Coliegial or Collegiate Church

Coliegial Or Collegiate Church

(1.) In the Roman Church, a church served by canons regular or secular. They originated in a desire to have mass conducted in towns which had no cathedral (q.v.), with greater pomp than could be had with one priest. Originally the canons dwelt in common in one college, but this was afterwards abandoned. SEE CANONS.

(2.) In England there are several collegiate churches, which are served by a dean and a body of canons. They differ from cathedrals in that the see of the bishop is at the latter. The service is or should be the same in both. They are under the jurisdiction of the bishop of the diocese in which they are situated, and he exercises visitorial powers over them. (3.) Several churches connected in one corporation are called "collegiate" churches: e.g. a combination of several Reformed Protestant Dutch churches in New York is so styled.