Vatican Council are infallible. Pope emeritus On his resignation as pope (Bishop of Rome) on 28 February 2013, Benedict XVI became Supreme Pontiff Emeritus (or, colloquially, Pope Emeritus). The sole holder of the title to date, he held the title until his death in December 2022. Patriarch The title of patriarch in the Catholic Church is applied to either the Patriarch of an Eastern Church sui iuris or to a minor Latin patriarch. The patriarch of an Eastern Church sui iuris heads an autonomous Church, is elected by the synod of that Church, and exercises authority within his patriarchal territory and on eparchies and parishes outside his territory. A minor Latin patriarch is an honorific title above archbishop given to some Latin dioceses for historical reasons. Catholicos Some Eastern Catholic Churches style their heads as catholicoi, a historic title for the head of a Church. The Armenian Catholic Church, the Chaldean Catholic Church, and the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church all style their heads as such. Major archbishop Major archbishops are the heads of a major archiepiscopal church. The major archbishops' authority within their respective sui juris churches is equal to that of a patriarch, but they receive fewer ceremonial honors and their election must be confirmed by the Holy See. Primate In the Catholic Church, a primate is usually the bishop of the oldest diocese and/or the capital of a (present or former) nation; the title is one of honor. Public office Since the publication of the new Code of Canon Law in 1983 by Pope John Paul II, all members of the Catholic clergy are forbidden to hold public office without the express permission of the Holy See. Ordination of bishops The appointment of bishops in the Catholic Church is a complicated process that requires the participation of several officials. In the Latin Church, the local synod, the papal nuncio (or apostolic delegate), various dicasteries of the Roman Curia, and the Pope all take a part; since the 1970s it has become common practice for the nuncio to solicit input from clergy and laity within the vacant diocese. In patriarchal and major archiepiscopal Eastern Churches, the permanent synod, the holy synod, and the patriarch or major archbishop also play a role in the selection of bishops. Apostolic succession and other churches The Catholic Church has always taught that bishops are descended from a continuous line of bishops since the days