Canon 173

1. During the vacancy of the metropolitan see in an metropolitan Church sui iuris: (1) the administrator of the metropolitan

Church sui iuris is the eparchial bishop of the same Church

senior according to episcopal ordination, who as soon as possible

notifies the Roman Pontiff of the vacancy of the metropolitan

see; (2) to the administrator of a metropolitan Church sui iuris

passes the ordinary power of the metropolitan in all matters excluding those which cannot be done without the consent of the

council of hierarchs; (3) in a vacant metropolitan see there are

to be no innovations. 2. In an impeded metropolitan see of

these Churches those things are to be observed which are established for an impeded patriarchal see in can. 132, 1; the metropolitan is competent to do whatever is said there about the patriarch. 3. Concerning the vacant or impeded see of the eparchy

of the metropolitan cann. 221-233 are to be observed.