Folia Theologica et Canonica 9. 31/23 (2020)

Ius canonicum

THE ORIGIN AND SPREAD OF PARISHES

79

cessity even without a special mandate of the bishop, if he was far away.35 The canon may already presuppose a situation in which in outlying areas of the diocese presbyters maintained a fairly stable presence; not yet proper pastors of a community, they would have been considered representatives of the bishop, although not appointed just for a single occasion.

As regards economic activity and the “parish’s” capacity to own property, it should be noted that episcopal Churches, or in other words dioceses, collected a monthly contribution from the faithful which was added to the community fund (area).36 37 It seems, though, that there was a single fund of this kindfor the whole diocese.

In the course of these developments in the fourth century, identifiably “Christian territories” began to form. This highlighted dioceses’ territorial aspect, and also raised the question of a possible territorial delimitation of communities within dioceses. In the fourth century canonical norms had to be established regarding dioceses ’territorial limits.31

IV. Terminology

In Christian antiquity episcopal Churches, that is, communities led by their own bishop, were generally referred to as parishes. This term, of Greek origin, is also found in Latin texts. Some authors have argued, based on the etymology, that the term refers principally to a geographic area.38 Today, however, there is more support for the opinion of those who give the term, as used in Christian discourse, the more symbolic interpretation according to which it refers to a particular group living in a city as foreigners. Already in the Septuagint we find the term applied to the Israelites who were foreigners in Egypt. Later, Christians were conscious of being strangers or foreigners in this world.39 ‘Diocese’ (dioecesis) was sometimes used as a generic term for region, and thus could also be applied to the region for which a bishop was responsible.40 In civil parlance this word also meant administration, either the function of government or various administrative districts, including larger regions comprising several provinces.41

35 Breviarium Hipponense (393/397) c. 34.

36 Tertull., Apol. 39; Origen., In Math. comm. 11,9.

37 Cf. e.g., Conc. Illiberit. (ca. 306) c. 24; Conc.Nicaen. (325) c. 16; Conc. Antioch. (330/337) cc. 13. 22; Conc. Constant. (381) c. 2; Can. Ap. c. 35.

38 Cf. e.g., Naz, R., Paroisse, 1234.

39 Eph 2:19; 1 Pt 2:11; Ad Diognet. 5,5; cf. Puza, R., Pfarrei. Pfarrorganisation, in Lexikon des Mittelalters, I-IX, Stuttgart 1999 (2002), VI. 2021-2026, 2021.

40 Conc. Carth. (390) c. 5.

41 On the administrative division of the Empire, the Church’s territorial organisation, and the meanings of the term diocese see e.g., Noethlichs, K. L., Anspruch und Wirklichkeit, 40-42.