Anexarch (/ˈɛksɑːrk/; fromAncient Greek ἔξαρχοςexarchos) was the holder of any of various historical offices, some of them being political or military and others being ecclesiastical.
In the lateRoman Empire and earlyByzantine Empire, anexarch was a governor of a particular territory. From the end of the 3rd century or early 4th, everyRoman diocese was governed by avicarius, who was titled "exarch" in eastern parts of the Empire, where the Greek language and the use of Greek terminology dominated,[1] even though Latin was the language of the imperial administration from the provincial level up until the 440s (Greek translations were sent out with the official Latin text). In Greek texts, the Latin title is spelled βικάριος (bikarios). The office of exarch as a governor with extended political and military authority was later created in theByzantine Empire, with jurisdiction over a particular territory, usually a frontier region at some distance from the capitalConstantinople.[2]
In theEastern Christian Churches (Eastern Orthodox,Oriental Orthodox andEastern Catholic), the termexarch has three distinct uses: ametropolitan who holds the office of exarch is the deputy of apatriarch and holds authority over bishops of the designated ecclesiastical region (thus, a position between that of patriarch and regular metropolitan); or an auxiliary or titular bishop appointed to be exarch over a group of the faithful not yet large enough or organized enough to be constituted an eparchy or diocese (thus the equivalent of avicar apostolic); or a priest or deacon who is appointed by a bishop as his executive representative in various fields of diocesan administration (in the Byzantine Empire, executive exarchs were usually collecting diocesan revenues for local bishops).
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In the civil administration of the Byzantine Empire the exarch was, as stated above, the imperial governor of a large and important region of the Empire. The Exarchates were a response to weakening imperial authority in the provinces and were part of the overall process of unification of civil and military offices, initiated in early form byJustinian I, which would lead eventually to the creation of theThematic system by either the EmperorHeraclius orConstans II.
After the dissolution of the Western Empire in the late fifth century, theEastern Roman Empire remained stable through the beginning of the Middle Ages and retained the ability for future expansion.Justinian I reconquered North Africa, Italy, Dalmatia and finally parts of Spain for the Eastern Roman Empire. However, this put an incredible strain on the Empire's limited resources. Subsequent emperors would not surrender the re-conquered land to remedy the situation. Thus the stage was set for EmperorMaurice to establish the Exarchates to deal with the constantly evolving situation of the provinces.
In Italy theLombards were the main opposition toByzantine power. In North Africa theAmazigh orBerber princes were ascendant due to Roman weakness outside the coastal cities. The problems associated with many enemies on various fronts (theVisigoths in Spain, theSlavs andAvars in the Balkans, theSassanid Persians in the Middle East, and the Amazigh in North Africa) forced the imperial government to decentralize and devolve power to the former provinces.
The term Exarch most commonly refers to the Exarch of Italy, who governed the area of Italy and Dalmatia, still remaining under Byzantine control after theLombard invasion of 568. The exarchate's seat was atRavenna, whence it is known as the "Exarchate of Ravenna". Ravenna remained the seat of the Exarch until the revolt of 727 overIconoclasm. Thereafter, the growing menace of theLombards and the split between eastern and westernChristendom that Iconoclasm caused made the position of the Exarch more and more untenable. The last Exarch was killed by the Lombards in 751.
A second exarchate was created by Maurice to administer northern Africa, formerly a separatepraetorian prefecture, the islands of the western Mediterranean and theByzantine possessions in Spain. The capital of theExarchate of Africa wasCarthage. An emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire,Heraclius, was the son of the exarch of Africa before Heraclius replaced the usurper emperorPhocas in 610. Phocas had revolted under emperorMaurice who had appointed Heraclius' father as exarch of Africa. The exarchate proved both financially and militarily strong, and survived until the Arab Muslim conquest of Carthage in 698.
