Bishop – The First Degree of Priesthood #
A bishop is the highest-ranking clergyman. He not only performs divine services and all the sacraments himself, but also has the authority to perform ordinations—that is, to confer on others the grace-filled gift of celebrating services and sacraments.
Unlike priests, a bishop may:
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Ordain priests, deacons, and readers;
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Consecrate chrism, altars, and antiminses.
“Those anointed with chrism—laypeople—do not possess the gifts of the priesthood or the gifts of apostles, prophets, and teachers, and are thus called holy only on account of their anointing with chrism. But the archpastor, along with these gifts, receives through the prayers of ordination the gift of holiness, and what is more, the right to be heard by God in the things he asks for the salvation of people,” writes Blessed Simeon of Thessalonica.
Bishops may bear various titles: patriarchs, metropolitans, archpastors, and bishops proper. They differ from one another by the size of the territory they oversee and the number of parishes under their care. A patriarch is the head of a large Church territory. Metropolitans head smaller territories made up of several dioceses. A bishop typically oversees one diocese.
Though differing in honor, all bishops—regardless of title—are equal in grace and are independent in their dioceses. They are subject only to the authority of a council chaired by the chief bishop of the territory.
“Make him holy,” prays the consecrating bishop over the one being consecrated, and through this prayer, ordains him into holiness.
It is customary, out of respect, to address a bishop as Most Reverend Master (“Preosvyashchennyi Vladyka” or “Vladyko”); for a senior bishop or a metropolitan, the form Most Most Reverend Master (“Preosvyashchennéishii Vladyka”) is used. In conversational speech, one often hears the form Holy Master (“Vladyka Svyatyi”). They are called masters (vladyki) out of reverence, because they spiritually tend the flock and hold authority over it; holy, because the bishop bears within himself the holiness bestowed by ordination.
Vestments of a Bishop #
By general rule, the highest degree of the priesthood includes all the vestments of the lower clergy, and in addition has its own distinctive vestments. Besides the priestly vestments, the bishop’s attire includes:
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Omophor – Worn on the shoulders over all the other vestments. It symbolizes the souls of the faithful whom the bishop, in imitation of Christ the Lord, carries on his shoulders like the “lost sheep.”
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Mitra – A head covering that symbolizes spiritual authority.
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Sakkos – A special outer vestment worn by senior bishops. The word means “sackcloth.” It symbolizes the royal purple robe placed upon Christ in mockery.
Additional items include:
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Palitsa – A four-cornered cloth representing the sword of the Spirit.
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Orlets – Round rugs with the image of an eagle, or of an eagle soaring over a city, laid beneath the bishop’s feet during services. They signify the bishop’s “soaring” above earthly concerns and his prayerful ascent to God.
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Staff – A pastoral staff held by the bishop, signifying his authority as a shepherd.
The present-day Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church is governed by a metropolitan. He is elected from among the bishops of the Church by secret ballot of the Consecrated Council, in which both clergy and laypeople participate.
With the Baptism of Rus’, the land became part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. To oversee the parishes in Rus’, a metropolitan was sent from Constantinople. In 1441, the Russian Metropolia, for the first time, independently chose its own primate from among Russian bishops. In 1589, the metropolitans of Moscow were elevated to the dignity of patriarchs.
In the 17th century, under Patriarch Nikon, all bishops accepted the Church reform—except Bishop Pavel of Kolomna, who was killed. From among the clergy and faithful who did not accept the reform, the Old-Rite Church was formed. It began seeking a bishop in order to restore the full three-rank hierarchy.
Such a bishop was Metropolitan Ambrose of Bosnia and Sarajevo, who in 1846 joined the Church and ordained bishops within it. Some of them retained the rank of metropolitan—today this is the Old-Rite Church of Romania. Others, serving in Russia, were governed by bishops holding the title of archpastor. In 1988, the Archbishop of Moscow also received the title of metropolitan.