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{{short description|Former political and military office; now an ecclesiastical office}}
{{About|the political and military office of exarch, and also about the ecclesiastical office of the same name}}{{Distinguish|Exilarch}}
An '''exarch''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|k|s|ɑr|k}}; from [[Ancient Greek]] ἔξαρχος ''exarchos'') is an official in various jurisdictions (administrative, military, ecclesiastical) both historical and modern. 

== Political exarchs ==
{{Further|Exarch (Roman Empire)|Exarch of Ravenna|Exarch of Africa}}
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2025}}
[[File:Roman Empire with dioceses in 300 AD.png|thumb|right|Original [[Roman diocese|dioceses]] of the Roman Empire, created by emperor [[Diocletian]] (r. 284–305), and headed by [[Exarch (Roman Empire)|vicars]] (exarchs)]]
[[File:Roman Empire with dioceses in 400 AD.png|thumb|right|Later [[Roman diocese|dioceses]] of the Roman Empire, around 400 AD]]

In the late [[Roman Empire]] and early [[Byzantine Empire]], an ''exarch'' was a regional governor. From the end of the 3rd or early 4th century, every [[Roman imperial diocese]] was headed by a civilian governor titled as [[Vicar (Roman Empire)|vicar]] ({{langx|la|vicarius}}), who was also called "exarch" in eastern parts of the Empire, where the [[Greek language]] and the use of Greek terminology was predominant,{{sfn|Meyendorff|1989}} even though Latin was the language of the imperial administration from the provincial level up until the 440s (Greek translations were sent out with the official Latin text). In Greek texts, the Latin title is spelled {{lang|grc|βικάριος}} ({{Transliteration|grc|bikarios}}).{{sfn|Barnes|1982|p=140-174}}{{sfn|Cases|2019|p=353–367}}

Since the second half of the 6th century, in the administrative structure of the [[Byzantine Empire]] a new type of regional governors was introduced, with extended, both civilian and military powers. Such governors were also called ''exarchs'', and their jurisdictions came to be known as [[exarchate]]s. Two vast imperial exarchates were thus formed in the western regions of the empire: the [[Exarchate of Ravenna]] and the [[Exarchate of Africa]], both headed by imperial exarchs with extensive [[viceroyal]] powers.{{sfn|Cosentino|2021}}

The creation of such a powerful office was a response to the need of strengthening imperial authority in remote regions of the empire. It was also part of the overall process of unification of civil and military offices, initiated in early form by emperor [[Justinian I]], which would lead eventually to the creation of the [[Theme (Byzantine district)|thematic system]] by either the emperor [[Heraclius]] or [[Constans II]].{{sfn|Ostrogorsky|1956}}

After the dissolution of the Western Empire in the late fifth century, the [[Eastern Roman Empire]] remained stable through the beginning of the Middle Ages and retained the ability for future expansion. [[Justinian I]] reconquered North Africa, Italy, Dalmatia and finally parts of Spain for the Eastern Roman Empire. However, this put an incredible strain on the Empire's limited resources. Subsequent emperors would not surrender the re-conquered land to remedy the situation. Thus the stage was set for Emperor [[Maurice (emperor)|Maurice]] to establish the Exarchates to deal with the constantly evolving situation of the provinces.

In Italy the [[Lombards]] were the main opposition to [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] power. In North Africa the [[Amazigh]] or [[Berber people|Berber]] princes were ascendant due to Roman weakness outside the coastal cities. The problems associated with many enemies on various fronts (the [[Visigoths]] in Spain, the [[Slavs]] and [[Avars (Carpathians)|Avars]] in the Balkans, the [[Sassanid]] Persians in the Middle East, and the Amazigh in North Africa) forced the imperial government to decentralize and devolve power to the former provinces.

