The pope is assisted in the government of the uni- versal Church by the college of cardinals, which is di- vided into cardinal bishops, cardinal priests, and car- dinal deacons. The bishops of every grade are, in a similar manner, aided in the government of their dio- ceses by a chapter, and frequently by an assistant bish- op. The diocese is divided into parishes, a number of which is generally united into a deanery, at the head of which is a dean. The papal almanac {Iai Gerarvhia Cattolica) for 1878 publishes the following summary of the Catholic hierarchy: The full numl)er of the mem- bers of the college of cardinals is 73 ; namely, 6 cardinal bishops, 51 cardinal priests, and 1(5 cardinal deacons. Of patriarchal sees there are 12, 7 of which belong to the Latin and 5 to the Oriental rite. The number of archi- episcopal sees in December, 1877, was 172, of which 151 belonged to the Latin and the remainder to several Ori- ental rites. Of the Latin archbishops, 13 were imme- diately subject to the Holy See, and DJK were connected with ecclesiastical provinces. Of the Oriental arch- bishoprics, 1 Armenian, 1 Grajco- Houmanian, and 1 Grffico-Ruthenian are at the head of ecclesiastical prov- inces; 4 (irivco-iMelchite, 4 Syrian, 5 Syro-Chaldiean, 5 Syro-jMaronite are subject to tlie patriarchs of the several rites. Of episcopal tlioceses there were 719, of
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 78 ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
which GCA belon<iecl to the Latin and 55 to several Oriental rites. If we aild the six suburban sees of the cardinal bishops, the total number of episcopal sees would be 7-2b, of which 670 belong to the Latin rite. Immediately subject to the Holy See are 87 Latin and 4 Eastern (3 Graeco-Kuthenian, 1 Gricco- Bulga- rian) bishops; 577 Latin sees and 8 Oriental (I Ar- menian, 3 GroBCO-Roumanian, and 4 Grteco-Kuthenian) were suffragans in ecclesiastical provinces; 43 Oriental bishops ( IG Armenian, 9 Graeco-Melchite, 8 Syrian, 7 Syro-Cliaktean, and 3 Syro-Maronite) were subjects to the patriarchs of the several rites. There were also 18 sees not connected with a diocese (nullius diacpseos) ; their occupants are 12 abbots, 1 archabbot, 1 archiman- drite, 1 archpriest, 1 provost, and 2 prelates.
Where it is found impracticable to establish dioceses in accordance with the provisions of the canonical law, vicars apostolic are appointed in place of bishops. They are placed under the immediate supervision of the Con- gregation of Propaganda, which is charged with a gen- eral superintendence of missionary districts. Besides vicars apostolic, the pope appoints for the superintend- ence of churches in non-Catholic countries apostolic delegates and apostolical prefects, both of whom are likewise placed under the Congregation of Propaganda. The aggregate of delegates, vicars, and prtefects was (in 1878) 154, making a total of 1148 hierarchical titles. The total number of dignitaries composing the Catholic hierarchy, inclusive of the assistant bishops, was 1198. The Catiiolic hierarchy received a very large increase (hiring the pontificate of Pius IX. The number of bishoprics raised to the rank of archbishoprics was 24; number of archbishoprics created, 5; number of bishoprics created, 132 ; of sees, nullius diosceseos, 3 ; of apostolic delegations, 3 ; of vicariates apostolic, 33 ; of prasfects apostolic, 15; total. 215 hierarchical titles.
A large proportion of the new episcopal and archiepis- copal sees belong to English-speaking countries. The
to this the 63 archbishops and bishops holding office in the United States, the total number of episcopal digni- taries in the English-speaking world at the beginning of 1879 was 189, being about one sixth of the entire Catholic hierarchy of the world. The steady advance of British dominion in aU parts of the world, and the rapid development of the United States, Australia, Brit- ish North America, and other English-speaking terri- tories, cannot fail to increase rapidly the numerical strength of the English-speaking bishops in the lioman Catholic hierarchy.
An important element in the Catholic hierarchy is the religious associations, orders of men and women whose members live together in convents. They are very numerous and have various organizations. Thej* are more or less exempt from the jurisdiction of the bishops, and placed under the special jurisdiction of their own superiors, most of whom reside in Rome. While the aim of the oldest of these communities was the at- tainment, by retirement from the world, of a higher re- ligious perfection, they have in the course of time re- garded an active participation in the ministrations of the clergy as an important part of their duties. Their strict organization has especially enabled them to take the lead in the direction of the foreign missions of the Church, and display a remarkable activity in the prov- ince of education. Most of the popes have valued their services very highly, and conferred upon them exten- sive privileges.
IV. StcitisHcs. — The Roman Catholic Church still continues to be by far the most numerous branch of Christianity. The following table gives an estimate of the Roman Catholic population of each of the large divisions of the world, and of the relation of Roman Catholics to the total population, the Eastern churches, and the Protestant churches, including in the last di- vision all Christians not belonging to either the Roman Catholic or the Eastern churches :
America, North
America, South
Europe
Asia (including the Indian Archipelago)
Africa
Australia and Polynesia