Parish

A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest acting as pastor or "parish priest", who might be assisted by one or more curates. The parish community meets for worship and support in its parish church. In England, a parish historically often covered the same geographical area as a manor. Its association with the parish church remains paramount. By extension the term parish refers not only to the territorial entity but to the people of its community or congregation as well as to church property within it. In England this church property was technically in ownership of the parish priest ex officio, vested in him on his institution to that parish.