The term Exarch most commonly refers to the Exarch of Italy, who governed the area of Italy and Dalmatia, still remaining under Byzantine control after the [[Lombards|Lombard]] invasion of 568. The exarchate's seat was at [[Ravenna]], whence it is known as the "[[Exarchate of Ravenna]]". Ravenna remained the seat of the Exarch until the revolt of 727 over [[Byzantine Iconoclasm|Iconoclasm]]. Thereafter, the growing menace of the [[Lombards]] and the split between eastern and western [[Christendom]] that Iconoclasm caused made the position of the Exarch more and more untenable. The last Exarch was killed by the Lombards in 751.

A second exarchate was created by Maurice to administer northern Africa, formerly a separate [[Praetorian prefecture of Africa|praetorian prefecture]], the islands of the western Mediterranean and the [[Spania|Byzantine possessions in Spain]]. The capital of the [[Exarchate of Africa]] was [[Carthage]]. An emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, [[Heraclius]], was the son of the exarch of Africa before Heraclius replaced the usurper emperor [[Phocas]] in 610. Phocas had revolted under emperor [[Maurice (emperor)|Maurice]] who had appointed Heraclius' father as exarch of Africa. The exarchate proved both financially and militarily strong, and survived until the Arab Muslim conquest of Carthage in 698.

== Ecclesiastical exarchs ==
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2025}}
In the [[Eastern Christianity|Eastern Christian]] denominations ([[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]], [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]] and [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholic]]), the term ''exarch'' has three distinct uses: a [[metropolitan bishop|metropolitan]] who holds the office of exarch is the deputy of a [[patriarch]] and holds authority over bishops of the designated ecclesiastical region (thus, a position between that of patriarch and regular metropolitan); or an auxiliary or titular bishop appointed to be exarch over a group of the faithful not yet large enough or organized enough to be constituted an eparchy or diocese (thus the equivalent of a [[vicar apostolic]]); or a priest or deacon who is appointed by a bishop as his executive representative in various fields of diocesan administration (in the Byzantine Empire, executive exarchs were usually collecting diocesan revenues for local bishops).

=== Early tradition ===
The term 'exarch' entered ecclesiastical language at first for a [[metropolitan bishop|metropolitan]] (an archbishop) with jurisdiction not only for the area that was his as a metropolitan, but also over other metropolitans within local political [[Roman diocese|diocese]]s. Since imperial [[vicarius]] (governor of a political diocese) was often called "exarch" in eastern, Greek-speaking parts of the Empire, it became customary for the metropolitans of the diocesan capitals ([[Ephesus]] in the [[Diocese of Asia]], [[Heraclea Lyncestis|Heraclea]] in the [[Diocese of Thrace]] and [[Caesarea in Cappadocia|Caesarea]] in the [[Diocese of Pontus]]) also to use the title "exarch" in order to emphasize their precedence and primatial status over other metropolitans within local political dioceses.{{sfn|Meyendorff|1989}}

The [[Council of Chalcedon]] (451), which gave special authority to the see of Constantinople as being "the residence of the emperor and the Senate", in its canons spoke of diocesan "exarchs", placing all metropolitans in dioceses of Asia, Thrace and Pontus (including metropolitans-exarchs of Ephesus, Heraclea and Caesarea) under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Constantinople. Metropolitans-exarchs of Ephesus tried to resist the supreme jurisdiction of Constantinople, but eventually failed since imperial government supported the creation of a centralized Patriarchate.{{sfn|Meyendorff|1989}}

When the proposed government of universal Christendom by five patriarchal sees (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, known as the [[pentarchy]]), under the auspices of a single universal empire, was formulated in the legislation of [[Emperor Justinian I]] (527–565), especially in his Novella 131 ({{lang|la|De regulis ecclesiasticis etc.}}, chapter III),<ref>https://droitromain.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/Corpus/Nov131.htm ; {{lang|la|"sancimus secundum earum [scil. a sanctis quattuor conciliis] definitiones sanctissimum senioris Romae papam primum esse omnium sacerdotum, beatissimum autem archiepiscopum Constantinopoleos Novae Romae secundum habere locum post sanctam apostolicam sedem senioris Romae, aliis autem omnibus sedibus praeponatur."}}; "we order that, according what decided by them [the Councils of [[First Council of Nicaea|Nicaea]], [[First Council of Constantinople|Constantinople]], [[Council of Ephesus|Ephesus]] and [[Council of Chalcedon|Chalcedon]]] the pope of Rome shall be the first of all priests, then the very blessed archbishop of Constantinople New Rome shall have the second place after the holy, senior apostolic seat of Rome, by them all other seats shall be outranked."</ref>{{bare URL inline|date=November 2025}} and received formal ecclesiastical sanction at the [[Council in Trullo]] (692), the name "patriarch" became the official one for the heads of major autocephalous churches, and the title of "exarch" was further demoted by naming all metropolitans as "patriarchal exarchs" in their ecclesiastical provinces. The advance of Constantinople put an end to privileges of three older, original exarchates, which fell back to the state of ordinary metropolitan sees.<ref>A. Fortescue, ''Orthodox Eastern Church'', 21–25.</ref>

