DIOCESE Meaning and
Definition
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A diocese is a geographical division of a Christian church, particularly the Roman Catholic Church or the Anglican Communion. It is an administrative territory assigned to a bishop and comprises a specific region or area within the church's hierarchy. The word diocese is derived from the Greek word "dioikesis," meaning "administration" or "management."
A diocese is headed by a bishop, who is the spiritual leader responsible for overseeing the clergy, religious activities, and the overall pastoral care within the diocese. The bishop ensures the administration of sacraments, supervision of parishes, and the promotion of faith teachings. Often, a diocese includes several parishes, with each parish having its own church and a local priest.
Dioceses have a pyramid-like structure, with the bishop at the top, followed by priests, deacons, and other religious officials. The bishop is appointed or elected to lead the diocese with the approval of higher authority, such as a higher-ranking bishop. Bishops often hold significant authority and influence, especially in matters of church doctrine, discipline, and decision-making within their diocese.
The boundaries of a diocese are usually defined by geographical regions, political jurisdictions, or historical traditions. The purpose of dividing a church into dioceses is to provide effective spiritual and pastoral care to believers within a specific territory, ensuring that the responsibilities and tasks are efficiently distributed among the clergy. Additionally, dioceses facilitate effective communication between the church hierarchy and local congregations, fostering a sense of community and providing a framework for the governance and organization of the church.
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The extent of country over which a bishop or archbishop rules in spiritual things; the extent or circuit of a bishop's jurisdiction.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for DIOCESE *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for DIOCESE
Etymology of DIOCESE
The word "diocese" originated from the Late Latin word "diocesis". The Late Latin term itself was derived from the Greek word "dioíkēsis", which means "administration". In ancient Greece, the word referred to a province governed by a governor. The term was then adopted by the early Christian church as a way to describe the geographical area under the authority of a bishop or archbishop. Over time, the term "diocese" came to denote a specific administrative division within the structure of the Catholic Church.
Similar spelling words for DIOCESE
- dioecious,
- Tussis,
- Dacius,
- decease,
- disuse,
- dices,
- digges,
- discase,
- dicecco,
- discuss,
- Disseizee,
- Disseize,
- discus,
- decius,
- Deesis,
- disease,
- dicus,
- dieses,
- DCIS,
- dozes,
- Diecious,
- dikes,
- dosshouse,
- Daisies,
- Diesis.
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