Editing Cathedral (section)

==Cathedral churches since 800 AD==

===Rule of the clergy===
<!----DON'T PUT ANY MORE PICTURES HERE! They are not an arbitrary selection. Each one illustrates a POINT and NO MORE WILL FIT!!--->
[[File:Aachen Germany Imperial-Cathedral-01.jpg|thumb|[[Aachen Cathedral]], Germany, founded by [[Charlemagne]] in 800 AD, coronation place of the [[Holy Roman Emperor]].]]

====Early Middle Ages: religious communities====
The history of the body of clergy attached to the cathedral church is obscure, and in each case local considerations affected its development, however the main features were more or less common to all.

Originally the bishop and cathedral clergy formed a kind of religious community, which, while not in the true sense a [[monastery]], was nevertheless often called a ''monasterium'', the word not having the restricted meaning that it afterwards acquired. In this lies the reason for the apparent anomaly that churches like [[York Minster]] and [[Lincoln Cathedral]], which never had any monks attached to them, have inherited the name of minster or monastery. In these early communities the clergy often lived apart in their own dwellings, and were not infrequently married.

In the 8th century [[Chrodegang]], [[Bishop of Metz]] (743–766), compiled a code of rules for the clergy of the cathedral churches, which, though widely accepted in [[Germany]] and other parts of the continent, gained little acceptance in England.

According to Chrodegang's rule, the cathedral clergy were to live under a common roof, occupy a common dormitory and submit to the authority of a special officer. The rule of Chrodegang was, in fact, a modification of the [[Benedictine]] rule. [[Gisa]], a native of [[Lorraine (province)|Lorraine]], who was bishop of [[Wells, Somerset|Wells]] from 1061 to 1088, introduced it into England, and imposed its observance on the clergy of his cathedral church, but it was not followed for long there, or elsewhere in England.

[[File:Canterbury grass.jpg|thumb|left|The cloister of [[Canterbury Cathedral]] with monastic buildings beyond]]

====Late Middle Ages: monastic and secular cathedrals====
During the 10th and 11th centuries, the cathedral clergy became more definitely organised and were divided into two classes. One was that of a monastic establishment of some recognised order of monks, often the Benedictines, while the other class was that of a college of clergy, bound by no vows except those of their ordination, but governed by a code of statutes or canons: hence the name of "[[canon (priest)|canon]]". In this way arose the distinction between the monastic and secular cathedral churches. Outside Great Britain, monastic cathedrals are known only at [[Monreale]] in [[Sicily]] and [[Downpatrick]] in [[Ireland]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Edwards |first=Kathleen |title=The English Secular Cathedrals of the Middle Ages|edition= 2nd |year=1967 |publisher=Manchester University Press |page=10}}</ref>

In the case of monastic cathedral churches, the internal government was that of the religious order to which the chapter belonged and all the members kept perpetual residence.

The alternative of this was the cathedral ruled by a secular chapter; the dignities of provost, dean, precentor, chancellor, treasurer, etc., came into being for the regulation and good order of the church and its services, while the non-residence of the canons, rather than their perpetual residence, became the rule, and led to their duties being performed by a body of "vicars", who officiated for them at the services of the church.

===Reformation===

[[File:Nidarosdomen east 2006.jpg|thumb|[[Nidaros Cathedral]], Norway, became Lutheran at the Reformation]]
Prior to the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]] all cathedrals of Western Europe were of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. In England, much of the structure of the monastic and cathedral system was reconstituted during the [[English Reformation]]. Although the cathedrals were retained by the now independent and established [[Church of England]], the monastic cathedral chapters [[Dissolution of the Monasteries|were dissolved by King Henry VIII]] and, with the exceptions of Bath and Coventry,<ref>David Knowles; ''The Religious Orders in England Vol III; p 389''</ref> were refounded by him as chapters of canons with a dean as the head and other clergy as minor canons.