Local ecclesiastical development in some regions also included the title of exarch. Since the Church of Cyprus was declared [[autocephalous]] (431), its Primate received the title of Exarch of Cyprus. On a similar principle the [[Archbishop of Mount Sinai and Raithu]] is an exarch, though in this case, as in that of Cyprus, modern Eastern Orthodox usage generally prefers the title "Archbishop".

=== Eastern Orthodox Churches ===
[[File:Грузинский экзархат - საქართველოს საეგზარქოსო - Exarchate of Georgia.jpg|thumb|right|Georgian Exarchate in the 19th century]]
[[File:Platon (Rozhdestvensky).jpg|thumb|right|Metropolitan [[Platon (Rozhdestvensky)]], last Exarch of Georgia (1915–1917) and first Exarch of Caucasus (1917–1918)]]
[[File:Bulgarian-Exarchate-1870-1913.jpg|right|thumb|Map of the [[Bulgarian Exarchate]] (1870–1913)]]
In modern ecclesiastical practice of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], the title of exarch was often used to designate the highest hierarchical office under the rank of patriarch. When Russian [[Patriarch Adrian of Moscow]] died in 1700, Emperor [[Peter the Great]] abolished the patriarchal office and appointed Metropolitan [[Stefan Yavorsky]] as exarch and head of the [[Most Holy Synod]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]].

After Imperial Russia [[Georgia within the Russian Empire|annexed Georgia]] (the eastern part in 1801, and the western part in 1810), the ancient [[Georgian Orthodox Church]] (autocephalous since 750, whose head was since 1008 styled Catholicos-Patriarchs) was reorganized into the ''Georgian Exarchate,'' and the newly appointed ''Exarch of Georgia'' (since 1817 always an ethnic Russian) sat in the Russian Holy Synod at St. Petersburg.{{sfn|Fortescue|1908|p=295, 304–305, 351}} Since the entire region of the [[Caucasus]] fell under Russian rule, the jurisdiction of the Georgian Exarchate was expanded, encompassing the territories of modern-day [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Armenia]] and [[Azerbaijan]]. On 7 April 1917, the Georgian Patriarchate was restored for the Archbishops of Mtsheta and Tbilisi, with the style Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, and the title ''Exarch of Georgia'' was extinguished, but only for the Georgian part of the Exarchate. The Russian Orthodox Church and its exarch [[Platon (Rozhdestvensky)]] kept their jurisdiction over non-Georgian parts of the Caucasian region, and for those territories the ''Caucasian Exarchate'' of the Russian Orthodox Church was created in the summer of 1917, with metropolitan Platon as Exarch of the Caucasus. In the spring of 1918, he was succeeded by metropolitan Cyril (Smirnov) as new Exarch of the Caucasus, but after his transfer to another post in the spring of 1920 no new exarch was appointed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.romanitas.ru/eng/NEW%20ZION%20IN%20BABYLON%20-%20ch.%202.htm|first=Vladimir |last=Moss |title=The Orthodox Church in the Twentieth Century|website=romanitas.ru}}</ref>

