocletian(284–305)
Laterdiocesesof the Roman Empire, around 400 AD

Anexarch(/ˈɛksɑːrk/; fromAncient Greekἔξαρχοςexarchos) was the holder of any of various historical offices, some of them being political or military and others being ecclesiastical.

In the lateRoman Empireand earlyByzantine Empire,anexarchwas a governor of a particular territory. From the end of the 3rd century or early 4th, everyRoman diocesewas governed by avicarius,who was titled "exarch" in eastern parts of the Empire, where the Greek language and the use of Greek terminology dominated,[1]even though Latin was the language of the imperial administration from the provincial level up until the 440s (Greek translations were sent out with the official Latin text). In Greek texts, the Latin title is spelled βικάριος (bikarios). The office of exarch as a governor with extended political and military authority was later created in theByzantine Empire,with jurisdiction over a particular territory, usually a frontier region at some distance from the capitalConstantinople.[2]

In theEastern Christian Churches(Eastern Orthodox,Oriental OrthodoxandEastern Catholic), the termexarchhas three distinct uses: ametropolitanwho holds the office of exarch is the deputy of apatriarchand holds authority over bishops of the designated ecclesiastical region (thus, a position between that of patriarch and regular metropolitan); or an auxiliary or titular bishop appointed to be exarch over a group of the faithful not yet large enough or organized enough to be constituted an eparchy or diocese (thus the equivalent of avicar apostolic); or a priest or deacon who is appointed by a bishop as his executive representative in various fields of diocesan administration (in the Byzantine Empire, executive exarchs were usually collecting diocesan revenues for local bishops).

Political exarchs

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Further information:Roman diocese,Exarchate of Ravenna,andExarchate of Africa

In the civil administration of the Byzantine Empire the exarch was, as stated above, the imperial governor of a large and important region of the Empire. The Exarchates were a response to weakening imperial authority in the provinces and were part of the overall process of unification of civil and military offices, initiated in early form byJustinian I,which would lead eventually to the creation of theThematic systemby either the EmperorHeracliusorConstans II.

After the dissolution of the Western Empire in the late fifth century, theEastern Roman Empireremained stable through the beginning of the Middle Ages and retained the ability for future expansion.Justinian Ireconquered North Africa, Italy, Dalmatia and finally parts of Spain for the Eastern Roman Empire. However, this put an incredible strain on the Empire's limited resources. Subsequent emperors would not surrender the re-conquered land to remedy the situation. Thus the stage was set for EmperorMauriceto establish the Exarchates to deal with the constantly evolving situation of the provinces.

In Italy theLombardswere the main opposition toByzantinepower. In North Africa theAmazighorBerberprinces were ascendant due to Roman weakness outside the coastal cities. The problems associated with many enemies on various fronts (theVisigothsin Spain, theSlavsandAvarsin the Balkans, theSassanidPersians in the Middle East, and the Amazigh in North Africa) forced the imperial government to decentralize and devolve power to the former provinces.

The term Exarch most commonly refers to the Exarch of Italy, who governed the area of Italy and Dalmatia, still remaining under Byzantine control after theLombardinvasion of 568. The exarchate's seat was atRavenna,whence it is known as the "Exarchate of Ravenna".Ravenna remained the seat of the Exarch until the revolt of 727 overIconoclasm.Thereafter, the growing menace of theLombardsand the split between eastern and westernChristendomthat Iconoclasm caused made the position of the Exarch more and more untenable. The last Exarch was killed by the Lombards in 751.

A second exarchate was created by Maurice to administer northern Africa, formerly a separatepraetorian prefecture,the islands of the western Mediterranean and theByzantine possessions in Spain.The capital of theExarchate of AfricawasCarthage.An emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire,Heraclius,was the son of the exarch of Africa before Heraclius replaced the usurper emperorPhocasin 610. Phocas had revolted under emperorMauricewho had appointed Heraclius' father as exarch of Africa. The exarchate proved both financially and militarily strong, and survived until the Arab Muslim conquest of Carthage in 698.

