The bishop is who? How to apply to the bishop?

During the early development of Christianity, bishops were called heads of small communities of believers who performed the role of warders in some cities and provinces. This definition of the word was referring to the Apostle Paul, speaking in his messages about the common goals of the activity of bishops and apostles, but distinguishing the sedentary lifestyle of the first and the wandering life of the latter. Over time, the meaning of the word "bishop" has acquired an excellent value among the remaining degrees of the priesthood, towering on a deacon and procuratorial degree.

Definition value

The bishop is "overlooked" in Greek, a clergyman, referring to the third - the highest - priesthood degree. However, over time, a large number of honorary titles equal to the bishop - the pope, the patriarch, the metropolitan, the bishop, appeared. Often in a speech, a bishop is a bishop, from a Greek "senior priest". In Greek Orthodoxy, the common term denoting all these definitions is the word hierarch (priest).

According to the words of the apostle Paul, the bishop is also Jesus Christ, whom he literally calls the bishop in the "Epistle to the Jews."

Episcopal consecration

The peculiarities of the episcopal consecration as ordination to the dignity is the recognition of the apostolic succession of the bishopric by the Christian Orthodox and Catholic churches. The rite of ordination is carried out by at least two bishops (the council), the First Apostolic Rule indicates the necessity of fulfilling this condition; In the Russian Orthodox Church, the candidates from the monks of the minor schema are traditionally chosen for the role of bishop, and in Eastern Christian churches - from widowed priests or celibates.

The obligatory custom of celibacy of bishops by the 7th century began to be perceived as the norm and was fixed in Rules 12 and 48 of the Trullsky Soboah. However, if the future bishop already had a wife, then the couple would divorce by their own free will, and after the ordination to the dignity the ex-spouse would go to a remote convent, take monastic tonsure - and the monastery would move under the direct patronage of the new bishop.

Duties of the bishop

Together with the acquisition of a new - higher - rank, the bishop had many other duties.

Firstly, only he had the right to ordain elders, deacons, subdeacons, lower clerics and illuminate anti-minions. In the diocese, all the priests perform their services with the blessing of the bishop - his name rises in all temples of the dioceses during the services. By tradition of Byzantium in the Orthodox Church, the only sign of the bishop's blessing for service is the antimise given to the priest-a quadrangular scarf made of cloth with stitched parts of the relics of a saint.

The second duty of the bishop was the patronage and just management of all the monasteries on the territory of his diocese. The only exceptions are the stauropegies, who report directly to the patriarch of the local church.

The Episcopate in Orthodoxy

The history of the episcopate in the Russian Orthodox Church dates back to the 3rd century AD, when the Scythian-Christians living in the territory of modern Russia led by the whole of the community created the Scythian Diocese of the Ecumenical Church with a chair in Dobruja.

The history of Russia knows a lot of conflict situations that have developed between Russian princes and representatives of Christian dioceses. Thus, the unsuccessful visit of Adalbert, the envoy of the Pope, the future archaeological Magdenburg, to Kiev, which took place in 961, is known.

In 988 by the Patriarch of Constantinople Nicholas II Chrysoverg, the first metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia, Mikhail, was sent to Kiev, who was invited by the most holy prince Vladimir to accept the Greek faith by the Russian people.

The Orthodox priest was ordinarily appointed to the episcopate by the patriarchs of the Church of Constantinople. But several cases of local elections are known. Thus, the first metropolitan of Russian nationality was Hilarion of Kiev.

History also tells about the further process of autocephalization and the separation of the Russian patriarchate from Constantinople.

Thus, for the rendered political support of Bishop Nifont and fidelity to Byzantine traditions in the process of the Kiev split, the Patriarch of Constantinople granted the atonomy of the Novgorod Diocese. Thus, the bishop was elected directly at the time of the people's veche by the New Towns. The first bishop, appointed to the episcopate in this way, was Archbishop Arkady of Novgorod in 1156. From the 13th century, on the basis of this autonomy, the first conflicts of the New City bishops and the great Moscow princes begin.

The final split of the Orthodox Church into the eastern and western branches occurred in 1448 after the election of the Bishop of Ryazan Iona to the post of Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia, which also completely separated the northeastern Russian church (Moscow episcopate) from Constantinople. But the West Russian bishops, while remaining autonomous from Moscow, continued to be under the jurisdiction of Constantinople.

It is interesting to learn that in the Orthodox canonical traditions there is an age limit for candidates for the post of bishop, the lower bar of which did not fall below 35 - the edge of 25 years - from the genus. The exception here is Nicholas the Wonderworker, elevated to the rank of bishop of the youths.

In the Orthodox tradition, a rule is adopted on how to appeal to the bishop - the "Vladyka", "Most Reverend Bishop" or "Your Eminence" appeals are used.

Episcopate in Catholicism

The central place in the administration of the Roman Catholic Church belongs to the collegium of bishops, the existence and duties of which were spelled out in the dogmatic constitution of the Second Vatican Council on November 21, 1964. The president of this college is the Pope, who has full authority over the Church and performs the role of vicar of Christ on earth. At the same time, only the consolidation of the bishops' collegium with the Pope makes it legitimate and charitable. The pope is also the sole owner of the sovereign territory of the Vatican and the supreme ruler of the Holy See.

A special place in the management system of the Roman Catholic Church belongs to the Roman bishop, whose status has developed over the centuries in the tideway of total control by the church of all spheres of society.

A typical Catholic bishop, the photo of which is represented on the right, also has the exclusive right to perform the anointing ceremony - confirmation.

Bishop in Protestantism

In connection with the denial of the apostolic succession of the doctrine of Protestantism, the bishop is elected and perceived by the prostitutes as exclusively a figure of organizational activity, not related to praising his existence and having no material privileges. This is due to the fact that there is no difference in the New Testament between the bishop and the presbyter of the Christian community.

The Protestant Orthodox priest, even if occupying an administrative and organizational post, should be as close as possible to the layman, and to the higher forces.

The Protestant bishop is the presiding pastor, ordained deacon and presbyter, presiding at conferences, following the order in the Church and visiting all the parishes of his diocese.

In Anglican Episcopal Protestant churches, bishops are considered successors to the apostles, and therefore in their dioceses they have all the fullness of the sacred authority.

Bishop Vladimir and his services to society

Bishops of the Orthodox Church are known for their active participation in public life.

For example, Metropolitan of Kiev and Galich, the bishop of the Orthodox Russian Church Vladimir (in the Epiphany world) during the epidemic of cholera in the Volga region fearlessly visited barracks with cholera patients, performed requiem services in cholera cemeteries, on city squares prayers for deliverance from disasters served. Also actively opened women's church schools.

The Life of Bishop Longin

Bishop Longin - in the world Michael Zhar - not only led the construction of numerous monasteries of Ukraine, but also actively engaged in the construction and expansion of the orphanage. He launched this construction in 1992 after he adopted a girl with AIDS. Bishop Longinus has a large number of civil awards for his services to the Fatherland.

Activities of Bishop Ignatius

One can not ignore the figure of Vladyka Ignatius (in the world of Punin), the chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs. Bishop Ignatius leads the Orthodox Spiritual Center, in the structure of which there are Sunday schools for children and adults, disabled children, on the basis of the parish of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, which have a computer class, a library and a gym.