Sui iuris

Concept in jurisprudence

"Church sui iuris" redirects here. For other uses, see Catholic particular churches and liturgical rites.

Not to be confused with suo jure.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Sui iuris" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Sui iuris (/ˈsuːaɪ ˈdʒʊərɪs/), also spelled sui juris, is a Latin phrase that literally means "of one's own right".[1] It is used in both the Catholic Church's canon law[2] and secular law.[3] The term church sui iuris is used in the Catholic Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO) to denote the autonomous churches in Catholic communion. The Catholic Church consists of 24 churches, including the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic churches.

## Etymology and spelling

[edit]

The Latin sui iuris (the individual words meaning 'self' and 'law') corresponds to the Greek 'αὐτόνομος', from which the English word autonomy is derived.[4]

The spelling in Classical Latin is sui iuris, and in Medieval Latin sui juris. English Law gets the term from Medieval Latin, and so spells it sui juris.

## Catholic canon law

[edit]

Part of a series on the
Canon law of the Catholic Church

Ius vigens (current law)

* 1983 Code of Canon Law
* Omnium in mentem
* Magnum principium
* Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
* Ad tuendam fidem
* Ex corde Ecclesiae
* Indulgentiarum Doctrina
* Praedicate evangelium
* Veritatis gaudium
* Custom
* Matrimonial nullity trial reforms of Pope Francis
* Documents of the Second Vatican Council
* Christus Dominus
* Lumen gentium
* Optatam totius
* Orientalium ecclesiarum
* Presbyterorum ordinis
* Sacrosanctum concilium
* Precepts of the Church

Legal history

Jus antiquum (c. 33-1140)

* Ancient Church Orders
* Didache
* The Apostolic Constitutions
* Canons of the Apostles
* Collections of ancient canons
* Collectiones canonum Dionysianae
* Collectio canonum quadripartita
* Collectio canonum Quesnelliana
* Collectio canonum Wigorniensis
* Gelasian Decree
* Symmachian forgeries
* Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals
* Donation of Constantine
* Gregorian Reform
* Lay investiture controversy
* Dictatus papae
* Libertas ecclesiae
* Plenitudo potestatis

Jus novum (c. 1140-1563)

* Corpus Juris Canonici
* Decretum Gratiani
* Decretist
* Canon Episcopi
* Margaritae
* Jus commune
* Decretals of Gregory IX
* Decretalist
* Regulæ Juris
* Extravagantes
* Liber Septimus

Jus novissimum (c. 1563-1918)

* Council of Trent
* Benedictus Deus
* Tametsi
* Apostolicae Sedis moderationi

Jus codicis (1918-present)

* 1917 Code of Canon Law
* Ecclesiae Sanctae
* 1983 Code of Canon Law

Other

* Contractum trinius
* Papal judge-delegate
* Right of option

Eastern law

* Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
* Eastern Canonical Reforms of Pius XII
* Nomocanon
* Eparchy
* Exarchate
* Ordinariate for Eastern Catholic faithful
* Protosyncellus

Liturgical law

Latin Church

* General Roman Calendar
* Ranking of liturgical days in the Roman Rite
* General Instruction of the Roman Missal
* Code of Rubrics
* Sacrosanctum Concilium
* Mysterii Paschalis
* Musicam sacram
* Scripturarum thesaurus
* Liturgiam authenticam
* Quattuor abhinc annos
* Ecclesia Dei
* Summorum Pontificum
* Magnum principium
* Traditionis custodes
* Red Mass
* Holy day of obligation

Sacramental law

* Communicatio in sacris
* Ex opere operato
* Omnium in mentem
* Validity and liceity

Sacraments

* Holy Orders
* Impediment (Catholic canon law)
* Abstemius
* Defect of birth
* Obligation of celibacy
* Nullity of Sacred Ordination
* Apostolicae curae
* Dimissorial letters
* Episcopal consecrators
* Approbation (Catholic canon law)
* Confession
* Penitential canons
* Paenitentiale Theodori
* Seal of the Confessional
* Internal and external forum
* Note on the importance of the internal forum and the inviolability of the Sacramental Seal
* Apostolic Penitentiary
* Canon penitentiary
* Complicit absolution
* Sacramentum Poenitentiae
* Eucharist
* Eucharistic discipline
* Canon 915
* Celebret
* Mass stipend

Sacramentals

* Indulgence
* Indulgentiarum doctrina

Sacred places

* Altars
* Major basilica
* Minor basilica
* Oratory (chapel)

Sacred times

* Feast days
* Fast days and abstinence
* Paenitemini
* Holy day of obligation

Matrimonial law

* Canonical form (Latin Church)
* Tametsi
* Ne Temere
* Banns of marriage
* Declaration of Nullity
* Dignitas connubii
* Matrimonial Nullity Trial Reforms of Pope Francis
* Vetitum
* Defender of the Bond
* Impediments to Marriage
* Affinity
* Clandestinity
* Impediment of crime
* Disparity of cult
* Ligamen
* Public propriety
* Matrimonial dispensation
* Ratum sed non consummatum
* Sanatio in radice
* Natural marriage
* Pauline privilege
* Petrine privilege

