|
A Diocese is the territory or churches
subject to the jurisdiction of a bishop. Originally the term diocese
(Gr. dioikesis) signified management of a household, hence
administration or government in general. This term was soon used in
Roman law to designate the territory dependent for its administration
upon a city (civitas). What in Latin was called ager, or territorium,
namely a district subject to a city, was habitually known in the Roman
East as a dioecesis. But as the Christian bishop generally resided in
a civitas, the territory administered by him, being usually
conterminous with the juridical territory of the city, came to be
known ecclesiastically by its usual civil term, diocese. |
|