Editing Exarch (section)

=== Modern Eastern Catholic Churches ===
{{Catholic Church Hierarchy}}
{{canon law}}
{{see also|Catholic Church hierarchy #Equivalents of diocesan bishops in law|List of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical)#Dioceses (eparchies) of the Eastern Catholic Churches}}
In [[Eastern Catholic Churches]] (of Eastern tradition but in full [[Communion (Christian)|communion]] with the Bishop of Rome, the [[Pope]]), the ecclesiastical title of Exarch is in common use, just as with its Orthodox counterparts.

These Churches are, in general, not identified with a particular liturgical rite. Thus, no fewer than fourteen of them use the same [[Byzantine Rite]], mostly in one or other of only two languages, Greek and [[Church Slavonic]], but they maintain their distinct identities. Because of population shifts, half or so of these Churches have not just exarchates but full-scale [[eparchy|eparchies]] (bishoprics) or even archeparchies (archdioceses) outside their original territory.

====Apostolic exarchs====
Apostolic exarch is usually a consecrated bishop of a [[titular see]] to whom the Pope, as Bishop of the Roman See of the Apostle [[Saint Peter|Peter]], has entrusted the pastoral care of the faithful of an autonomous Eastern Catholic [[particular Church]] ''sui iuris'' in an area, not raised to the rank of eparchy (diocese), that is situated outside the home territory of an Eastern Catholic Church. The office of ''apostolic exarch'' thus corresponds to what in the [[Latin Church]] is called an [[apostolic vicar]]. Apostolic exarchates are generally exempt (immediately subject to the Holy See), with limited oversight by the [[patriarch]], [[major archbishop]] or [[Metropolitan bishop|metropolitan]] in chief of the particular Eastern Church. If there is no metropolitan in a particular Eastern Catholic church, apostolic exarchates in their territories are directly subjected to Rome. For example, the [[Byzantine Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Serbia]] belongs to the [[Byzantine Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia]], but since there is no metropolitan in that church, the Apostolic Exarch of Serbia is directly subjected to the Holy See.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dseby.html|title=Serbia (Apostolic Exarchate) |website=Catholic Hierarchy|first=David M.|last=Cheney}}</ref>

====Patriarchal exarchs====
A [[patriarchal exarch]] is appointed in those Eastern Catholic churches whose head is styled as patriarch. This office is often (not always) given to a consecrated bishop of a titular see. Their appointments are limited to the traditional territory of their church, with main task of governing the region not yet raised to the rank of eparchy (diocese). They may be suffragan to an archdiocese or archeparchy of the Eastern Catholic Church, or be immediately subject to the Patriarch.

====Archiepiscopal exarchs====
[[Archiepiscopal exarch]] is appointed in those Eastern Catholic churches whose head is styled as [[Major Archbishop]]. The office of ''archiepiscopal exarch'' is also usually given to a consecrated bishop of a titular see. Appointment of archiepiscopal exarchs is limited to the traditional territory of their particular church. They also may be suffragans to an archdiocese or archeparchy of their Eastern Catholic Church, or be immediately subject to the Major Archbishop.

====Coadjutor exarchs====
In particular cases, usually because of illness or some other problem, an exarch of any rank can be assisted by the appointment of a colleague who is called ''[[coadjutor exarch]]''. The position of coadjutor exarch towards his superior exarch is similar to the position of Latin [[coadjutor bishop]] towards his superior diocesan bishop. Coadjutor exarchs are appointed with rights of succession. For example, in 1993 titular Bishop [[Christo Proykov]] of Briula was appointed Coadjutor to Apostolic Exarch of Sofia, [[Methodius Stratiev]], and when the latter died in 1995 the coadjutor exarch succeeded him as the new Apostolic Exarch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bproykov.html|title=Bishop Christo Proykov |work=Catholic Hierarchy]|first=David M.|last=Cheney}}</ref>

====Auxiliary exarchs====
In practice, exarch of any rank can be additionally assisted by an [[auxiliary exarch]], who is appointed in order to help the exarch in administration of his exarchate. Position of auxiliary exarch towards his superior exarch is similar to position of Latin [[auxiliary bishop]] towards his superior [[diocesan bishop]]. Auxiliary exarchs are appointed without the rights of succession.