Term

papal curia

The governing body through which the pope administers the church.

Filed underEcclesiology

Definition

The governing body through which the pope administers the church. In the late Middle Ages, the popes used the cardinals, who became the court's most powerful members.

Connections

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Synonym of

Sources

  1. 1.Jerald C. Brauer and B. A. Gerrish, ed. The Westminster Dictionary of Church History. (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1971). 252Original citation: Brauer, Jerald C., and B. A. Gerrish, eds. The Westminster Dictionary of Church History. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1971, 252.

Last revised August 14, 2026