TURKEY
589
TURKEY
the administration of the patriarchate by a number of officers. They are divided into two clioirs — one at the light, and the other at the left. The former consists of tijree sections, each of which embraces five persons, and is therefore called a Tvh'rac. All these offices were formerly of great importance, and, with the exception of those which required an ordination or liad the super- intendence of convents, were in the hands of the noble (ireek families, the so-called Thanariotes. The occu- pants had a vote at the election and deposition of the ])atriarch. At present, most of these offices are mere titles. The only officer who has still an important polit- ical position and considerable influence is the grand logothete (/lEyaf \oyoSf7-);c),or the grand keeiier of the seal. He is elected bj' the patriarch and Holy Synod from among the Greek notables for lifetime. He is con- firmed by the Porte, and can only be removed by the concurrent action of both powers. The patriarchate con- ducts through him all negotiations with the Pt)rte re- lating to its secular privileges ; and all the official com- munications from the patriarch to the Porte pass through liis hands. He has the right to countersign all synodal resolutions relating to the appointment of metropolitans and bishops, and to receive certain fees for drawing up the official documents. See Patkiauchs.
The three patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, and Je- rusalem are not subject to the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the patriarch of Constantinople, but are co-ordinate to him. The benit by which they are appointed confers upon them the same rights, and each of them has a synod whi(!h has the same rights as the Synod of Con- stantinople. They are inferior to the patriarch of Con- stantinople only in so far as they have no civil jurisdic- tion. The patriarch of Alexandria has jurisdiction over the Greek churches of Egypt, Libya, x\rabia, and Nubia; the patriarch of Antioch, who resides at Damascus, over those of Syria, Cilicia, Mesopotamia, Isauria, and other Asiatic provinces: the patriarch of Jerusalem, who re- sides at Galata, a suburb of Constantinople, over those (if Palestine. The aggregate territory of the three pa- triarchates is, however, but small compared with that of Constantinople. Metropolitans with suffragan bish- ops are rare in the Turkish empire. The name metro- politan or archbishop is generally only a title which confers a higher dignity than the title bishop, but not a greater jurisdiction. The title of metropolitan is es- pecially given to the bishops of the provincial capitals. As bishops must be unmarried, they are generally taken from the monasteries. If a layman is to be ordained a bishop, he has first to take all orders up to priesthood, and then can receive the episcopal ordination only af- ter the expiration of thirty days. The candidate must be thirty years of age, and at his ordination three bish- ops must be present. Bishops are bound to reside in their dioceses ; and if a bishop is absent from his diocese for more than six months, except it be by order of the patriarch, he is deposed. The bishop has entire control of the Church property of the diocese, and can impose taxes upon his diocesans. Without his permission, no convent can be built within the diocese. The reve- nue of metropolitans and bishops is derived from the same sources as that of the patriarch. They receive annual contributions from the priests and the laity of the diocese, besides fees and inheritances. The income of many bishops is considerable. The metropolitans and bishops have also an influential position in the po- litical administration of the empire, as they are, in vir- tue of their office, members of the administrative coun- cils, by which the valis of the vilayets are assisted. In 1836, patriarch Gregory VI and the Holy Synod issued a circular in which all bishops were requested to establish in their dioceses an ecclesiastical commit- tee, after the model of the one existing in Constantino- ple, for consulting on the spiritual interests of the dio- ceses. All the diocesan committees send reports to Con- .stantinople. and thence receive advice. The commit- tees consist of not less than three members, who are se-
lected from among the educated, virtuous, and zealous clergy. One member of the committee has to examine the candidates for ordination, and to instruct and guide the confessors. A second member has to superintend the printing and the sale of books, the ecclesiastical dis- cipline, and the lives of the clergy. No book can be printed without his permission. The third member superintends education and preaching. The secular clergy are mostly uneducated and poor, and, to sup- port themselves and their families, they often carry on some trade, cultivate a farm, and perform other man- ual labor. The parochial churches are maintained by the congregations, and on every Sunday and holiday collections are taken up for the purpose. The koja backi, or chief of the congregation, administers the financial affairs, and has, in particular, to take care of the support of the priests, the cliurches, and the schools. No one can be admitted to a male or female convent without an examination, or before being ten years of age. Besides the monks and nuns who live in convents, there are eremites on Moinit Athos, and anchorets in Macedonia. See INIonks, Eastern.