Archpriest

The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes.

Exceptionally, the pope on occasion raised a territory to the rank of archipresbyterate nullius, detached from any prelature, yet under a non-prelate, as happened in 1471 with the future abbacy (1583) and later (1828-1986) Diocese of Guastalla.

According to the specific historical tradition, many churches throughout the world, other than basilicas, are under the authority of a priest who bears the title of archpriest.

It was confirmed by an order in council on 1 April 1913 under King George V.[2] The title reflects the fact that the archpriest has the right to sit beside the bishop and acknowledges no authority below that of the Archbishop of Canterbury, although today it is more appropriate to go through the usual channels of the church's hierarchy.

Like the archpriest of old, these officers have supervisory duties, but not ordinary jurisdiction, and are entitled to carry out visitations of subordinate parishes when so commissioned.

Archpriest, also protopope (Ancient Greek: πρωτοπαπᾶς, protopapas) or protopresbyter (Ancient Greek: πρωτοπρεσβύτερος, protopresbyteros), is a clerical rank, a title of honor given to non-monastic priests[3][note 1] and is conferred by a bishop with the laying on of hands and prayer.

[note 3] The ceremony for making an archpriest is analogous to other clerical promotions bestowed with cheirothesia: at the little entrance of the divine liturgy, the candidate is conducted to the ambo in the middle of the church where the bishop is at the time, and the bishop blesses him and says a prayer[4] addressed to Christ asking to "... endue our brother (name) with Thy Grace, and adorn him with virtue to stand at the head of the Presbyters of Thy people, and make him to be a good example to them that are with him ..."[5] In the Russian tradition, protopresbyter is a higher rank than archpriest, as explained in a translation by the Orthodox Church in America: Although entitled "for the making of a Protopresbyter" it is clear that what is now known as an "Archpriest" is what is usually meant.

[5]The Unitarian Church of Transylvania is divided into five Archpriestships as a form of territorial governance,[6] virtual dioceses.