Eastern Catholic Churches
The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches distinguishes between a patriarchal church's standing synod and a synod of its bishops. The standing synod consists of the patriarch and four bishops appointed for a five-year term. Of these four, three are elected by the patriarchal church's synod of bishops and one is appointed by the patriarch, while another four are designated in the same way to replace any member who is impeded. A synod of all the church's ordained bishops is called when a decision is required on a question that only it is authorized to decide, or when the patriarch, with the agreement of the standing synod, judges it to be necessary, or when at least one third of the bishops request that it be held to consider some specific matter. In addition, the canon law of some patriarchal churches requires that it be convoked at predetermined intervals. Similar rules govern Eastern Catholic Churches headed not by a patriarch but by a major archbishop.
Read more about this topic: Holy Synod
Famous quotes containing the words eastern, catholic and/or churches:
“There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration.... The United States does not concede that those countries are under the domination of the Soviet Union.”
—Gerald R. Ford (b. 1913)
“The Catholic and the Communist are alike in assuming that an opponent cannot be both honest and intelligent.”
—George Orwell (1903–1950)
“Here, the churches seemed to shrink away into eroding corners. They seem to have ceased to be essential parts of American life. They no longer give life. It is the huge buildings of commerce and trade which now align the people to attention. These in their massive manner of steel and stone say, Come unto me all ye who labour, and we will give you work.”
—Sean O’Casey (1884–1964)