Supreme authority, particular churches, and canonical structures

Supreme authority of the Church

* Roman Pontiff
* Papal conclave
* College of Bishops

Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures

* College of Cardinals
* Conference of bishops
* Synod of Bishops

Particular churches

* Churches sui juris
* Latin Church
* Eastern Catholic Churches
* Local particular churches
* Appointment of bishops
* Abbacy nullius
* Apostolic vicariate
* Apostolic vicar
* Apostolic administration
* Apostolic administrator
* Diocese/Archdiocese
* Aeque principaliter
* Cathedraticum
* In persona episcopi
* Diocesan Curia
* Moderator of the Curia
* Chancery
* Deanery
* Vicar forane
* Eparchy
* Eparchal curia
* Military ordinariate
* Mission sui juris
* Personal ordinariate
* Anglicanorum Coetibus

Juridic persons

* Parish
* Team of priests in solidum
* Collegiate church
* Parish register
* Lay trusteeism
* Roman Curia
* Dicastery
* Congregation
* Pontifical council
* Personal prelature
* Types of membership of Opus Dei
* Association of the Christian faithful
* Vicar general
* Quinquennial visit ad limina

Jurisprudence

* Canonical coronation
* Canonically crowned images
* Computation of time
* Custom
* Delegata potestas non potest delegari
* Derogation
* Dispensation
* Taxa Innocentiana
* Faculty
* Indult
* Impediment
* Donation
* Interpretation
* Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
* Jurisdiction
* Peritus
* Obreption & subreption
* Obrogation
* Promulgation
* Resignation of the Roman Pontiff
* Sede vacante
* Simony
* Vacatio legis
* Validity and liceity
* Visitation
* Apostolic visitor

Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law

* Theology
* Ecclesiology
* Treatise on Law
* Determinatio

Temporal goods (property)

* Benefice
* Cathedraticum
* Contract law
* Mass stipend
* Stole fee
* Temporalities

Law of persons

* Person (Catholic canon law)
* Formal act of defection from the Catholic Church
* Canonical age
* Emancipation
* Exemption
* Heresy

Clerics

* Secular clergy
* Regular clergy
* Obligation of celibacy
* Clerics and public office
* Incardination and excardination
* Laicization (dispensation)
* Canonical faculties

Office

* Canonical provision
* Canonical election
* Juridic and physical persons
* Jus patronatus
* Associations of the faithful
* Consecrated life

Canonical documents

* Acta Apostolicae Sedis
* Acta Sanctae Sedis
* Censor librorum
* Imprimatur
* Imprimi potest
* Notary
* Protonotary apostolic
* Apostolic constitution
* Canon
* Concordat
* Decree
* Decretal
* Encyclical
* Motu proprio
* Ordinance
* Papal brief
* Papal bull
* Penitential
* Positive law
* Rescript
* Parish register
* Ecclesiastical Latin

Penal law

* Canon 1324
* Canon 1397 §2
* Censure (Catholic canon law)
* De delictis gravioribus
* Complicit absolution
* Crimen sollicitationis
* Excommunication
* List of excommunicable offences in the Catholic Church
* List of people excommunicated by the Catholic Church
* List of cardinals excommunicated by the Catholic Church
* Interdict
* Laicization (penal)
* Latae sententiae and ferendae sententiae
* Lifetime of prayer and penance
* Canonical admonitions
* Ecclesiastical prison

Procedural law

Pars statica (tribunals & ministers/parties)

* Tribunals
* Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
* Tribunal of the Roman Rota
* Apostolic Penitentiary
* Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
* Ministers of Justice
* Judicial Vicar/Officialis
* Auditor
* Parties
* Defender of the Bond
* Procurator

Pars dynamica (trial procedure)

* Dignitas connubii (matrimonial causes)
* Appeal as from an abuse
* Presumption
* Penal procedure
* Vos estis lux mundi

Canonization

* Congregation for the Causes of Saints
* Maiorem hac dilectionem
* Advocatus Diaboli
* Oblatio vitae
* Positio
* Beatification and canonization process in 1914

Election of the Roman Pontiff

* Current law
* Universi Dominici gregis
* Papal renunciation
* Reforms of Pope Benedict XVI
* Historical
* Cum proxime
* Jus exclusivae
* Papal appointment
* Aeterni Patris Filius
* Romano Pontifici eligendo
* Ingravescentem aetatem
* Ubi periculum
* Quia propter