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The term 'exarch' entered ecclesiastical language at first for ametropolitan (an archbishop) with jurisdiction not only for the area that was his as a metropolitan, but also over other metropolitans within local politicaldioceses. Since imperialvicarius (governor of a political diocese) was often called "exarch" in eastern, Greek-speaking parts of the Empire, it became customary for the metropolitans of the diocesan capitals (Ephesus in theDiocese of Asia,Heraclea in theDiocese of Thrace andCaesarea in theDiocese of Pontus) also to use the title "exarch" in order to emphasize their precedence and primatial status over other metropolitans within local political dioceses.[1]
TheCouncil of Chalcedon (451), which gave special authority to the see of Constantinople as being "the residence of the emperor and the Senate", in its canons spoke of diocesan "exarchs", placing all metropolitans in dioceses of Asia, Thrace and Pontus (including metropolitans-exarchs of Ephesus, Heraclea and Caesarea) under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Constantinople. Metropolitans-exarchs of Ephesus tried to resist the supreme jurisdiction of Constantinople, but eventually failed since imperial government supported the creation of a centralized Patriarchate.[1]
When the proposed government of universal Christendom by five patriarchal sees (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, known as thepentarchy), under the auspices of a single universal empire, was formulated in the legislation ofEmperor Justinian I (527–565), especially in his Novella 131 (De regulis ecclesiasticis etc., caput III),[3] and received formal ecclesiastical sanction at theCouncil in Trullo (692), the name "patriarch" became the official one for the heads of major autocephalous churches, and the title of "exarch" was further demoted by naming all metropolitans as "patriarchal exarchs" in their ecclesiastical provinces. The advance of Constantinople put an end to privileges of three older, original exarchates, which fell back to the state of ordinary metropolitan sees.[4]
Local ecclesiastical development in some regions also included the title of exarch. Since the Church of Cyprus was declaredautocephalous (431), its Primate received the title of Exarch of Cyprus. On a similar principle theArchbishop of Mount Sinai and Raithu is an exarch, though in this case, as in that of Cyprus, modern Eastern Orthodox usage generally prefers the title "Archbishop".
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In modern ecclesiastical practice of theEastern Orthodox Church, the title of exarch was often used to designate the highest hierarchical office under the rank of patriarch. When RussianPatriarch Adrian of Moscow died in 1700, EmperorPeter the Great abolished the patriarchal office and appointed MetropolitanStefan Yavorsky as exarch and head of theMost Holy Synod of theRussian Orthodox Church.
After Imperial Russiaannexed Georgia (the eastern part in 1801, and the western part in 1810), the ancientGeorgian Orthodox Church (autocephalous since 750, whose head was since 1008 styled Catholicos-Patriarchs) was reorganized into theGeorgian Exarchate, and the newly appointedExarch of Georgia (since 1817 always an ethnic Russian) sat in the Russian Holy Synod at St. Petersburg.[5] Since the entire region of theCaucasus fell under Russian rule, the jurisdiction of the Georgian Exarchate was expanded, encompassing the territories of modern-dayGeorgia,Armenia andAzerbaijan. On 7 April 1917, the Georgian Patriarchate was restored for the Archbishops of Mtsheta and Tbilisi, with the style Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, and the titleExarch of Georgia was extinguished, but only for the Georgian part of the Exarchate. The Russian Orthodox Church and its exarchPlaton (Rozhdestvensky) kept their jurisdiction over non-Georgian parts of the Caucasian region, and for those territories theCaucasian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church was created in the summer of 1917, with metropolitan Platon as Exarch of the Caucasus. In the spring of 1918, he was succeeded by metropolitan Cyril (Smirnov) as new Exarch of the Caucasus, but after his transfer to another post in the spring of 1920 no new exarch was appointed.[6]
On 28 February 1870 the twenty-year-old struggle between Greeks and Bulgarians for control of the Orthodox Church in Bulgaria culminated when the Ottoman SultanAbdulaziz created an independent Bulgarian ecclesiastical organization, known as theBulgarian Exarchate. The Orthodox Church inBulgaria had now become independent of the Greek-dominatedEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Bulgarian Exarch, who resided in Constantinople, became the most famous bearer of the title of exarch; his adherents throughout region were calledexarchists, as opposed to the Greekpatriarchists. The ensuing struggle, waged especially inMacedonia, was not only religious but had a conspicuous political dimension of a contention between competing Greek and Bulgarian national aims. For more information seeBulgarian Exarchate andBulgarian Orthodox Church.
In 1921, eparchies of the Russian Orthodox Church inUkraine were reorganized as theUkrainian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church, headed by the patriarchal exarch with his seat in Kiev (Kyiv). The Ukrainian Exarchate existed until 1990 when it was granted a higher degree of ecclesiastical autonomy within the Moscow Patriarchate. In 1989, an autonomousBelarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church was formed, with jurisdiction over eparchies inBelarus.
During the 20th century, the pentarchy-number principle, already abandoned in the case ofBulgaria (10th century),Serbia (14th century) andRussia (16th century), gave way to the desire of the now politically independent Orthodox nations to see their sovereignty reflected in ecclesiastical autonomy – autocephaly – and the symbolic title to crown it: a 'national' Patriarch. For example,Bulgarian Exarchate was raised to the rank of Patriarchate in 1953.
In theEastern Orthodox Church, the office of exarch can be also given to a special deputy of aPatriarch, with jurisdiction over a community outside the home territory of the Patriarchate. Thus, in the United States there are Exarchs representing, among others, the Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian and Jerusalem Patriarchs. The style of the Exarchs of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem is "Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher".