On 28 February 1870 the twenty-year-old struggle between Greeks and Bulgarians for control of the Orthodox Church in Bulgaria culminated when the Ottoman Sultan [[Abdulaziz]] created an independent Bulgarian ecclesiastical organization, known as the [[Bulgarian Exarchate]]. The Orthodox Church in [[Bulgaria]] had now become independent of the Greek-dominated [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople]]. The Bulgarian Exarch, who resided in Constantinople, became the most famous bearer of the title of exarch; his adherents throughout region were called ''exarchists'', as opposed to the Greek ''patriarchists''. The ensuing struggle, waged especially in [[Macedonia (region)|Macedonia]], was not only religious but had a conspicuous political dimension of a contention between competing Greek and Bulgarian national aims. For more information see [[Bulgarian Exarchate]] and [[Bulgarian Orthodox Church]].

In 1921, eparchies of the Russian Orthodox Church in [[Ukraine]] were reorganized as the [[Ukrainian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church]], headed by the patriarchal exarch with his seat in Kiev (Kyiv)<!--See WP:KYIV-->. The Ukrainian Exarchate existed until 1990 when it was granted a higher degree of ecclesiastical autonomy within the Moscow Patriarchate. In 1989, an autonomous [[Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church]] was formed, with jurisdiction over eparchies in [[Belarus]].

During the 20th century, the pentarchy-number principle, already abandoned in the case of [[Bulgaria]] (10th century), [[Serbia]] (14th century) and [[Russia]] (16th century), gave way to the desire of the now politically independent Orthodox nations to see their sovereignty reflected in ecclesiastical autonomy – autocephaly – and the symbolic title to crown it: a 'national' Patriarch. For example, [[Bulgarian Exarchate]] was raised to the rank of Patriarchate in 1953.

In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], the office of exarch can be also given to a special deputy of a [[Patriarch]], with jurisdiction over a community outside the home territory of the Patriarchate. Thus, in the United States there are Exarchs representing, among others, the Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian and Jerusalem Patriarchs. The style of the Exarchs of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem is "Exarch of the Holy Sepulcher".

The Mexican Orthodox parishes in five deaneries (Mexico City, D.F., State of Mexico, State of Jalisco, State of Veracruz and State of Chiapas) of the [[Orthodox Church in America]] are governed as the "Exarchate of Mexico", currently under the leadership of Bishop Alejo of Mexico City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oca.org/CAdioceseMX.asp?SID=8|title=Dioceses - Diocese of Mexico|website=www.oca.org}}</ref>

The third officer of the court of the [[Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople]], who examines marriage cases (analogous to the Catholic [[defensor matrimonii]]), is called the Exarch.

=== Oriental Orthodox Churches ===
The [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]] Patriarch of Antioch currently has under his authority an Exarch in India, known by the ancient title [[Maphrian]], although he is popularly referred to as [[Catholicos]]. This is not to be confused with the autocephalous [[Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan|Catholicate of the East]], which is also located in India.

=== Latin Church ===
Historically, there have been a very few cases of the civil title of Exarch granted by the civil authority to prelates of the [[Latin Church]], as when [[Emperor Frederick I]] named the [[Archbishop of Lyon]] as Exarch of [[Burgundy]] in 1157.
 
However, the ecclesiastical title of Exarch has disappeared in the Western Catholic Church, being replaced by the terms "[[Primate (bishop)|Primate]]" (ranking above metropolitan archbishop) and "[[Apostolic Vicar]]" (ranking below suffragan bishop).

=== Modern Eastern Catholic Churches ===
{{Catholic Church Hierarchy}}
{{canon law}}
{{see also|Catholic Church hierarchy #Equivalents of diocesan bishops in law|List of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical)#Dioceses (eparchies) of the Eastern Catholic Churches}}
In [[Eastern Catholic Churches]] (of Eastern tradition but in full [[Communion (Christian)|communion]] with the Bishop of Rome, the [[Pope]]), the ecclesiastical title of Exarch is in common use, just as with its Orthodox counterparts.

