Apocrisiarius

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An apocrisiarius, the latinized form of apokrisiarios (Greek: ἀποκρισιάριος), sometimes Anglicized as apocrisiary, was a high diplomatic representative during Late Antiquity and the early medieval period. The corresponding Latin term was responsalis ("he who answers").^[1] The title was used by Byzantine ambassadors as well as by the representatives of bishops to the secular authorities.^[2][3] The closest modern equivalent is a papal nuncio; the title apocrisiarius is also still employed by the Anglican church.

Contents 1 History and functions in the Middle Ages 2 Modern Anglican Church 3 References 4 Sources and references

[edit] History and functions in the Middle Ages

An apocrisiarius was a cleric who served as the representative (also described as legate, a less precise term) of a bishop or patriarch to the Byzantine imperial court of Constantinople. The office existed since the 5th century, but was institutionalized by law only under Justinian I. Several of the more important ecclesiastical sees maintained permanent apocrisiarii in the imperial capital.^[1] The most notable apocrisiarii were perhaps those sent from ca. 452 until 743 by the Pope, as Patriarch of Rome and head of the Western Church, to the Byzantine capital, Constantinople. This post was filled by several notable clergymen, some of whom went on to become popes themselves, including Pope Gregory I, Pope Sabinian, Pope Boniface III and Pope Martin I, during the period of the "Byzantine Papacy".

At the court of the Exarchate of Ravenna, apocrisiarii were the permanent representatives of the Pope and the Byzantine Emperor. In turn, at least during the pontificate of Pope Gregory I, the Archbishop of Ravenna had a special responsalis at the papal court.

From the reign of Charlemagne, the court of the Frankish king/emperor had clerical members styled apocrisiarii. However, they were only royal archchaplains decorated with the title of the ancient papal envoys, since they did not perform any diplomatic duties.

[edit] Modern Anglican Church

In the modern Anglican Communion, representatives of the Archbishop of Canterbury to various churches are styled apocrisiarioi.^[4]

[edit] References

[edit] Sources and references

• Various articles in the Catholic Encyclopaedia
• Nouveau petit Larousse illustré (1952, encyclopaedic dictionary in French)
• Kazhdan, Alexander, ed (1991). Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6. 
• Parry, Ken; David Melling (editors) (1999). The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. Malden, MA.: Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 0-631-23203-6.