ARCHBISHOP Meaning and
Definition
-
An archbishop is a distinguished high-ranking ecclesiastical figure within the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, or Anglican Communion. As the highest-ranking bishop in a particular region or province, an archbishop possesses significant spiritual authority and administrative duties. The term "archbishop" is derived from two Greek words, "arche," meaning "first" or "chief," and "episkopos," meaning "bishop."
The responsibilities and privileges of an archbishop vary depending on their respective religious tradition. Generally, archbishops are entrusted with the oversight and guidance of several dioceses or a significant metropolitan area, referred to as an archdiocese. This typically involves providing pastoral care, ordaining and consecrating bishops, resolving disputes within the clergy, and safeguarding doctrinal integrity. Furthermore, an archbishop often serves as a representative or liaison between the higher authorities of their church and the local community, playing a crucial role in promoting unity and maintaining the church's teachings.
In terms of hierarchy, the title of archbishop sits above that of a bishop but below that of a cardinal (in the Roman Catholic Church) or a patriarch (in the Orthodox Church). Cardinals rank higher due to their direct advisory role to the Pope while patriarchs hold authority over multiple archbishops and metropolitans within their jurisdiction.
The symbolic attire typically worn by an archbishop includes a distinctive mitre and a shepherd's staff known as a crosier, symbolizing their role as a shepherd and spiritual leader of their flock.
-
A metropolitan having jurisdiction over the bishops of his province.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for ARCHBISHOP *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for ARCHBISHOP
- zrchbishop
- srchbishop
- wrchbishop
- qrchbishop
- aechbishop
- adchbishop
- afchbishop
- atchbishop
- a5chbishop
- a4chbishop
- arxhbishop
- arvhbishop
- arfhbishop
- ardhbishop
- arcgbishop
- arcbishop
- Archiebishop
- Arcebischop
Etymology of ARCHBISHOP
The word "archbishop" has its roots in Old English and Old High German. The Old English term was "ærcebisceop", which was derived from the Latin term "archiepiscopus". In turn, "archiepiscopus" can be broken down into "archi-" (meaning "chief" or "main") and "episcopus" (meaning "bishop").
The prefix "archi-" comes from the Greek word "archos", meaning "chief" or "ruler". This term corresponds to the Old High German word "erki-" or "erz-" (also meaning "chief" or "head") from which the German term "Erzbischof" originates.
Similar spelling words for ARCHBISHOP
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