In Germany and other parts of Europe, with the spread of the [[Lutheran Church]], some ancient churches, like [[Nidaros Cathedral]], Norway, and [[Lübeck Cathedral]], Germany, became the seats of Protestant bishops, as in England. Many new churches were built which serve the regional administrative function of a cathedral. However, not all churches that function as the seat of a bishop are known as "cathedral", the custom varying from place to place, according to local tradition. Some are simply designated "church", as occurs at [[Budolfi Church]], the Lutheran cathedral of [[Aalborg]] in [[Denmark]].

===Roles===

====Provosts====
[[File:Cathedrale-saint-etienne-metz-de-place-prefecture.jpg|thumb|left|[[Metz Cathedral]], France, was governed by a provost.]]
In most of [[Europe]], the earliest head of a secular church seems to have been the provost (''praepositus'', ''probst'', etc.), who was charged not only with the internal regulation of the church and oversight of the members of the chapter and control of the services, but was also the steward or seneschal of the lands and possessions of the church. The latter often mainly engaged his attention, to the neglect of his domestic and ecclesiastical duties, and complaints were soon raised that the provost was too much mixed in worldly affairs, and was too frequently absent from his spiritual duties.

This led, in many cases, to the institution of a new officer called the "dean", who had charge of that portion of the provost's duties that related to the internal discipline of the chapter and the services of the church.

In some cases, the office of provost was abolished, but in others it was continued: the provost, who was occasionally an archdeacon as well, remaining head of the chapter. This arrangement was most commonly followed in Germany. In England the provost was almost unknown. Bishop Gisa introduced a provost as head of the chapter of [[Wells Cathedral]], but the office was afterwards subordinated to the other dignities and the provost became simply the steward of certain of the prebendal lands. The provost of the collegiate church of [[Beverley Minster]] was the most notable instance of such an officer in England, but at Beverley he was an external officer with authority in the government of the church, no stall in the choir and no vote in chapter.

In Germany and [[Scandinavia]], and in a few of the cathedral churches in the [[south of France]], the provost was the ordinary head of the cathedral chapter, but the office was not common elsewhere. As regards France, of 136 cathedral churches existing at the [[French Revolution|Revolution]], 38 only, and those either on the borders of Germany or in the extreme south, had a provost as the head of the chapter. In others the provost existed as a subordinate officer. There were two provosts at [[Autun Cathedral|Autun]], and [[Lyon Cathedral|Lyon]] and [[Chartres Cathedral|Chartres]] had four each, all as subordinate officers.

===Secular chapter===
[[File:Rantakatu 1 Oulu 2006 05 16.JPG|thumb|Chapter House of [[Oulu Cathedral]], Finland]]
The normal constitution of the chapter of a secular cathedral church comprised four dignitaries (there might be more), in addition to the canons. These are the dean, the precentor, the chancellor and the treasurer. These four dignitaries, occupying the four corner stalls in the choir, are called in many of the statutes the ''quatuor majores personae'' of the church.

====Deans====
The role of dean (from ''decanus'') seems to have derived its designation from the [[Benedictine order|Benedictine]] "dean" who had ten monks under his charge. The role of dean came into existence to supply the place of the provost in the internal management of the church and chapter. In England every secular cathedral church was headed by a dean who was originally elected by the chapter and confirmed in office by the bishop. The dean is president of the chapter, and within the cathedral has charge of the performance of the services, taking specified portions of them by statute on the principal festivals. The dean sits in the chief stall in the choir, which is usually at the west end of the south side.
[[File:Kilkenny St Canice Cathedral Stalls 2007 08 28.jpg|thumb|left|The stalls of St. Canice's Cathedral, [[Kilkenny]], Ireland, showing the bishop's throne and precentor's stall.]]

====Precentors====
Next to the dean (as a rule) is the precentor (''primicerius'', ''cantor'', etc.), whose special duty is that of regulating the musical portion of the services. The precentor presides in the dean's absence, and occupies the corresponding stall on the north side, although there are exceptions to this rule, where, as at [[St. Paul's Cathedral|St Paul]]'s, the archdeacon of the cathedral city ranks second and occupies what is usually the precentor's stall.