The Mexican Orthodox parishes in five deaneries (Mexico City, D.F., State of Mexico, State of Jalisco, State of Veracruz and State of Chiapas) of theOrthodox Church in America are governed as the "Exarchate of Mexico", currently under the leadership of Bishop Alejo of Mexico City.[7]
The third officer of the court of theEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, who examines marriage cases (analogous to the Catholicdefensor matrimonii), is called the Exarch.
TheOriental Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch currently has under his authority an Exarch in India, known by the ancient titleMaphrian, although he is popularly referred to asCatholicos. This is not to be confused with the autocephalousCatholicate of the East, which is also located in India.
Historically, there have been a very few cases of the civil title of Exarch granted by the civil authority to prelates of theLatin Church, as whenEmperor Frederick I named theArchbishop of Lyon as Exarch ofBurgundy in 1157.
However, the ecclesiastical title of Exarch has disappeared in the Western Catholic Church, being replaced by the terms "Primate" (ranking above metropolitan archbishop) and "Apostolic Vicar" (ranking below suffragan bishop).
InEastern Catholic Churches (of Eastern tradition but in fullcommunion with the Bishop of Rome, thePope), the ecclesiastical title of Exarch is in common use, just as with its Orthodox counterparts.
These Churches are, in general, not identified with a particular liturgical rite. Thus, no fewer than fourteen of them use the sameByzantine Rite, mostly in one or other of only two languages, Greek andChurch Slavonic, but they maintain their distinct identities. Because of population shifts, half or so of these Churches have not just exarchates but full-scaleeparchies (bishoprics) or even archeparchies (archdioceses) outside their original territory.
Apostolic exarch is usually a consecrated bishop of atitular see to whom the Pope, as Bishop of the Roman See of the ApostlePeter, has entrusted the pastoral care of the faithful of an autonomous Eastern Catholicparticular Churchsui iuris in an area, not raised to the rank of eparchy (diocese), that is situated outside the home territory of an Eastern Catholic Church. The office ofapostolic exarch thus corresponds to what in theLatin Church is called anapostolic vicar. Apostolic exarchates are generally exempt (immediately subject to the Holy See), with limited oversight by thepatriarch,major archbishop ormetropolitan in chief of the particular Eastern Church. If there is no metropolitan in a particular Eastern Catholic church, apostolic exarchates in their territories are directly subjected to Rome. For example, theByzantine Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Serbia belongs to theByzantine Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia, but since there is no metropolitan in that church, the Apostolic Exarch of Serbia is directly subjected to the Holy See.[8]
Apatriarchal exarch is appointed in those Eastern Catholic churches whose head is styled as patriarch. This office is often (not always) given to a consecrated bishop of a titular see. Their appointments are limited to the traditional territory of their church, with main task of governing the region not yet raised to the rank of eparchy (diocese). They may be suffragan to an archdiocese or archeparchy of the Eastern Catholic Church, or be immediately subject to the Patriarch.
Archiepiscopal exarch is appointed in those Eastern Catholic churches whose head is styled asMajor Archbishop. The office ofarchiepiscopal exarch is also usually given to a consecrated bishop of a titular see. Appointment of archiepiscopal exarchs is limited to the traditional territory of their particular church. They also may be suffragans to an archdiocese or archeparchy of their Eastern Catholic Church, or be immediately subject to the Major Archbishop.
In particular cases, usually because of illness or some other problem, an exarch of any rank can be assisted by the appointment of a colleague who is calledcoadjutor exarch. The position of coadjutor exarch towards his superior exarch is similar to the position of Latincoadjutor bishop towards his superior diocesan bishop. Coadjutor exarchs are appointed with rights of succession. For example, in 1993 titular BishopChristo Proykov of Briula was appointed Coadjutor to Apostolic Exarch of Sofia,Methodius Stratiev, and when the latter died in 1995 the coadjutor exarch succeeded him as the new Apostolic Exarch.[9]
In practice, exarch of any rank can be additionally assisted by anauxiliary exarch, who is appointed in order to help the exarch in administration of his exarchate. Position of auxiliary exarch towards his superior exarch is similar to position of Latinauxiliary bishop towards his superiordiocesan bishop. Auxiliary exarchs are appointed without the rights of succession.
The following Eastern Catholic exarchates can be found in the 2006Annuario Pontificio and newer sources.[10] The Apostolic Exarchates are exempt, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See, rather than to their Patriarch or other head of the particular Church
(probably still incomplete)
in Europe – Byzantine Rite
in Asia – Armenian Rite
in Asia – Antiochian Rite
in Asia – Syro-Oriental Rite
in Africa – Alexandrian Rite
in Africa – Antiochian Rite
in the Americas – Antiochian Rite
in the Americas – Armenian Rite
in the Americas – Byzantine Rite
in the Americas –Syro-Oriental Rite
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Adrian Fortescue (1913). "Exarch". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
