The bishop is the chief pastor of a local church (called a diocese), the successor to the apostles, and the only one who can ordain priests and deacons. He’s the center of unity for his flock, the guardian of the faith, and the one who stands in the place of Christ for his people.
That’s the short answer. But if you’re coming from a Baptist or non-denominational background here in Southeast Texas, you might be thinking: “Wait, we don’t have bishops at all.” And if you’re Catholic, you’re familiar with bishops but might not realize how Orthodoxy understands their role differently. Let me explain what we mean.
The Bishop as Apostolic Successor
When Christ ascended into heaven, He didn’t leave the Church to figure things out on its own. He gave authority to the apostles, to preach, to baptize, to bind and loose, to shepherd His flock. The apostles then passed that authority on through the laying on of hands, ordaining bishops to continue their work. Fr. Thomas Hopko puts it this way: “The Church is a concrete community of people, headed by a bishop in apostolic succession, who keep the apostolic tradition.”
This isn’t just a nice historical connection. It’s sacramental. When a man is consecrated as a bishop, he receives the fullness of the priesthood through the hands of other bishops, who received it from bishops before them, all the way back to the apostles themselves. That unbroken chain matters because it preserves both the faith and the grace that flows through the Church.
What Only a Bishop Can Do
Here’s where things get practical. A priest can celebrate the Liturgy, hear confessions, anoint the sick, and marry couples. But he can’t ordain anyone. That’s the bishop’s unique role. Only a bishop can ordain priests and deacons. Only a bishop can consecrate another bishop. And traditionally, only a bishop can perform chrismation (though priests often do this with the bishop’s blessing, using chrism that the bishop has blessed).
Think of it this way: every priest serves by the grace of his bishop’s ordination. When Fr. John at your local parish celebrates the Eucharist, he does so because a bishop laid hands on him and made him a priest. The bishop is the source of priestly ministry in the diocese.
The Bishop and His Diocese
In Orthodoxy, the local church isn’t really your parish down the street. The local church is the diocese, and the bishop is its head. Your parish priest represents the bishop when the bishop can’t be everywhere at once. That’s why the bishop’s throne sits in the church (you’ll see it on the right side of the altar area, with an icon of Christ above it). It reminds us that the bishop is the true pastor of every parish in his diocese.
This matters more than it might seem. The bishop assigns priests to parishes. He oversees the teaching and life of every congregation. He visits parishes to celebrate the Liturgy, to ordain, to confirm people through chrismation. When you see Metropolitan Saba or one of our auxiliary bishops visit St. Michael, you’re seeing the fullness of the Church made visible. The bishop isn’t just an administrator. He’s the living connection to the apostles and to every other Orthodox bishop in the world.
Teacher and Guardian
The bishop is also responsible for teaching the faith and protecting his flock from error. He’s not a pope, he doesn’t have personal infallibility. But he carries the authority to teach what the Church has always taught, and he does this in communion with all the other bishops. If a bishop starts teaching something contrary to the apostolic faith, the other bishops will correct him. That’s how Orthodoxy works. We’re conciliar, not monarchical.
This teaching role shows up in the bishop’s preaching, in his pastoral letters, in how he guides clergy and laity through questions and challenges. When you’re received into the Orthodox Church, it’s the bishop (or a priest acting with his authority) who chrismats you. When you’re ordained, the bishop lays hands on you. The bishop’s ministry is woven through every major moment of Orthodox life.
Chosen by the Church
How does someone become a bishop? In the Antiochian Archdiocese, bishops are chosen by the Holy Synod, the council of bishops, often with input from clergy and laity. Then the new bishop is consecrated by at least three other bishops through the laying on of hands. This isn’t a promotion or a career move. It’s a calling, and it’s serious. Bishops are almost always monastics (celibate) because the demands of the office are so great.
You might notice that our Metropolitan Saba oversees the entire Archdiocese, while auxiliary bishops like Bishop Thomas serve specific regions. That’s an administrative arrangement, but every bishop has the same sacramental authority. There’s no “higher” or “lower” bishop in terms of grace. A bishop is a bishop.
Why This Matters to You
If you’re inquiring into Orthodoxy, understanding the bishop’s role helps you see what the Church actually is. We’re not a loose association of independent congregations. We’re not a top-down hierarchy with one man in charge. We’re a living body, connected through bishops who stand in unbroken succession from the apostles, who guard the faith, who ordain the priests, who unite us to Christ and to each other.
When you’re received into the Orthodox Church here at St. Michael, you’re not just joining a parish. You’re entering a diocese under a bishop, and through him you’re connected to every Orthodox Christian in the world, living and departed, all the way back to Pentecost. That’s what apostolic succession means. And that’s why the bishop matters.
