Chorepiscopos

JEFFREY B. PETTIS

The term chorepiscopos referred in the early church to the leading cleric of a small church in the countryside (Chora), a bishop of unimportant rural regions who had been appointed to oversee churches located outside the metropolitan city where the ruling bishop resided. Generally, he was in episcopal orders, but sometimes the word also seems to indicate a priest who has been given extensive authorization by the diocesan. One of the earliest chore- piscopoi is a certain Zoticus, a 2nd-century bishop of Cumana, a Phrygian village. By the 4th century, chorepiscopoi were quite numerous, especially in Asia Minor. They generally appeared to exercise all of the functions of the bishop except for higher ordinations. Fifteen of them signed in their own right at the Council of Nicea. Even so, the chorepiscopos seems to have been distinct from both bishops and presbyters (Athanasius, Second Apology 85; PG.25.400B), being wholly subject to the direction of the diocesan. Over time there still developed concern that the chorepiscopoi had too much freedom to exercise their office apart from the ruling bishop. In Canon 13 of the Council of Ancyra (341) the powers of the chorepiscopos were restricted, and he was authorized to ordain only the lower ranks of the clergy. Canon 10 of the Dedication Synod of Antioch (341) also made it clear that a chorepiscopos stands under the immediate jurisdiction of the local bishop. He could ordain priests or deacons only with the bishop’s written permission, and could officiate in a city church only in the presence of the city bishop and the council of presbyters (Council of Neo- Caesarea, Canons 13–14). The Council of Sardica (342/343) determined that no chorepiscopos should be consecrated in a place where an ordinary bishop presides. The Council of Laodicea (380) started the process whereby chorepiscopoi were phased out in favor of “visiting priests” (periodeutai) specially delegated as supervisory agents of the bishop. Such an archpriest was authorized to sit and vote in councils (Council of Ephesus 431). Several chorepiscopoi signed as representatives of their diocesans at the Council of Chalcedon (451), but the office was destined to disappear in favor of a system of delegated senior priests, or alternatively co-adjutor bishops, who extended the administrative reach of a ruling diocesan bishop.