View source for Eparchy

{{Short description|Diocese in Eastern Christianity}}
{{other uses|Eparchy (disambiguation)}}

'''Eparchy''' ({{langx|el|ἐπαρχία}} ''eparchía'' "overlordship") is an [[Ecclesiology|ecclesiastical]] unit in [[Eastern Christianity]] that is equivalent to a [[diocese]] in [[Western Christianity]]. An eparchy is governed by an ''eparch'', who is a [[bishop]]. Depending on the administrative structure of a specific Eastern Church, an eparchy can belong to an [[ecclesiastical province]] (usually a [[Metropolis (religious jurisdiction)|metropolis]]), but it can also be exempt. Each eparchy is divided into [[parish]]es, in the same manner as a diocese in Western Churches. Historical development of eparchies in various Eastern Churches was marked by local distinctions that can be observed in modern ecclesiastical practices of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], [[Oriental Orthodox Churches]] and [[Eastern Catholic Churches]].{{sfn|Nedungatt|2002|p=228}}

==Terminology==
The [[English language|English]] word ''eparchy'' is an [[anglicize]]d term that comes from the original [[Greek language|Greek]] word ({{langx|grc-x-koine|{{Wikt-lang|grc|ἐπαρχία}}|eparchía|overlordship}}, {{IPA|grc-x-byzant|e.parˈçi.a|link=yes}}).{{sfn|Stevenson|2010|p=588}} It is an [[abstract noun]], formed with an [[intensive word form|intensive]] [[prefix]] ({{Wikt-lang|grc|ἐπι-}}, {{transliteration|grc|epi-}}, {{lit.|over-}} + {{Wikt-lang|grc|ἄρχω|ἄρχειν}}, {{transliteration|grc|árchein}}, {{lit.|to be ruler}}). It is commonly [[Latinization (literature)|Latinized]] as ''eparchia''. The term can be loosely translated as the rule over something (literally: an overlordship). The term had various meanings and multiple uses throughout history, mainly in politics and administration, starting from the [[Hellenistic period]], and continuing throughout the [[Roman era]].{{sfn|Vitale|2012|p=}}{{sfn|Vitale|2016|p=82-111}}

In the [[Greco-Roman world]], it was used as a Greek equivalent for the [[Latin language|Latin]] term ''provincia'', denoting [[Eparchy (Roman province)|province]], the main administrative unit of the [[Roman Empire]]. The [[Eparchy (Byzantine province)|same use]] was employed in the early [[Byzantine Empire]] until major administrative reforms that were undertaken between the 7th and 9th centuries, abolishing the old provincial system. In modern times, the term was also employed within administrative systems of some countries, like [[Eparchy (modern Greece)|Greece]] and [[Eparchy (modern Cyprus)|Cyprus]].{{sfn|Mason|1974|p=81, 84–86, 138–139}}

Since it was commonly used as the main Greek designation for an administrative province of the Roman Empire, the term ''eparchy'' consequently gained an additional use among Greek-speaking [[Christians]], denoting [[Ecclesiology|ecclesiastical]] structures on the provincial level of Church administration, within [[Eastern Christianity]]. Such terminological borrowing resulted from the final consolidation of the provincial (metropolitan) system in the 4th century. The [[First Ecumenical Council]] (325) confirmed (Canon IV)<ref>[https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.vii.vi.v.html First Ecumenical Council (325): Canon IV]</ref> that all bishops of each civil province should be grouped in one [[ecclesiastical province]], headed by a [[metropolitan bishop|metropolitan]] (bishop of the provincial capital). Since civil provinces were called eparchies in Greek, the same term was used to define ecclesiastical provinces. Such use became customary, and metropolitan provinces came to be known as ''eparchies''.{{sfn|Meyendorff|1989|p=55}}{{fv|date=May 2025}}{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|2005|p=552}}{{sfn|Ohme|2012|p=37}}

==Eastern Orthodox Church==
[[File:EparhiiRPC-english.svg|265px|thumb|right|Eparchies of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]]]
[[File:Map of Eparchies of Serbian Orthodox Church-en.svg|265px|thumb|right|Eparchies of the [[Serbian Orthodox Church]]]]

Throughout the late antiquity and the early medieval period, within [[Eastern Orthodox]] terminology, the term ''eparchy'' remained a common designation for a metropolitan province i.e. ''metropolis'' ({{langx|el|μητρόπολις}}, {{langx|la|metropolis}}).