These Churches are, in general, not identified with a particular liturgical rite. Thus, no fewer than fourteen of them use the same [[Byzantine Rite]], mostly in one or other of only two languages, Greek and [[Church Slavonic]], but they maintain their distinct identities. Because of population shifts, half or so of these Churches have not just exarchates but full-scale [[eparchy|eparchies]] (bishoprics) or even archeparchies (archdioceses) outside their original territory.

====Apostolic exarchs====
Apostolic exarch is usually a consecrated bishop of a [[titular see]] to whom the Pope, as Bishop of the Roman See of the Apostle [[Saint Peter|Peter]], has entrusted the pastoral care of the faithful of an autonomous Eastern Catholic [[particular Church]] ''sui iuris'' in an area, not raised to the rank of eparchy (diocese), that is situated outside the home territory of an Eastern Catholic Church. The office of ''apostolic exarch'' thus corresponds to what in the [[Latin Church]] is called an [[apostolic vicar]]. Apostolic exarchates are generally exempt (immediately subject to the Holy See), with limited oversight by the [[patriarch]], [[major archbishop]] or [[Metropolitan bishop|metropolitan]] in chief of the particular Eastern Church. If there is no metropolitan in a particular Eastern Catholic church, apostolic exarchates in their territories are directly subjected to Rome. For example, the [[Byzantine Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Serbia]] belongs to the [[Byzantine Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia]], but since there is no metropolitan in that church, the Apostolic Exarch of Serbia is directly subjected to the Holy See.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dseby.html|title=Serbia (Apostolic Exarchate) |website=Catholic Hierarchy|first=David M.|last=Cheney}}</ref>

====Patriarchal exarchs====
A [[patriarchal exarch]] is appointed in those Eastern Catholic churches whose head is styled as patriarch. This office is often (not always) given to a consecrated bishop of a titular see. Their appointments are limited to the traditional territory of their church, with main task of governing the region not yet raised to the rank of eparchy (diocese). They may be suffragan to an archdiocese or archeparchy of the Eastern Catholic Church, or be immediately subject to the Patriarch.

====Archiepiscopal exarchs====
[[Archiepiscopal exarch]] is appointed in those Eastern Catholic churches whose head is styled as [[Major Archbishop]]. The office of ''archiepiscopal exarch'' is also usually given to a consecrated bishop of a titular see. Appointment of archiepiscopal exarchs is limited to the traditional territory of their particular church. They also may be suffragans to an archdiocese or archeparchy of their Eastern Catholic Church, or be immediately subject to the Major Archbishop.

====Coadjutor exarchs====
In particular cases, usually because of illness or some other problem, an exarch of any rank can be assisted by the appointment of a colleague who is called ''[[coadjutor exarch]]''. The position of coadjutor exarch towards his superior exarch is similar to the position of Latin [[coadjutor bishop]] towards his superior diocesan bishop. Coadjutor exarchs are appointed with rights of succession. For example, in 1993 titular Bishop [[Christo Proykov]] of Briula was appointed Coadjutor to Apostolic Exarch of Sofia, [[Methodius Stratiev]], and when the latter died in 1995 the coadjutor exarch succeeded him as the new Apostolic Exarch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bproykov.html|title=Bishop Christo Proykov |work=Catholic Hierarchy]|first=David M.|last=Cheney}}</ref>

====Auxiliary exarchs====
In practice, exarch of any rank can be additionally assisted by an [[auxiliary exarch]], who is appointed in order to help the exarch in administration of his exarchate. Position of auxiliary exarch towards his superior exarch is similar to position of Latin [[auxiliary bishop]] towards his superior [[diocesan bishop]]. Auxiliary exarchs are appointed without the rights of succession.

