ABCHPRIEST
698
ARCHPRIEST
were created, and sometimes several former archi-
presbyterates were united. Sometimes, also, atten-
tion "was paid to the civil subdivisions of the
territory in question. The entire clergy of such a
district constituted the rural chapter, at the head of
which was the archpriest or rural dean. It was
his duty, as representative of the bishop, to supervise
the religious and ecclesiastical life of the entire
territorj'. He enforced the regulations of the bishop
and the decrees of diocesan synods, and watched
over their observance; presented to the bishop for
ordination all candidates for ecclesiastical office;
adjusted minor differences among the clergy, and
made known to the archdeacon any grosser misdeeds
of clergy or laity in order that suitable penance
might be imposed upon the offender. It was cus-
tomary in the Carlovingian period that on the first
of every month the archpriest and the clergy of
vicar, or vicar forane {vicarii joranei). an office at
all times revocable. In France, and in those neigh-
bouring territories affected by the ecclesiastical
reorganization that followed the French Revolution,
each of the new dioceses was diviiled into deaneries
whose limits were calculated to corrcspontl with the
civil subdivisions. In each district the parish priest
of the principal church was usually the dean. Ac-
cording to actual ecclesiastical law the di\'ision of
a diocese into ileaneries pertains to the bishop; he
may, if he chooses, combine .several such districts
and make of them a single larger one. The selection
of the deans pertains entirely to the bishop, though
in some countries the rural chapters still retain the
right of election. Deans possess no proper jurisdic-
tion; they are merely delegates of the bishop for the
performance of stated ecclesiastical duties. Their
principal duty is to facilitate relations between the
Arcosolium with Frkscoes, Catacomb of St. Cy
his deanery should meet in common in order to
discuss matters of importance. At a later date
such meetings were called only once or twice a year.
The rural chapter acquired in time the right of
presentation to the deanery; it also elected a camc-
rariuH for the atlministration of certain common
funds, -Mid a diffinitoT, or assistant to the dean.
The union of several such archipresbyterates formed
an arcliidiaconate, whose deans were subject to the
archdeacon.
In course of time, the office of dean or archpriest underwent many changes. This development was not the same in every country, and to this fact are traceable many local differences. The Council of Trent was content with the establishment of regulations concerning the visitation of parishes by the deans (Soss. X.VIV, cap.;J, De reform.). St. Cliarles Horromeo abolished the office of dean in his diocese and established in its place that of rural
clergy of their deanery and the ordinary (the bishop),
to exercise a certain supervision over the clergy,
to visit the parishes, and look into the administration
of parochial duties by the parish priests. They are
also wont to receive from the bishop permanent
faculties for the performance of certain ecclesiastical
benedictions. The duty of assisting the bishop at
pontifical Mass, once incumbent on the archpriest of
the cathedral, has devolveil partly on the dean of
the cathedral chapter, and partly on the auxiliary-
bishop, should there be one.
THOMA8HINU.S, V ctits ft 7tova Ecclfsiw dUcipHtui (London, 1700), pt. I. bk. II, iii-vi, 1. I'L'l s,|,,.; SciiMliiT, Thcmurus juris ecclesiasiici gcrmauu-i ( I IchU-IImt^. 1777^. Ill, 290 sqq., 314 Bqq.; Stutz, Gcsrhitfilr ths l,n;fi!)rhi ri Hmffiiuilwrsens von Anfana bis Aleia<i<lrr III (HorliTi, 1S!|-.); Imbaht i.k i.a Toun, Leg pnroissce rurnlea ilans rnncienne France du I\'o au XIo .sit-cle (Paris, 1900); SacmCi-lkh, Die Knlwieklunu det ArchiprcKhj/lrrats und Dikanats bia zum En/Ie drs Karolin(jer~ rriches (Tiiliingen, 1898); Idkm, Lchrbuch den kalhoHnchm AtrcAcnr(cA(« (Freiburg. 1904), 372 «iq. j p I^ihsch
