Editing Official (section)

==Ecclesiastical judiciary==
{{Catholic Church hierarchy sidebar|Administrative and pastoral titles}}
{{Canon Law}}In [[Canon law (Catholic Church)|canon law]], the word or its Latin original '''''{{Lang|la|officialis}}''''' is used absolutely as the legal title of a diocesan bishop's [[judicial vicar]] who shares the bishop's [[Ordinary (Catholic Church)|ordinary]] judicial power over the [[diocese]] and presides over the diocesan [[ecclesiastical court]].

The [[1983 Code of Canon Law|1983 ''Code of Canon Law'']] gives precedence to the title judicial vicar, rather than that of {{lang|la|officialis}} (canon 1420). The ''[[Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches]]'' uses only the title judicial vicar (canon 191).

In German, the related noun ''{{Lang|de|Offizialat}}'' was also used for an official bureau in a diocese that did much of its administration, comprising the [[vicar general|vicariate-general]], an adjoined secretariat, a registry office and a chancery.

In Catholicism, the vicar-general was originally called the "official" (''{{Lang|la|officialis}}'').<ref>{{cite Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Diocese |volume= |first=Alphonse |last=van Hove}}</ref>

The title of '''official principal''', together with that of vicar-general, has in Anglicanism been merged in that of [[diocesan chancellor]] of a diocese.<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Official |volume=20 |page=22}}</ref>