===List of Eastern Catholic exarchates===
The following Eastern Catholic exarchates can be found in the 2006 ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' and newer sources.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/data/type-apex.htm|title=Catholic Dioceses in the World (Apostolic Exarchates)|website=www.gcatholic.org|access-date=2018-12-28}}</ref> The Apostolic Exarchates are exempt, i.e. immediately subject to the Holy See, rather than to their Patriarch or other head of the particular Church

'''[[Byzantine Rite]]'''
* [[Greek Byzantine Catholic Church]]:
** [[Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Greece]] in Athens
** [[Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Istanbul]] (alias Constantinople; Turkey)
* [[Melkite Catholic Church|Melkite (Greek) Catholic Church]]:
** [[Melkite Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Argentina]]
** [[Melkite Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Venezuela]]
* [[Russian Greek Catholic Church]]:
** [[Russian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Harbin]] (China)
** [[Russian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Russia]]
* [[Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church]]:
** [[Ruthenian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Czech Republic]]
** [[Exarchate of Saints Cyril and Methodius of Toronto]] (since 2022)
* [[Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church]]:
** [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Germany and Scandinavia]] for Germany and Scandinavia (Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark)
** [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Italy]]

'''[[Antiochian Rite]]'''
* [[Maronite Church]]:
** [[Maronite Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Colombia]]
* [[Syriac Catholic Church|Syriac (Syrian) Catholic Church]] : 
** [[Syrian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate for Canada]]
** [[Syriac Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Venezuela]]

'''[[Armenian Rite]]'''
* [[Armenian Catholic Church]]: 
** [[Armenian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Latin America and Mexico]]

====Patriarchal Exarchates====
'''[[Armenian Rite]]'''
* [[Armenian Catholic Church]]:
** [[Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Damascus]] (Syria)
** [[Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem and Amman]] (Palestine, Israel and Jordan)

'''[[Byzantine Rite]]'''
* [[Melkite Catholic Church|Melkite (Greek) Catholic Church]]:
** [[Melkite Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Iraq]]
** [[Melkite Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Istanbul]] (Turkey)
** [[Melkite Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Kuwait]]

'''[[Antiochian Rite]]'''
* [[Maronite Church]]:
** [[Maronite Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem and Palestine]] (Palestine, Israel)
** [[Maronite Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jordan]]
* [[Syriac Catholic Church|Syriac (Syrian) Catholic Church]]:
** [[Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Bassorah and the Gulf]] (Iraq, Kuwait etc.)
** [[Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem]] (Palestine, Israel and Jordan)
** [[Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Turkey]]

==== Archiepiscopal Exarchates ====
'''[[Byzantine Rite]]'''
* [[Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church|Ukrainian (Greek) Catholic Church]], in Ukraine:
** [[Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Donetsk]]
** [[Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Kharkiv]]
** [[Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Lutsk]]
** [[Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Odesa]]
** [[Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Krym]] (Crimea), on the Russian-annexed Crimea, with cathedral see at Simferopol

==== Former Eastern Catholic Exarchates ====
''(probably still incomplete)''

===== Former Eastern Catholic Exarchates in the Old World =====
'''''in Europe'' – Byzantine Rite'''
* [[Bulgarian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Sofia]] (1926–2019, elevated to Eparchy in 2019)
* [[Greek Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Turkey of Europe]] (now of Istanbul)
* [[Hungarian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Miskolc]] (Hungary; promoted to eparchy)
* [[Apostolic Exarchate of Łemkowszczyzna]] 
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Donetsk-Kharkiv]] (Ukraine; split in both named cities)
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Lutsk-Volyn]] (Ukraine; split in ?)
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Odesa-Crimea]] (Ukraine; split in both named parts)
* [[Apostolic Exarchate of Serbia and Montenegro]] (2003–2013)
* [[Byzantine Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Serbia]] (2013–2018, elevated as Eparchy in 2018)
* [[Apostolic Exarchate of Macedonia]] (2001–2018, elevated as an Eparchy in 2018)

'''''in Asia'' – Armenian Rite'''
* [[Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem]] (Palestine, Israel and Jordan, now 'Jerusalem and Amman')
* [[Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Syria]] (suppressed)

'''''in Asia'' – Antiochian Rite'''
* [[Syrian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Lebanon]] (national; suppressed)
* [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Exarchate in the United States]] (USA; promoted Eparchy of St. Mary, Queen of Peace, of the United States of America and Canada)

'''''in Asia'' – Syro-Oriental Rite'''
* [[Syro-Malabar Apostolic Exarchate of Chanda]] (India; promoted eparchy)