====Chancellors====
The third dignitary is the chancellor (''scholasticus'', ''écoldtre'', ''capiscol'', ''magistral'', etc.), who must not be confounded with the chancellor of the diocese. The chancellor of the cathedral church is charged with the oversight of its schools, ought to read divinity lectures, and superintend the lections in the choir and correct slovenly readers. The chancellor is often the secretary and librarian of the chapter. In the absence of the dean and precentor, the chancellor is president of the chapter, and within the cathedral is usually assigned the easternmost stall, on the dean's side of the choir.

====Treasurers====
The fourth dignitary is the treasurer (''custo'', ''sacrisla'', ''cheficier'') who is guardian of the fabric, and of all the furniture and ornaments of the church, and whose duty was to provide bread and wine for the [[Eucharist]], and candles and [[incense]]. The treasurer also regulated such matters as the ringing of the bells. The treasurer's stall is opposite to that of the chancellor.

====Other clergy====
[[File:Southwell Chapter House2.jpg|thumb|Interior of the Chapter House at [[Southwell Cathedral]], England.]]
In many cathedral churches are additional dignitaries, as the praelector, subdean, vice-chancellor, succentor-canonicorum, and others, whose roles came into existence to supply the places of the other absent dignitaries, for non-residence was the fatal blot of the secular churches, and in this they contrasted very badly with the monastic churches, where all the members were in continuous residence. Besides the dignitaries there were the ordinary canons, each of whom, as a rule, held a separate prebend or endowment, besides receiving his share of the common funds of the church.

For the most part the canons also speedily became non-resident, and this led to the distinction of residentiary and non-residentiary canons, until in most churches the number of resident canons became definitely limited in number, and the non-residentiary canons, who no longer shared in the common funds, became generally known as prebendaries only, although by their non-residence they did not forfeit their position as canons, and retained their votes in chapter like the others.

This system of non-residence led also to the institution of vicars choral, each canon having his own vicar, who sat in his stall in his absence, and when the canon was present, in the stall immediately below, on the second form. The vicars had no place or vote in chapter, and, though irremovable except for offences, were the servants of their absent canons whose stalls they occupied, and whose duties they performed. Outside Britain they were often called demi-prebendaries. As time went on the vicars were themselves often incorporated as a kind of lesser chapter, or college, under the supervision of the dean and chapter.

[[File:Wittstock Bischofsburg.jpg|thumb|left|The Palace of the [[Bishop of Havelberg|Bishops of Havelberg]] in [[Wittstock]], Germany.]]

====Relationship of chapter and bishop====
There was no distinction between the monastic cathedral chapters and those of the secular canons, in their relation to the bishop or diocese. In both cases the chapter was the bishop's consilium that he was bound to consult on all important matters and without doing so he could not act. Thus, a judicial decision of a bishop needed the confirmation of the chapter before it could be enforced. He could not change the service books, or "use" of the church or diocese, without capitular consent, and there are episcopal acts, such as the appointment of a diocesan chancellor, or vicar general, which still need confirmation by the chapter, but the older theory of the chapter as the bishop's council in ruling the diocese has become a thing of the past, in Europe.

In its corporate capacity the chapter takes charge sede vacante of a diocese. In England, however (except as regards [[Salisbury Cathedral|Salisbury]] and [[Durham Cathedral|Durham]]),<ref>{{cite book|last=Till|first=Barry|title=York Against Durham: The Guardianship of the Spiritualities in the Diocese of Durham Sede Vacante|year=1993|publisher=Borthwick Institute Publications|location=York|isbn=0903857421|page=31}}</ref> this custom has never obtained, the two archbishops having, from time immemorial, taken charge of the vacant dioceses in their respective provinces. When, however, either of the sees of Canterbury or York is vacant the chapters of those churches take charge, not only of the diocese, but of the province as well, and incidentally, therefore, of any of the dioceses of the province that may be vacant at the same time.