1. of or relating to an exarch or exarchate; characteristic of a form of ecclesiastical administration in Eastern Christianity
Usage: religious/ecclesiastical; chiefly Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine contexts

Examples

• The exarchal system of church governance was common in Byzantine territories.
• An exarchal bishop held authority over a specific region within the Eastern Orthodox Church.
• The exarchal structure allowed for decentralized religious administration across distant provinces.
• Historical documents describe the exarchal powers granted to church leaders in the Mediterranean.
• The exarchal model influenced how Eastern Christian communities organized their ecclesiastical hierarchy.