Hierarchate

Hierarchate is a term used in Christian ecclesiology to denote the body or jurisdiction of those who hold hierarchical authority within a church, typically bishops and other sacred rulers. Etymologically from Greek hierarkhía, meaning sacred rule, it designates the governance structure by which doctrinal authority, sacraments, and church discipline are administered.

In the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, the hierarchate comprises bishops, archbishops, metropolitans, patriarchs, and the pope at the apex, depending on tradition. The church is organized into territorial units such as dioceses, archdioceses, and patriarchates or patriarchal sees; each is overseen by a bishop or archbishop who is part of the hierarchate. In Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches, the structure can be similar but with different titles and jurisdictions, such as eparchies or exarchates. The rank and roles are conferred by ordination and are considered part of apostolic succession, rather than the focus of religious orders, which emphasize ascetic or communal life rather than governance.

The hierarchate functions to provide continuity of teaching and sacramental life, safeguard doctrinal unity, and govern church discipline and administration. It ordains clergy, oversees liturgical practice, and manages church properties and temporal affairs within defined jurisdictions. The hierarchical framework often operates in coordination with synods or other bodies that authorize doctrinal decisions, disciplinary measures, and relations with other churches and civil authorities.