Ecclesiastical

a.

1.

Of or pertaining to the church; relating to the organization or government of the church; not secular; as, ecclesiastical affairs or history; ecclesiastical courts. Every circumstance of ecclesiastical order and discipline was an abomination. - Cowper. Ecclesiastical commissioners for England a permanent commission established by Parliament in 1836, to consider and report upon the affairs of the Established Church. Ecclesiastical courts courts for maintaining the discipline of the Established Church; - called also Christian courts. Ecclesiastical law a combination of civil and canon law as administered in ecclesiastical courts. Ecclesiastical modes (Mus.) the church modes, or the scales anciently used. Ecclesiastical States the territory formerly subject to the Pope of Rome as its temporal ruler; - called also States of the Church.

Adj.

1.

ecclesiastical - of or associated with a church (especially a Christian Church); "ecclesiastic history" Synonyms: ecclesiastic

ECCLESIASTICAL. Belonging to, or set apart for the church; as, distinguished from civil or secular. Vide Church.

abbatial, abbatical, apostolic, archiepiscopal, canonical, capitular, capitulary, cathedral-like, cathedralesque, church, churchish, churchlike, clerical, ecclesiastic, episcopal, episcopalian, evangelistic, ministerial, pantheonic, papal, pastoral, patriarchal, pontifical, prelatial, prelatic, priest-ridden, priestish, priestly, rabbinic, sacerdotal, spiritual, synagogal, synagogical, tabernacular, templelike, theological, ultramontane