Ecclesiastical exarchs

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Early tradition

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The term 'exarch' entered ecclesiastical language at first for ametropolitan(an archbishop) with jurisdiction not only for the area that was his as a metropolitan, but also over other metropolitans within local politicaldioceses.Since imperialvicarius(governor of a political diocese) was often called "exarch" in eastern, Greek-speaking parts of the Empire, it became customary for the metropolitans of the diocesan capitals (Ephesusin theDiocese of Asia,Heracleain theDiocese of ThraceandCaesareain theDiocese of Pontus) also to use the title "exarch" in order to emphasize their precedence and primatial status over other metropolitans within local political dioceses.[1]

TheCouncil of Chalcedon(451), which gave special authority to the see of Constantinople as being "the residence of the emperor and the Senate", in its canons spoke of diocesan "exarchs", placing all metropolitans in dioceses of Asia, Thrace and Pontus (including metropolitans-exarchs of Ephesus, Heraclea and Caesarea) under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Constantinople. Metropolitans-exarchs of Ephesus tried to resist the supreme jurisdiction of Constantinople, but eventually failed since imperial government supported the creation of a centralized Patriarchate.[1]

When the proposed government of universal Christendom by five patriarchal sees (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, known as thepentarchy), under the auspices of a single universal empire, was formulated in the legislation ofEmperor Justinian I(527–565), especially in his Novella 131 (De regulis ecclesiasticis etc., caput III),[3]and received formal ecclesiastical sanction at theCouncil in Trullo(692), the name "patriarch" became the official one for the heads of major autocephalous churches, and the title of "exarch" was further demoted by naming all metropolitans as "patriarchal exarchs" in their ecclesiastical provinces. The advance of Constantinople put an end to privileges of three older, original exarchates, which fell back to the state of ordinary metropolitan sees.[4]

Local ecclesiastical development in some regions also included the title of exarch. Since the Church of Cyprus was declaredautocephalous(431), its Primate received the title of Exarch of Cyprus. On a similar principle theArchbishop of Mount Sinai and Raithuis an exarch, though in this case, as in that of Cyprus, modern Eastern Orthodox usage generally prefers the title "Archbishop".

Eastern Orthodox Churches

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Georgian Exarchate in the 19th century
Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky), last Exarch of Georgia (1915–1917) and first Exarch of Caucasus (1917–1918)
Map of theBulgarian Exarchate(1870–1913)

In modern ecclesiastical practice of theEastern Orthodox Church,the title of exarch was often used to designate the highest hierarchical office under the rank of patriarch. When RussianPatriarch Adrian of Moscowdied in 1700, EmperorPeter the Greatabolished the patriarchal office and appointed MetropolitanStefan Yavorskyas exarch and head of theMost Holy Synodof theRussian Orthodox Church.

After imperial Russiaannexed Georgia(the eastern part in 1801, and the western part in 1810), the ancientGeorgian Orthodox Church(autocephalous since 750, whose head was since 1008 styled Catholicos-Patriarchs) was reorganized into theGeorgian Exarchate,and the newly appointedExarch of Georgia(since 1817 always an ethnic Russian) sat in the Russian Holy Synod at St. Petersburg.[5]Since the entire region of theCaucasusfell under Russian rule, the jurisdiction of the Georgian Exarchate was expanded, encompassing the territories of modern-dayGeorgia,ArmeniaandAzerbaijan.On 7 April 1917, the Georgian Patriarchate was restored for the Archbishops of Mtsheta and Tbilisi, with the style Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, and the titleExarch of Georgiawas extinguished, but only for the Georgian part of the Exarchate. The Russian Orthodox Church and its exarch Platon (Rozhdestvensky) kept their jurisdiction over non-Georgian parts of the Caucasian region, and for those territories theCaucasian Exarchateof the Russian Orthodox Church was created in the summer of 1917, with metropolitan Platon as Exarch of the Caucasus. In the spring of 1918, he was succeeded by metropolitan Cyril (Smirnov) as new Exarch of the Caucasus, but after his transfer to another post in the spring of 1920 no new exarch was appointed.[6]

On 28 February 1870 the twenty-year-old struggle between Greeks and Bulgarians for control of the Orthodox Church in Bulgaria culminated when the Ottoman SultanAbdulazizcreated an independent Bulgarian ecclesiastical organization, known as theBulgarian Exarchate.The Orthodox Church inBulgariahad now become independent of the Greek-dominatedEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.The Bulgarian Exarch, who resided in Constantinople, became the most famous bearer of the title of exarch; his adherents throughout region were calledexarchists,as opposed to the Greekpatriarchists.The ensuing struggle, waged especially inMacedonia,was not only religious but had a conspicuous political dimension of a contention between competing Greek and Bulgarian national aims. For more information seeBulgarian ExarchateandBulgarian Orthodox Church.

