15. Vita 8 (Geerlings, 38–40); trans. Muller and Deferrari, FOTC 15:81–82.
The Bishop 87 of all, he revealed his plan when Megalius, Bishop of Calama and primate of Numidia, upon request visited the church at Hippo. Those bishops who happened to be present at that time, as well as the clergy of Hippo, and all the people, rejoiced upon hearing this and eagerly shouted for its fulfillment. The presbyter, however, refused to accept the episcopacy, as being contrary to ecclesiastical practice, since his bishop was still alive. Then everyone tried to convince him that this was common usage by citing examples of its existence in churches across the sea and in Africa, and although Augustine had not heard of it before, he yielded under compulsion and constraint, consenting to ordination to the higher office. Later he said and wrote that his ordination to the episcopacy during the lifetime of his bishop should not have taken place according to the prohibition of the Ecumenical Council.14 He was unaware of this regulation, however, until after his ordination, but he did not want others to experience what regretfully had happened to him. For that reason he made it his business to have the councils of bishops decree that consecrating prelates should inform those about to be ordained or already ordained concerning the regulations that govern all priests. Accordingly, this was done.15
Bishop as Overseer
Augustine was installed as Hippo's presiding bishop in 396, after Valerius's death. The word episkopos ("bishop") was originally a secular Greek term that meant "overseer." In ancient churches, the bishop sat in a chair on a raised platform at the far end of the church. From there, he could literally oversee his congregation. Augustine used to play on this arrangement both to highlight his distinctive role and to stress his and his congregation's common vocation. From Expositions of the Psalms 126:
(3) Jerusalem had watchmen who stood guard. . . . And this is what bishops do. Now, bishops are assigned this higher place [in the basilica] so that they themselves may oversee and, as it were, keep watch over the people. For they are called episkopos in Greek. In Latin, that means "overseer"—because a bishop oversees, because he looks down from above. For just as there's a vineyard worker assigned a higher place to keep watch over a vineyard, so too bishops are given a higher position. And on account of this high place, a perilous accounting will have to be rendered—unless we stand here with a heart such that we place ourselves beneath your feet in humility, and that we pray for you so that the One who knows your minds may Himself stand guard
14. "Prohibition of the Ecumenical Council": Possidius is referring to Canon 8 of the Council of Nicaea (325) which forbade having two bishops in a city. For the text, see Norman P. Tanner, Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990), 1:10.
15. Vita 8 (Geerlings, 38–40); trans. Muller and Deferrari, FOTC 15:81–82.