archbishop

An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank who presides over an archdiocese, a diocese of special importance, and often exercises metropolitan authority over other bishops within a church province. The term derives from the Greek archiepiskopos meaning "chief bishop."

In the Roman Catholic Church, archbishops typically lead archdioceses and, if they are metropolitan, oversee a province that contains several suffragan dioceses. They are usually appointed by the pope and may receive additional symbols of office, such as the pallium. In the Eastern Orthodox and some Oriental Orthodox churches, the title is used for senior bishops who head large sees; the exact authority varies by autocephalous church, with some using “metropolitan” for the senior rank and “archbishop” for archdiocesan leaders within that framework. In the Anglican Communion, archbishops are senior bishops who head an ecclesiastical province and often serve as primates of a national church or region (for example, the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England).

Duties commonly include presiding over liturgical ceremonies, ordaining priests and bishops, governing the archdiocese, overseeing seminaries and administrative matters, and representing the church in relations with civil authorities and other churches. The role is defined by tradition and canon in each church, leading to variation in powers and responsibilities around the world.