Titular See - Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

Until 1882, sees lost to the Muslim conquests were distinguished by the Latin phrase in partibus infidelium, "in the territory of the unbelievers", or more often simply in partibus, or because the diocese was dissolved, absorbed into another diocese, or the see was transferred to another location. These non-functional dioceses, now merely historical names, are called "titular sees."

At one time coadjutor bishops and archbishops were given titular sees, but they are now raised to the diocese or archdiocese that they will oversee as coadjutor. Retired bishops and archbishops were also given titular sees, but the common practice now is to name them Bishop or Archbishop Emeritus of the see they retired from.

While the Vatican hopes that titular sees will one day become active dioceses once again, it realizes in most cases the chances of that happening in the near future are low. Some titular sees appear also to remain vacant for ecumenical reasons (e.g. a number of those in the immediate vicinity of Greek Orthodox patriarchates).

Read more about this topic:  Titular See

Famous quotes containing the words catholic church, roman catholic, roman, catholic and/or church:

    Every country gets the circus it deserves. Spain gets bullfights. Italy gets the Catholic Church. America gets Hollywood.
    Erica Jong (b. 1942)

    My first childish doubt as to whether God could really be a good Protestant was suggested by my observation of the deplorable fact that the best voices available for combination with my mother’s in the works of the great composers had been unaccountably vouchsafed to Roman Catholics.
    George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)

    The gale, it plies the saplings double,
    It blows so hard, ‘twill soon be gone:
    To-day the Roman and his trouble
    Are ashes under Uricon.
    —A.E. (Alfred Edward)

    The Catholic and the Communist are alike in assuming that an opponent cannot be both honest and intelligent.
    George Orwell (1903–1950)

    When the Church of Jesus
    Shuts its outer door,
    Lest the roar of traffic
    Drown the voice of prayer:
    May our prayers, Lord, make us
    Ten times more aware
    That the world we banish
    Is our Christian care.
    Frederick Pratt Green (b. 1903)