METROPOLITAN. - He is the bishop who presides over an ecclesiastical province and has under him other bishops, called "suffragans" (from the suffrage to which they are entitled in the provincial council). The title of "archbishop" belongs to him, but not exclusively, because it is also granted, as an honorary title, to bishops immediately subject to the Holy See and without suffragans, or to titular bishops.
In the first centuries the mother or principal city of a province (ἐπαρχία) was called a metropolis (μητρόπολις), in which the Christian religion had first been preached, sometimes through the work of the Apostles themselves, and from which it had spread to other centers. Because of this fact, and also through the influence of the Roman provincial organization, the bishop of the metropolis came to exercise a certain jurisdiction over the fellow-provincial bishops (ἐπαρχιῶται), called "suffragans" from the 8th century onward. In Africa, however, and perhaps also in Spain, metropolitan dignity was not attached to the principal see, but was attributed to the bishop senior by ordination. In the East the Nicene Council of 325 already presupposes the metropolitan organization as existing; in the West, on the other hand, it became established gradually during the 4th and 5th centuries. In the early Middle Ages the rights and duties of metropolitans were everywhere very extensive: they presided over the provincial council, intervened in all extraordinary affairs of their provinces, received appeals against the sentences and decrees of suffragans, confirmed and consecrated them, judged and deposed them. Since, however, their jurisdiction was of human right, it could gradually be restricted both by the strengthening of the dignity and independence of suffragan bishops and, above all, by the interventions of the Roman pontiffs, who, concerned about abuses, revoked acquired powers. This occurred, especially in the West, already in the period preceding the authentic collections of the Decretals, also through the influence of Pseudo-Isidore, a determined opponent of metropolitan power. In the law of the Decretals, nevertheless, not a few prerogatives remained to metropolitans, which later became the object of new limitations. The Council of Trent reformed the whole discipline, which was substantially received in the CIC.
In current law the metropolitan dignity is always united to a determined episcopal see or one approved by the pontiff (can. 272). In his diocese the metropolitan has the same rights and duties as any bishop (can. 273); in the dioceses of suffragans he has only those that are enumerated in the CIC or that have been expressly granted to him. In particular, as regards administrative jurisdiction, the metropolitan must convoke the provincial council every 20 years and preside over it (cans. 283-84); he may watch over the observance of the faith and ecclesiastical discipline throughout the province and inform the pontiff of abuses (can. 274 n. 4); he may institute candidates to benefices, presented by patrons, if the competent suffragan has omitted to do so within the legal terms, without being prevented by a just reason (can. 274 n. 1); he may depute the capitular vicar in suffragan dioceses, if the competent cathedral Chapter has failed to do so within eight days of receiving notice of the vacancy of the episcopal see (cans. 274 n. 3 and 432 §§ 1 and 2); he may visit the suffragan dioceses, with prior approval of the cause by the Holy See, if the suffragans themselves have neglected to do so and, during the time of the visitation, he may preach, hear confessions, absolving also from cases reserved to the bishop, inquire into the life and honesty of the clergy, denounce to the competent Ordinaries, so that they may punish them, clerics marked with infamy, punish with just penalties, not excluding censures, notorious crimes and offenses committed against him or persons of his retinue (can. 274 n. 5); finally, if a suffragan should incur excommunication or suspension or interdict, the metropolitan must have immediate recourse to the Holy See, so that it may provide (can. 429 § 5). As regards judicial power, the tribunal of second instance for all causes decided in first instance by a suffragan is before the metropolitan (cans. 274 n. 7 and 1594 § 1), with the exception, in Italy and in other countries, of matrimonial causes, reserved to regional tribunals already in first instance; the tribunal of first instance is also before the metropolitan for causes concerning the rights or temporal goods of the suffragan or of his episcopal mensa or of his diocesan curia, whenever the suffragan himself does not prefer to entrust them to his own tribunal (cans. 274 n. 8 and 1572 § 2). The metropolitan moreover enjoys certain prerogatives throughout his province: he may grant indulgences of 200 days (S. Penit. Ap. 20 July 1942); he precedes suffragans even in their dioceses; he may celebrate pontificals in all churches, even exempt ones, notifying the Ordinary if the church is a cathedral; he may bless the people and proceed with the cross raised (can. 274 nn. 2 and 6).
Outside his province the metropolitan may exercise certain rights over bishops, prelates and abbots nullius, immediately subject to the Holy See, who have chosen him, once and for all, to participate in their provincial council (can. 285).
The metropolitan has a right to the pallium, the emblem of archiepiscopal authority, and must request it from the supreme pontiff within three months of consecration or of promotion in consistory, if already consecrated (can. 275). Acts of metropolitan jurisdiction or of episcopal order, in which the use of the pallium is prescribed by liturgical laws, are unlawful if performed before the imposition of the pallium itself (can. 276). Finally, as regards precedence, metropolitans, like other archbishops, follow primates and precede bishops (can. 280).