In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis.
Petro Mohyla, Moldavian noble, Eastern Orthodox theologian, and Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and all Rus'
Metropolitan Vladimir of Saint Petersburg wearing the light blue mandyas of a Russian Orthodox metropolitan.
The late Metropolitan Geevarghese Gregorios of Parumala of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is portrayed wearing traditional dress in a painting by Raja Ravi Varma.
An episcopal polity is a hierarchical form of church governance in which the chief local authorities are called bishops. The word "bishop" here is derived via the British Latin and Vulgar Latin term *ebiscopus/*biscopus, from the Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος epískopos meaning "overseer". It is the structure used by many of the major Christian Churches and denominations, such as the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East, Anglican, Lutheran and Methodist churches or denominations, and other churches founded independently from these lineages.
The chair (cathedra) of the Bishop of Rome (Pope) of the Catholic Church in the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran in Rome, Italy, represents his episcopal authority.
The government of a bishop is typically symbolized by a cathedral church, such as the bishops's see at Chartres Cathedral.
Pope Pius IX convened the First Vatican Council that approved the dogma of the pope as the visible head of the church, prime bishop over a hierarchy of clergy and believers.
Paul Kwong, Anglican Archbishop and Primate of Hong Kong
