Bishops who in former times were appointed to supply the place of others during their absence on embassies or other business were so termed. They were consecrated as other bishops were, and were anciently called “chorepixctipi.” or “bishops of the county,” in contradistinction to the regular bishops of the city or see. The practice of creating suffragan bishops, after having long been discontinued, was recently revived; and such bishops are now permanently “assistant” to the bishops. Brown. A suffragan is a titular bishop ordained to aid and assist the bishop of the diocese in his spiritual function ; or one wiio supplieth the place instead of the bishop, by whose suffrage ecclesiastical causes or matters committed to him are to lie adjudged, acted on, or determined. Some writers call these suffragans by the name of “subsidiary bishops.” Tomlins.
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
