CLERC
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CLERIC
Clerc, J.-M. See Vizagapata.m, Diocese of.
Clerestory, a term formerly applied to any win- dow or traceried opening in a church, e. g. in an aisle, tower, cloister, or screen, but now restricted to the windows in an aisled nave, or to the range of wall in which the high windows are set. Sometimes these windows are very small, being mere quatrefoils or spherical triangles. In large buildings, however, they are important features both of beauty and utility. The clerestory is especially used in churches where the division into nave and side aisles permits the intro- duction of light into the body of the church from above the aisle roofs. According to Fergusson's theory, the interior of Greek temples was lighted by a clerestorj', similar internally to that found in all the great Egyptian temples, but externally re- quiring such a change of arrangernent as was nec- essary to adapt it to a sloping instead of a flat roof. This seems to have been effected by counter- sinking into the roof, so as to make three ridges in those parts where the light was admitted, though the regular shape of the roof was retained between these openings. Thus, neither the ridge nor the continuity of the lines of the roof was interfered with. This theory is borne out by all the remains of Greek tem- ples that now exist, and by all the descriptions that have been handed down from antiquity. Simpson, however, regards the theory as extremely improbable.
Fletcher and Flktcher, A History of Archileclure (Lon- don. New York, 18961. 690; Gwilt, Encyc. of Arch. (London, 1881). 1648; Parker. Glossary of Arch. (Oxford, 1850). I. 104; Stcrgis. Did. of Arch, and Building (London. 1904); Fergusson, a History of Architecture in all Countries (.Hevf York) ; Simpson. A History of Architectural Development (New York, 1905). ^ ^^ „
Thomas H. Poole. Clergy. See Cleric.
Cleric, a person who has been legitimately re- ceived into the ranks of the clergy. By clergy in the strict sense is meant the entire ecclesiastical liier- archy. Consequently a cleric is one who belongs in some sease to the hierarchy. For this it is necessarj' that he have received at least the tonsure (see Ton- sure). The clergj' by Divine right form an order or state which is essentially distinct from that of the laity. (Cone. Trid.,Sess. XXIV, De sac. ord., can. i, 6.) Christ did not commit the preacliing of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments to the faithful in general, but to certain carefully defined persons, as the Apostles and seventy-two Disciples. They also received the power oi governing the flocks; which power is represented by the Keys, a well-known Oriental symbol for authority. That the distinction between clergy and laity was recognized in New Testament times is plain from St. Paul's statement that the bishops have been placed by the Holy Ghost to rule the Churcli (Acts, xx, 2S), for the right to rule impUes a correlative obligation to obey. Pres- byters are continually distinguished from the laity throughout the Pauline Epistles.
The word cleric (Lat. clericus from clerus) is de- rived from the Greek xX^pos, a " lot". In the Septua- gint, tills word is used in t!ie literal sense quite fre- quently, though not in its later technical sense. In the First Epistle of St. Peter (v, .3) it is appUed to the entire body of the faithful. The use of the word in its present restricted meaning occurs, however, as early as the third centurj-. It is found in TertuUian (De idol., c. viii), Origen (Hom. in Jer., xi, 3) and Clem- ent of Alexandria (Quis dives salvetur, c. xlii) in this sense. It is not easy to determine exactly how the word came to have its present determinate meaning. The " Pontificale Romanum" refers to clerics as being those whose "lot" is the Lord Himself, and St. Jerome explicitly derives the name from that fact. These statements do not give us, however, the steps IV.— 4
by which xX^pos, "lot" became "clergy" or "cleric".
Probably the best suggested explanation is, that
from lot or portion, it came to mean a particular
lot or office assigned to some one, and finally the
person himself possessing the lot or office.
Extension of Meaning. — While cleric in its strict sense means one who has received the ecclesiastical tonsure, yet in a general sense it is also employed in canon law for all to whom clerical privileges have been extended. Such are the members of religious orders: monks and nuns, and even lay brothers and no\aces. It is also applied to tertiaries of the mendi- cant orders. If they be men, however, they must live in community, but if they be women they may enjoy the privilege even when living at home. Her- mits and virgins, or ceUbates whose vows are approved by the bishop, have Ukewise clerical immunities. Members of the military religious orders, such as formerly the Knights Templars, and at present the Teutonic Knights and Knights of Malta, rank as clerics. The meaning of the word has been so ex- tended as to include even laics, men or women, who render service to a regular community, such as by begging, provided they wear a clerical dress and reside near the monastery or convent. The privi- leges enjoyed by thus obtaining the benefit of clergy were once great (see Immitnity), and were formerly recognized by secular governments. In modern times, however, these privileges in as far as they were guaranteeci by the civil power have been almost entirely swept away in every country of the world. It is only when there is question of favours, or as canonists say, in a favourable sense, that cleric has tliis wide signification. When there is question of penalties, on the contrary, it becomes so restricted as to mean only the lower orders of the secular clergy. In Englanil in medieval times the term clerk acquired in common parlance the significance of an educated man.
Clerical Religious Orders. — Among the regular orders in the strict sense, namely those whose mem- bers have solemn vows, is a large class designated as clerks regular {clerici regulares) because living accord- ing to a rule (regiila). In contradistinction to the monastic orders, these clerical orders were instituted for the purpose of exercising a ministry similar to that of the secular clerics, by promotion of the Divine worship and procuring the salvation of souls. Their main object is the spiritual and temporal service of their neighbour in educating youth, preaching, serv- ing the sick, etc. Orders of clerks regvilar were first founded in the sixteenth century. To this class belong the Jesuits, Theatines,Barnabites, and others. Many religious congregations, which are not orders in the strict sense, such as tlie Passionists and Re- demptorists follow a similar mode of hfe.
Regionary Clerics, who are also called clerici vagantcs and accphali. were those who were ordained without title to a special church. They were re- ceived into the sacred ministry by the bishops for the purpose of supplying the dearth of the clergy in the outlying districts of the dioceses where no benefices existed. Here they were to act as missionaries and in course of time, if possible, to gather together congre- gations who would build and endow a church. Many of these clerics became mere wanderers without set- tled occupation or abode, sometimes supporting themselves by filling temporary chaplaincies in the castles of noblemen. In course of time, numbers of these untitled clerics returned to the settled por- tions of their dioceses and acted as assistants to such beneficed clergymen as chose to accept their help. Owing to the abu.ses arising from the unsettled state of these vagrant clerics, the Council of Trent (.Sess. XXIII, e. xvi, De ref.) forbade the ordaining in future of any candidate who was not attached to a definite church or pious institute.
