noun
- A senior bishop or patriarch in certain Eastern Christian churches, particularly in the Armenian, Coptic, and Syrian Orthodox traditions.
Usage: ecclesiastical; often capitalized when referring to a specific title or office
Examples
- The catholicos of the Armenian Church presided over the religious ceremony.
- The title of catholicos carries significant spiritual authority in Eastern Christian communities.
- The catholicos serves as the head of the church hierarchy in his jurisdiction.
- Many Eastern Orthodox traditions recognize the catholicos as a chief ecclesiastical leader.