In 1921, eparchies of the Russian Orthodox Church inUkrainewere reorganized as theUkrainian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church,headed by patriarchal exarch with seat in Kyiv. The Ukrainian Exarchate existed until 1990 when it was granted a higher degree of ecclesiastical autonomy within the Moscow Patriarchate. In 1989, an autonomousBelarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Churchwas formed, with jurisdiction over eparchies inBelarus.

During the 20th century, the pentarchy-number principle, already abandoned in the case ofBulgaria(10th century),Serbia(14th century) andRussia(16th century), gave way to the desire of the now politically independent Orthodox nations to see their sovereignty reflected in ecclesiastical autonomy – autocephaly – and the symbolic title to crown it: a 'national' Patriarch. For example,Bulgarian Exarchatewas raised to the rank of Patriarchate in 1953.

In theEastern Orthodox Church,the office of exarch can be also given to a special deputy of aPatriarch,with jurisdiction over a community outside the home territory of the Patriarchate. Thus, in the United States there are Exarchs representing, among others, the Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian and Jerusalem Patriarchs. The style of the Exarchs of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem is "Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher".

The Mexican Orthodox parishes in five deaneries (Mexico City, D.F., State of Mexico, State of Jalisco, State of Veracruz and State of Chiapas) of theOrthodox Church in Americaare governed as the "Exarchate of Mexico", currently under the leadership of Bishop Alejo of Mexico City.[7]

The third officer of the court of theEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople,who examines marriage cases (analogous to the Catholicdefensor matrimonii), is called the Exarch.

Oriental Orthodox Churches

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TheOriental OrthodoxPatriarch of Antioch currently has under his authority an Exarch in India, known by the ancient titleMaphrian,although he is popularly referred to asCatholicos.This is not to be confused with the autocephalousCatholicate of the East,which is also located in India.

Latin Church

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Historically, there have been a very few cases of the civil title of Exarch granted by the civil authority to prelates of theLatin Church,as whenEmperor Frederick Inamed theArchbishop of Lyonas Exarch ofBurgundyin 1157.

However, the ecclesiastical title of Exarch has disappeared in the Western Catholic Church, being replaced by the terms "Primate"(ranking above metropolitan archbishop) and"Apostolic Vicar"(ranking below suffragan bishop).

Modern Eastern Catholic Churches

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See also:Catholic Church hierarchy § Equivalents of diocesan bishops in law,andList of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical) § Dioceses (eparchies) of the Eastern Catholic Churches

InEastern Catholic Churches(of Eastern tradition but in fullcommunionwith the Bishop of Rome, thePope), the ecclesiastical title of Exarch is in common use, just as with its Orthodox counterparts.

These Churches are, in general, not identified with a particular liturgical rite. Thus, no fewer than fourteen of them use the sameByzantine Rite,mostly in one or other of only two languages, Greek andChurch Slavonic,but they maintain their distinct identities. Because of population shifts, half or so of these Churches have not just exarchates but full-scaleeparchies(bishoprics) or even archeparchies (archdioceses) outside their original territory.

Apostolic exarchs

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Apostolic exarchis usually a consecrated bishop of atitular seeto whom the Pope, as Bishop of the Roman See of the ApostlePeter,has entrusted the pastoral care of the faithful of an autonomous Eastern Catholicparticular Churchsui iurisin an area, not raised to the rank of eparchy (diocese), that is situated outside the home territory of an Eastern Catholic Church. The office ofapostolic exarchthus corresponds to what in theLatin Churchis called anapostolic vicar.Apostolic exarchates are generally exempt (immediately subject to the Holy See), with limited oversight by thepatriarch,major archbishopormetropolitanin chief of the particular Eastern Church. If there is no metropolitan in a particular Eastern Catholic church, apostolic exarchates in their territories are directly subjected to Rome. For example, theByzantine Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Serbiabelongs to theByzantine Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia,but since there is no metropolitan in that church, the Apostolic Exarch of Serbia is directly subjected to the Holy See.[8]

Patriarchal exarchs

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Apatriarchal exarchis appointed in those Eastern Catholic churches whose head is styled as patriarch. This office is often (not always) given to a consecrated bishop of a titular see. Their appointments are limited to the traditional territory of their church, with main task of governing the region not yet raised to the rank of eparchy (diocese). They may be suffragan to an archdiocese or archeparchy of the Eastern Catholic Church, or be immediately subject to the Patriarch.

