A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the
Roman Catholic or
Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese almost as co-bishop of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co-assister" in Latin) is a bishop himself and is given authority even beyond that ordinarily given to the
vicar-general (although a coadjutor is also appointed a vicar-general), making him co-ruler of the diocese in all but ceremonial precedence. In modern times, the coadjutor automatically succeeds the current bishop of a
diocese upon the latter's retirement, removal or death.
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