Presiding Bishop - Latter Day Saints

Latter Day Saints

See also: Bishop (Latter Day Saints): Presiding Bishop and Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)

The Presiding Bishop is an office in the church hierarchy of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint or Mormonism movement. Each Presiding Bishop has two counselors; the three together form the Presiding Bishopric. A man recognized as a "literal descendent of Aaron" (or Kohanim) can, under the direction of the First Presidency, hold the office of Presiding Bishop alone, without counselors. To date, no man in any Latter Day Saint tradition has held the office of Presiding Bishop under these conditions.

The office shares its origin with that of bishop. Edward Partridge was the first man ordained to the office of bishop in the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on February 4, 1831. This office became known as the First Bishop and later the "Presiding Bishop" when subordinate bishops were called in the Nauvoo period (1839–1844).

After the 1844 succession crisis, the office of Presiding Bishop evolved separately in different denominations of the movement.