The Bishop as Christ in the Itinerarium Egeriae

ABSTRACT:The Itinerarium Egeriae reveals that, in Jerusalem and the Holy Land in the fourth century, the bishop represented Christ in striking ways. Egeria describes bishops performing the role of Christ in many liturgical services, but the bishop of Jerusalem is most striking. The liturgies of Jerusalem are highly historicized due to the connections with the holy sites. As liturgical presider, the bishop performs the role of Christ especially during Great Week, when he is led down the Mount of Olives by the congregation in the same way (in eo typo) that Christ was led. We conclude by asking whether we should understand the bishop’s representation of Christ in a way similar to later conceptions of the liturgical presider as alter Christus.