A bishop or metropolitan (high-ranking church leader) in the Eastern Orthodox Church, often governing a region outside the main patriarch's territory.
From Greek 'exarchos' (leader, commander), from 'ex-' (out) + 'arkhein' (to rule); adopted into church terminology around the 4th century to describe provincial religious leaders.
Exarchs were like the original troubleshooters of the Eastern Church—bishops sent far from headquarters to oversee distant Christian communities, from North Africa to the Caucasus, with significant independence and power.
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