▁first ▁in ▁the ▁Senate , ▁before ▁the ▁sec ular ▁officials . ▁Only ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁b ish ops ▁sat ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁( see ▁Sen atorial ▁offices ▁for ▁details ). ▁ ▁Compet ences ▁The ▁most ▁important ▁official ▁among ▁the ▁b ish ops ▁was ▁the ▁Pr imate ▁— ▁the ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁G nie z no . ▁From ▁ 1 5 7 2 , ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁that ▁Poland ▁had ▁been ▁without ▁a ▁king ▁( the ▁J agi ell on ▁D ynast y ▁having ▁died ▁out ▁with ▁King ▁Z yg m unt ▁II ▁August ), ▁the ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁G nie z no ▁served ▁as ▁inter re x ▁— ▁inter im ▁head ▁of ▁state ▁until ▁a ▁new ▁king ▁could ▁be ▁elected . ▁He ▁represented ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁prepared ▁elections ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁king . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁G nie z no ▁had ▁the ▁power ▁to ▁call ▁a ▁new ▁Senate ▁session , ▁if ▁he ▁de emed ▁it ▁important ▁to ▁do ▁so , ▁even ▁in ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁the ▁King . ▁He ▁could ▁also ▁invoke ▁the ▁" de ▁non ▁pra est anda ▁ob ed ient ia " ▁article , ▁giving ▁the ▁country ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁leg ally ▁dep ose ▁the ▁King . ▁From ▁among ▁other ▁sen ators , ▁he ▁chose ▁his ▁own ▁court ▁mar shal ▁( o ften ▁a ▁cast ellan ). ▁That ▁person ▁acted ▁as ▁the ▁Arch bishop ' s ▁mess enger ▁during ▁Senate ▁meet ings , ▁giving ▁signs ▁( by ▁moving ▁a ▁cross ) ▁that ▁convey ed ▁how ▁the ▁Arch