During the later medieval period, terminology started to shift, particularly within the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople|Patriarchate of Constantinople]]. The process of [[Job title inflation|title-inflation]] that was affecting [[Byzantine bureaucracy and aristocracy]] also gained momentum in ecclesiastical circles. In order to promote centralization, patriarchal authorities started to multiply the numbers of metropolitans by elevating local bishops to honorary metropolitan ranks without giving them any real metropolitan powers, and making them directly appointed and thus more dependent on Constantinople. As a consequence, the use of the word ''eparchy'' was expanded to include not only proper metropolitan provinces, but also the newly created honorary metropolitan sees that were no real provinces, and thus no different then simple bishoprics except in honorary titles and ranks. In spite of that, such honorary metropolitan sees also came to be called ''eparchies''. This process was systematically promoted, thus resulting in a major terminological shift.{{sfn|Meyendorff|1989|p=}}{{fv|date=May 2025}}

[[File:Eparchy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church EN.png|265px|thumb|right|Eparchies of the [[Bulgarian Orthodox Church]]]]
[[File:Eparchies of the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church.svg|265px|thumb|right|Eparchies of the [[Georgian Orthodox Church]]]]

Since the fragmentation of the original metropolitan provinces into several titular metropolises that were also referred to as ''eparchies'', the Patriarchate of Constantinople became more centralized, and such structure has remained up to the present day.<ref>[https://ec-patr.org/eparxies-oikoymenikoy-thronoy Eparchies of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (Επαρχίες Οικουμενικού Θρόνου)]</ref> Similar ecclesiastical terminology is also employed by other [[Autocephaly (Eastern Orthodoxy)|autocephalous]] and [[Autonomy (Eastern Orthodoxy)|autonomous]] churches within [[Organization of the Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox community]]. In those who are non-Greek, term ''eparchy'' is used in local variants, and also has various equivalents in local languages.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Eparchies of the main Eastern Orthodox churches:
* [[Eparchies of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople]]
* [[Eparchies of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria]]
* [[Eparchies of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antiochia]]
* [[Eparchies of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem]]
* [[Eparchies of the Russian Orthodox Church]]
* [[Eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church]]
* [[Eparchies of the Romanian Orthodox Church]]
* [[Eparchies of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church]]
* [[Eparchies of the Georgian Orthodox Church]]
* [[Eparchies of the Cypriot Orthodox Church]]
* [[Eparchies of the Orthodox Church of Greece]]
* [[Eparchies of the Polish Orthodox Church]]
* [[Eparchies of the Albanian Orthodox Church]]
* [[Eparchies of the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church]]

==Eastern Catholic Churches==
In the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]], eparchy is equivalent to a [[diocese]] of the [[Latin Church]], and its [[Bishop (Catholic Church)|bishop]] can be called an eparch (equivalent to a diocesan of the Latin Church). Similarly, an archeparchy is equivalent to an [[archdiocese]] of the Latin Church and its bishop can be called an archeparch (equivalent to an [[archbishop]] of the Roman Rite).{{sfn|Nedungatt|2002|p=228}}

