§ 94. Honorary Metropolitans

Honorary Metropolitans.

Beside the metropolitans possessing a defined jurisdiction, the canonical sources also mention honorary metropolitans. These honorary metropolitans arose from the fact that emperors raised certain cities to the rank of chief city (metropolis, μητρόπολις) alongside the older, already-existing chief city of the province in question, whereupon the bishop of this new chief city likewise received the title of bishop of the metropolis, or metropolitan. In the same way, certain bishops, in recognition of some merit of theirs, personally received the title of metropolitan.[1] Such honorary metropolitans possessed no special rights distinguishing them from the other bishops, but enjoyed only the honorary title, and were subordinate to the metropolitan of the territory in every respect equally with the other bishops.[2] Because some among these honorary metropolitans wished to free themselves from the authority of the regional metropolitan, a special canon was issued at the Fourth Ecumenical Council prescribing what we have now said about these honorary metropolitans.[3] The honorary title of metropolitan was likewise retained by all those metropolitans whose former territories came under the authority of the patriarchates.[4]