Archpriest

Certain priests who have supervisory responsibilities over many parishes are eligible to hold the ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter. These titles are also often used interchangeably. The term is most frequently utilised in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches. It may be somewhat analogous to a monsignor, vicar forane, or dean in the Latin Church; however, in the Eastern churches an archpriest wears an additional vestment and, typically, a pectoral cross, and is elevated to the position of archpriest through a liturgical ceremony.

The title of vicar forane, who is more commonly known as a dean, may be replaced in popular use by the phrase, and the Latin Catholic Church may use it in some historical titles. The term may also be used in other contexts.

It is still the case in the Eastern Orthodox Church that the archdeacon is the leader of the deacons of a diocese, just as it was in ancient times. On the other hand, the archpriest was the chief of the presbyerate of the diocese, which means that he was in charge of the priests as a group. One of the responsibilities of the latter was to step in for the bishop in spiritual affairs when the bishop was unavailable.