ARCHBISHOP. An ecclesiastical title, first used in the fourth century A.D. Athanasius (c. 295-373) styled himself Archbishop. Originally bishops of the Christian Church in charge of a province and having suffragan bishops under them were called metropolitans. When in course of time the bishops of the greater cities them selves had suffragan bishops to assist them, these became metropolitans, and a new title " primate," " exarch," or " archbishop " was given to the old metropolitans. The only difference now between the terms "archbishop " and " metropolitan " is that a metropolitan always has suffragans. There seem to have been three archbishoprics in Roman times. These were London, York, and Caer leon. Menevia or St. David's afterwards took the place of Caerleon. In the sixth and seventh centuries Canter bury and York were the recognized archbishoprics. St. David's remained as before until it was amalgamated with Canterbury (e. A.D. 1147). In the eighth century Lichfield also was an archbishopric for a short time. This also was amalgamated with Canterbury. Ireland originally had four archbishoprics, Armagh, Dublin, Cashel, and Tuam, which have been retained by the Roman Catholics. The Protestants have now only two,
Armagh and Dublin. There are now a number of colonial archbishops (Cape Town, Ottawa, Rupert's Land, Jamaica, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane). The Archbishop of Canterbury is " Primate of All England," and crowns the sovereigns of England. The Archbishop of York is called " Primate of England." The two Archbishops are independent; their authority is co ordinate. Since 1850 the Roman Catholics have had an Archbishop of Westminster. The first holder of the office was Nicholas Wiseman. The superior dignity of an archbishop in the Roman Catholic Church is still marked by two insignia—" the pallium with which he is invested by the Holy See, and the double cross borne on his ' stemma ' over his arms." He " has the right of carrying his cross throughout his province, except in the presence of the Pope or a Cardinal Legate " (Addis and Arnold). See Prot. Dict.; Cath. Diet.