Archiepiscopal exarchs

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Archiepiscopal exarchis appointed in those Eastern Catholic churches whose head is styled asMajor Archbishop.The office ofarchiepiscopal exarchis also usually given to a consecrated bishop of a titular see. Appointment of archiepiscopal exarchs is limited to the traditional territory of their particular church. They also may be suffragans to an archdiocese or archeparchy of their Eastern Catholic Church, or be immediately subject to the Major Archbishop.

Coadjutor exarchs

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In particular cases, usually because of illness or some other problem, an exarch of any rank can be assisted by the appointment of a colleague who is calledcoadjutor exarch.The position of coadjutor exarch towards his superior exarch is similar to the position of Latincoadjutor bishoptowards his superior diocesan bishop. Coadjutor exarchs are appointed with rights of succession. For example, in 1993 titular BishopChristo Proykovof Briula was appointed Coadjutor to Apostolic Exarch of Sofia,Methodius Stratiev,and when the latter died in 1995 the coadjutor exarch succeeded him as the new Apostolic Exarch.[9]

Auxiliary exarchs

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In practice, exarch of any rank can be additionally assisted by anauxiliary exarch,who is appointed in order to help the exarch in administration of his exarchate. Position of auxiliary exarch towards his superior exarch is similar to position of Latinauxiliary bishoptowards his superiordiocesan bishop.Auxiliary exarchs are appointed without the rights of succession.

List of Eastern Catholic exarchates

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The following Eastern Catholic exarchates can be found in the 2006Annuario Pontificioand newer sources.[10]The Apostolic Exarchates are exempt, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See, rather than to their Patriarch or other head of the particular Church

Byzantine Rite

Antiochian Rite

Armenian Rite

Patriarchal Exarchates

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Armenian Rite

Byzantine Rite

Antiochian Rite

Archiepiscopal Exarchates

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Byzantine Rite

Former Eastern Catholic Exarchates

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(probably still incomplete)

Former Eastern Catholic Exarchates in the Old World
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in Europe– Byzantine Rite

in Asia– Armenian Rite

in Asia– Antiochian Rite

in Asia– Syro-Oriental Rite

in Africa– Alexandrian Rite

in Africa – Antiochian Rite

Former Eastern Catholic Exarchates in the New World
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in the Americas– Antiochian Rite

in the Americas– Armenian Rite

in the Americas– Byzantine Rite

in the Americas–Syro-Oriental Rite

References

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  1. ^abcMeyendorff 1989.
  2. ^Ostrogorsky 1956.
  3. ^https://droitromain.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/Corpus/Nov131.htm;"sancimus secundum earum [scil. a sanctis quattuor conciliis] definitiones sanctissimum senioris Romae papam primum esse omnium sacerdotum, beatissimum autem archiepiscopum Constantinopoleos Novae Romae secundum habere locum post sanctam apostolicam sedem senioris Romae, aliis autem omnibus sedibus praeponatur."; "we order that, according what decided by them [the Councils ofNicaea,Constantinople,EphesusandChalcedon] the pope of Rome shall be the first of all priests, then the very blessed archbishop of Constantinople New Rome shall have the second place after the holy, senior apostolic seat of Rome, by them all other seats shall be outranked. "
  4. ^A. Fortescue,Orthodox Eastern Church,21–25.
  5. ^Fortescue 1908,p. 295, 304–305, 351.
  6. ^Moss, Vladimir."The Orthodox Church in the Twentieth Century".romanitas.ru.
  7. ^"Dioceses - Diocese of Mexico".www.oca.org.
  8. ^Cheney, David M."Serbia (Apostolic Exarchate)".Catholic Hierarchy.
  9. ^Cheney, David M."Bishop Christo Proykov".Catholic Hierarchy].
  10. ^"Catholic Dioceses in the World (Apostolic Exarchates)".www.gcatholic.org.Retrieved2018-12-28.

Sources

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