noun. A bishop of the highest rank, heading an archdiocese or province.

noun. A title used in the Christian church as early as the fourth century, and regularly given in that and the next four centuries to the bishops of the highest rank, afterward known as patriarchs.

noun. A chief bishop; a church dignitary of the first class (often called a metropolitan or primate) who superintends the conduct of the suffragan bishops in his province, and also exercises episcopal authority in his own diocese.

noun. In the Roman Catholic Church and other churches, a senior bishop who is in charge of an archdiocese, and presides over a group of dioceses called a province.

noun. a bishop of highest rank

"[_Endorsed_: "In order that the decrees above inserted, ordering that the missionaries of the Filipinas Islands have no prisons or jails; that they may not condemn, except those who have commission from the archbishop; and that they appoint no other fiscals than those whom he shall assign them; notwithstanding the decrees that were given ordering no innovation in the former practice, be followed in the appointment of the said fiscals."] _Letter to the archbishop_"

Excellency  Grace  archdiocese  diocese  prelate  

archbishopric  archbishopship  archepiscopal  bishop  bishopric  

bishop  

Anselm  St. Anselm  St. Thomas à Becket  Thomas a Becket  becket  

Bishop  bishop  

Earle  abbot  ambassador  bishop  canon  

Grand Penitentiary  Holy Father  abuna  antipope  archdeacon