Individual eparchies of some Eastern Catholic Churches may be suffragan to Latin Church metropolitans. For example, the [[Greek Catholic Eparchy of Križevci]] is suffragan to the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zagreb]].<ref>{{cite web|author=David M. Cheney |url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dkrby.html |title=Diocese of Križevci |publisher=Catholic Hierarchy |access-date=2018-04-16}}</ref> Also, some minor Eastern Catholic churches have Latin prelates. For example, the [[Macedonian Greek Catholic Church]] is organized as a single [[Macedonian Catholic Eparchy of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Strumica-Skopje|Eparchy of Strumica-Skopje]], whose present ordinary is the Roman Catholic bishop of Skopje.<ref>{{cite web|author=David M. Cheney |url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dssby.html |title=Eparchy of Beata Maria Vergine Assunta in Strumica-Skopje |publisher=Catholic Hierarchy |access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Eparchy (Roman province)]]
* [[Eparchy (Byzantine province)]]
* [[Eparchy (modern Greece)]]
* [[Eparchy (modern Cyprus)]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{Cite book|editor-last1=Cross|editor-first1=Frank L.|editor-last2=Livingstone|editor-first2=Elizabeth A.|title=The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church|year=2005|orig-year=1957|edition=3rd rev.|location=Oxford|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-280290-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fUqcAQAAQBAJ}}
* {{Cite book|last=Kiminas|first=Demetrius|title=The Ecumenical Patriarchate: A History of Its Metropolitanates with Annotated Hierarch Catalogs|year=2009|publisher=Wildside Press LLC|isbn=9781434458766 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QLWqXrW2X-8C}}
* {{Cite book|last=Mason|first=Hugh J.|title=Greek Terms for Roman Institutions: A Lexicon and Analysis|year=1974|location=Toronto|publisher=Hakkert|isbn=9780888660138 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k2QPAQAAMAAJ}}
* {{Cite book|last=Meyendorff|first=John|author-link=John Meyendorff|year=1989|title=Imperial unity and Christian divisions: The Church 450-680 A.D.|location=Crestwood, NY|publisher=St. Vladimir's Seminary Press|isbn=9780881410563 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6J_YAAAAMAAJ}}
* {{Cite book|editor-last=Nedungatt|editor-first=George|editor-link=George Nedungatt|title=A Guide to the Eastern Code: A Commentary on the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches|year=2002|location=Rome|publisher=Oriental Institute Press|isbn=9788872103364 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1fEkAQAAIAAJ}}
* {{Cite book|last=Ohme|first=Heinz|chapter=Sources of the Greek Canon Law to the Quinisext Council (691/2): Councils and Church Fathers|title=The History of Byzantine and Eastern Canon Law to 1500|year=2012|location=Washington|publisher=CUA Press|pages=24–114|isbn=9780813216799 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BwnCVYHf5VAC&pg=PA24}}
* {{Cite book|last=Ostrogorsky|first=George|author-link=George Ostrogorsky|title=History of the Byzantine State|year=1956|location=Oxford|publisher=Basil Blackwell|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bt0_AAAAYAAJ}}
* {{Cite book|editor-last=Stevenson|editor-first=Angus|title=Oxford Dictionary of English|year=2010|orig-year=1998|edition=3rd|location=Oxford|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-957112-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=anecAQAAQBAJ}}
* {{Cite book|last=Vitale|first=Marco|title=Eparchie und Koinon in Kleinasien von der ausgehenden Republik bis ins 3. Jh. n. Chr.|year=2012|location=Bonn|publisher=Dr. Rudolf Habelt Verlag|isbn=9783774937390 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4q5XLgEACAAJ}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Vitale|first=Marco|title=Priest—Eparchy-arch—Speaker of the Ethnos: The Areas of Responsibility of the Highest Officials of the Eastern Provincial Imperial Cult|journal=Mnemosyne|year=2016|volume=69|number=1|pages=82–111|doi=10.1163/1568525X-12341727 |url=https://www.academia.edu/11194320}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{EB1911 poster|Eparch}}
* {{wiktionary-inline}}
* [https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05484a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia (1909): Adrian Fortescue: Eparchy]
* [http://www.damian-hungs.de/geistliches/ostkirchen/ostkirchliche-bistuemer-und-kloester Map with all Dioceses of the Eastern Churches]

{{Greek terms for country subdivisions}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Eastern Christianity]]
[[Category:Dioceses (ecclesiastical)]]
[[Category:Bishops by type]]
[[Category:Episcopacy in the Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Episcopacy in Eastern Orthodoxy]]
[[Category:Episcopacy in Oriental Orthodoxy]]
[[Category:Ecclesiastical titles]]