§ 115. Other Diocesan Administrative Organs

Under the supreme headship of the diocesan bishops there exist, in individual autocephalous churches, besides the diocesan consistories, still other auxiliary diocesan organs.

1. In the dioceses of the Patriarchate of Constantinople (and similarly in those of the other Eastern patriarchates), besides the diocesan consistory (πνευματικὸν δικαστήριον), there exists an ἐκκλησιαστικὴ ἐπιτροπή of three priests, whose duty is: a) to see to the proper performance of divine worship, to good order in the churches and in sacred objects, and especially to whether the holy antimensia are in every church in full order; b) to keep watch over the conduct of the clergy and over foreign priests; and c) to assess books of spiritual content that are to be printed (spiritual censorship). This committee is, in miniature, what the central patriarchal committee in Constantinople is for the whole patriarchate.[1]

In dependence on the patriarchal mixed council (μικτὸν συμβούλιον), there exists in every diocese, under the presidency of the diocesan bishop, a diocesan council (ἐπαρχιακὸν συμβούλιον),[2] which deals with all non-spiritual matters of the diocese, and in particular: with the national schools, and further with the adjudication of civil disputes between Christians of the Orthodox faith. Similar diocesan councils exist, in a more or less modified form, in the other patriarchates as well.[3]

2. In the Russian Church, besides the diocesan consistories, and in dependence on the consistories, there exist several духовныя правленія [spiritual boards], namely in those dioceses which are very widely extended, and for reasons of the local conditions of those dioceses. The scope of business of these spiritual boards is the same as that of the consistories, only on a narrower scale, and they are nothing other than auxiliary institutions of the consistories.[4] With independent competence there exists, attached to every diocesan bishop and in immediate dependence on him, an епархіальное попечительство [diocesan board of guardianship], which cares for the widows and orphans of the clergy. It is composed, in every diocese, of six priests; and for the more precise conduct of business it has its commissioners in all the principal places of the diocese. The members of the board of guardianship, and likewise the commissioners, are appointed by the diocesan bishop from among persons whom the consistory proposes to him.[5]

3. In the Metropolitanate of Karlovci, besides the diocesan consistory of which we have spoken, there exists, under the presidency of the bishop concerned, in every diocese a diocesan administrative committee of as many members as the diocesan assembly, according to the extent and business of the diocese, finds needful. Among the members of this committee two-thirds must be laymen and one-third clergy. The competence of that committee is: a) to settle all mutual disputes between teachers, local church committees and assemblies; b) to conduct the administration and oversight of the national schools and to appoint teachers; c) to determine the boundaries of existing and the establishment of new parishes; and d) to oversee the church-communal and monastic endowment property, and accordingly to audit the monastic accounts, while it supervises the audit of the church-communal accounts.[6] There further exists a diocesan school committee in every diocese for the care and oversight of all the Serbian national schools of a school district. This committee consists of 15 members, among whom two priests, besides the bishop, who is president of the committee.[7]

4. In the Metropolitanate of Sibiu, the consistories in the dioceses are divided into three sections (separaţi), and besides the consistorial section for strictly ecclesiastical matters (separatul strict bisericesc) there exists a school senate (senatul şcolar). Its president is the bishop concerned, and it is composed of as many members as are needed according to the extent and business of the diocese. Among the members one-third are priests and two-thirds laymen. This senate deals with confessional schools.[8] Besides this senate there exists further an epitropal senate (senatul epitropesc), which is composed, under the presidency of the diocesan bishop, of a fixed number of members, of whom two-thirds are laymen and one-third clergy. Within the competence of this senate falls the administration of all church property in the diocese and of all diocesan funds.[9]