Canon 233

1. When the eparchial see is impeded by captivity, banishment,

exile or incapacity of the eparchial bishop, so that he is not

able to communicate even by letter to the Christian faithful

committed to him, the governance of the eparchy is the responsibility of the coadjutor bishop, unless otherwise provided by the

patriarch with consent of the permanent synod in eparchies located inside the territorial boundaries of the Church over which he

presides or by the Apostolic See. If there is no coadjutor or if

he is impeded, it is the responsibility of the protosyncellus or

syncellus or another suitable priest designated by the eparchial

bishop. By the law itself, the priest enjoys the rights and obligations of a protosyncellus. At a suitable time the eparchial

bishop can designate several who are to succeed one another in

office. 2. If there are none of the above or they are impeded

from assuming the governance of the eparchy, the college of eparchial consultors is to elect a priest who is to govern the eparchy. 3. One who takes up the governance of an eparchy within

the territorial boundaries of a patriarchal Church is to notify

the patriarch as soon as possible about the impeded eparchial see

and of his assumption of office. In other cases he is to inform

the Apostolic See and, if he belongs to a patriarchal Church, the

patriarch as well.