Bishops & Arch Bishops

[Dot_B]

What is the difference between a Bishop and an Arch Bishop?

 

[LoneRanger]

the size of the diocese.

 

[JackmanUSC]

and of their hats…just kidding.

 

[chicago]

The divisions of diocese was initiated along the lines of Roman governance of society. Areas were divided and the larger metropolitan areas were more signifigant, with a certain oversight duty of importance to the smaller areas. Think of this sort of like counties with many towns in them and how they relate to their county seat. The Church basically followed this example historically in developing and dividing dioceses and making certain metropolitan dioceses archdioceses with the archbishop having an oversight position of priveledge and honor by which he related to the other bishops and dioceses under him. Nowadays, the metropolitan archbishop has little additional authority and largely just runs his archdiocese alone independently as do the bishops under his metropolitan division in their own dioceses.