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Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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in the canon law, is that by which a cleric holds his benefice. In Church records and deeds, it is a Church to which a cleric was ordained, and where he was to reside. It is also applied to a cure of souls and a ministerial charge. Augustine says that the title of the cross was written in Hebrew for Jews who gloried in God's law; in Greek, for the wise of the nations; in Latin, for Romans, the conquerors of the world. Hence churches were called titles, not only because the clergy took titles from them which fixed them to particular cures, but as dedicated to the Crucified. The appellation is first used by the Council of Braga (572). A title was also a right to serve some Church from which an ordained clerk took his title, a name derived from the titles of the martyrs tombs, at which service was originally said, and so called for the reasons given above, or the fiscal titulus which marked buildings belonging to the sovereign, and thus also churches dedicated to the King of kings. The earliest title was St. Pudentiana, now called St. Praxedes. The Roman cathedral had, in 142, a title or parish church attached to it by pope Pius I. The Council of Lateran (1179) enforced ordination on a distinct title.