'''''in Africa'' – Alexandrian Rite'''
* [[Apostolic Exarchate of Addis Abbeba]] (Ethiopic Catholic; promoted Metropolitanate sui iuris)
* [[Apostolic Exarchate of Asmara]] (Eritrean Catholic)

'''''in Africa – Antiochian Rite'''
* [[Maronite Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Western and Central Africa]]

===== Former Eastern Catholic Exarchates in the New World =====
'''''in the Americas'' – Antiochian Rite'''
* [[Maronite Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of the USA]]

'''''in the Americas'' – Armenian Rite'''
* [[Armenian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Latin America and Mexico]]
* [[Armenian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of the USA and Canada]]

'''''in the Americas'' – Byzantine Rite'''
* [[Romanian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of the USA]] (US and Canada)
* [[Ruthenian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of the USA]]
* [[Melkite Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of the USA]]
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Canada]]
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Central Canada]]
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Eastern Canada]]
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Edmonton]] (Canada)
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Manitoba]] (Canada)
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Saskatoon]] (Canada)
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Stamford]] (US)
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Toronto]] (Canada)
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of the USA]]
* [[Ukrainian Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Western Canada]]

'''''in the Americas'' – [[Syro-Oriental Rite]]'''
* [[Chaldean Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of the USA]]
* [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church]]:
** [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Canada]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== Sources ==
{{Refbegin|2}}
* {{Cite book|last=Barnes|first=Timothy D.|author-link=Timothy Barnes (classicist)|title=The New Empire of Diocletian and Constantine|year=1982|location=Cambridge, MS|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-61126-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K3poAAAAMAAJ}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Cases|first=Laurent J.|title=Language and Administrative Structures: The "Vicarii" under Diocletian and Constantine (297-315)|journal=Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte|year=2019|volume=68|number=3|pages=353–367|jstor=45184777 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/45184777}}
* {{Cite book|editor-last=Cosentino|editor-first=Salvatore|title=A Companion to Byzantine Italy|year=2021|location=Boston-Leiden|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-90-04-30770-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qo8cEAAAQBAJ&pg=PR3}}
* {{Cite book|last=Fortescue|first=Adrian|year=1908|title=The Orthodox Eastern Church|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_UPr1ZCxPW6QC|publisher=Catholic Truth Society|place=London}}
* {{Cite book|last=Meyendorff|first=John|author-link=John Meyendorff|year=1989|title=Imperial unity and Christian divisions: The Church 450-680 A.D.|location=Crestwood, NY|publisher=St. Vladimir's Seminary Press|isbn=9780881410563|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6J_YAAAAMAAJ}}
* {{Cite book|editor-last=Nedungatt|editor-first=George|editor-link=George Nedungatt|title=A Guide to the Eastern Code: A Commentary on the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1fEkAQAAIAAJ|year=2002|location=Rome|publisher=Oriental Institute Press|isbn=9788872103364}}
* {{Cite book|last=Ostrogorsky|first=George|author-link=George Ostrogorsky|year=1956|title=History of the Byzantine State|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bt0_AAAAYAAJ|publisher=Basil Blackwell|place=Oxford}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Wozniak|first=Frank E.|title=East Rome, Ravenna and Western Illyricum: 454-536 A.D.|journal=Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte|year=1981|volume=30|number=3|pages=351–382|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R8IuAAAAIAAJ}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
* {{Catholic|wstitle=Exarch|author=[[Adrian Fortescue]]}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Exarch|short=x}}
* Giga-Catholic Information: [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/dioc-rite.htm Rites] - [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/data/typeapex.htm Apostolic Exarchates] - [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/data/typeptex.htm Patriarchal Exarchates]  - [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/data/typearex.htm Archiepiscopal Exarchates]
* [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Religious_Organizations.html WorldStatesmen- Religious Organisations]

{{Portal|Christianity}}

[[Category:Gubernatorial titles]]
[[Category:Byzantine administrative offices]]
[[Category:Exarchates of the Byzantine Empire| ]]
[[Category:Ecclesiastical titles]]
[[Category:Exarchates| ]]
[[Category:Eastern Christian ecclesiastical offices]]