Legal practice and scholarship

* List of legal abbreviations

Academic degrees

* Licentiate of Canon Law
* Doctor of Canon Law
* Doctor of both laws

Journals and Professional Societies

* Canon Law Society of America
* The Jurist

Faculties of canon law

* Catholic University of America School of Canon Law

Canonists

* Medieval
* Gratian
* Hostiensis
* Jean Lemoine
* Raymond of Penyafort
* Rufinus
* Johannes Teutonicus
* Geoffrey of Trani
* Burchard of Worms
* Brocard
* Modern & Contemporary
* Eugenio Corecco
* John D. Faris
* Pietro Gasparri
* Ladislas Orsy
* Edward N. Peters

Law of consecrated life

* Solemn vow
* Exclaustration
* Manifestation of Conscience
* Canonical erection of a house of religious
* Pontifical right
* Diocesan right
* Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

Institute of consecrated life

* Religious institute
* Congregation
* Order
* Monasticism
* Canons regular
* Mendicant orders
* Clerics regular
* Secular institute
* Cum Sanctissimus
* Primo Feliciter
* Provida Mater Ecclesia

Society of apostolic life

* Decretum laudis

Catholicism portal

* v
* t
* e

Church documents such as the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches apply the Latin term sui iuris to the particular Churches that are together the Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church and those in communion with it.

> A church sui iuris is "a community of the Christian faithful, which is joined together by a hierarchy according to the norm of law and which is expressly or tacitly recognized as sui iuris by the supreme authority of the Church" (CCEO.27). The term sui iuris is an innovation of the CCEO, and it denotes the relative autonomy of the oriental Catholic Churches. This canonical term, pregnant with many juridical nuances, indicates the God-given mission of the Oriental Catholic Churches to keep up their patrimonial autonomous nature. And the autonomy of these churches is relative in the sense that it is under the supreme authority of the Roman Pontiff.[a]

> — Thomas Kuzhinapurath, Salvific Law, 1998[5][6]

By far the largest of the sui iuris churches is the Latin Church.[7] Over that particular church, the Pope exercises his papal authority, and the authority that in other particular churches belongs to a Patriarch. He has, therefore, been referred to also as Patriarch of the West.[8] The other particular Churches are called Eastern Catholic Churches, each of which, if large enough, has its own patriarch or other chief hierarch, with authority over all the bishops of that particular Church or rite.

The same term is applied also to missions that lack enough clergy to be set up as apostolic prefectures but are for various reasons given autonomy and so are not part of any diocese, apostolic vicariate or apostolic prefecture. In 2004, there were eleven such missions: three in the Atlantic, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, and Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; two in the Pacific, Funafuti (Tuvalu), and Tokelau; and six in central Asia, Afghanistan, Baku (Azerbaijan), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

### Categories of sui iuris churches

[edit]

Part of a series on
Particular churches sui iuris
of the Catholic Church

Latin cross and Byzantine Patriarchal cross

Particular churches are grouped by liturgical rite
Alexandrian Rite

* Coptic
* Ethiopian
* Eritrean

Armenian Rite

* Armenian

Byzantine Rite

* Albanian
* Belarusian
* Bulgarian
* Croatian and Serbian
* Greek
* Hungarian
* Italo-Albanian
* Macedonian
* Melkite
* Romanian
* Russian
* Ruthenian
* Slovak
* Ukrainian

East Syriac Rite

* Chaldean
* Syro-Malabar

Latin liturgical rites

* Latin

West Syriac Rite

* Maronite
* Syriac
* Syro-Malankara

Eastern Catholic Churches
Eastern Catholic liturgy
Catholicism portal
Christianity portal

* v
* t
* e

According to CCEO, the Oriental Catholic churches sui iuris are of four categories.

#### Patriarchal churches

[edit]

A patriarchal church is a full-grown form of an Eastern Catholic church. It is 'a community of the Christian faithful joined together by' a Patriarchal hierarchy. The Patriarch together with the synod of bishops has the legislative, judicial and administrative powers within jurisdictional territory of the patriarchal church, without prejudice to those powers reserved, in the common law, to the Roman pontiff (CCEO 55-150). Among the Eastern Catholic Churches the following churches are of patriarchal status:

1. Coptic Catholic Church (1741): Cairo, Egypt
2. Maronite Church (union re-affirmed 1182): Bkerke, Lebanon, Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Argentina, Brazil, United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico
3. Syriac Catholic Church (1781): Beirut, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, United States and Canada, Venezuela
4. Armenian Catholic Church (1742): Beirut, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Palestine, Ukraine, France, Greece, Latin America, Argentina, Romania, United States, Canada, Eastern Europe
5. Chaldean Catholic Church (1552): Baghdad, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, United States
6. Melkite Greek Catholic Church (definitively 1726): Damascus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Brazil, United States, Canada, Mexico, Iraq, Egypt and Sudan, Kuwait, Australia, Venezuela, Argentina

#### Major archiepiscopal churches

[edit]

Major archiepiscopal churches are the oriental churches, governed by the major archbishops being assisted by the respective synod of bishops. These churches also have almost the same rights and obligations of Patriarchal Churches. A major archbishop is the metropolitan of a see determined or recognized by the Supreme authority of the Church, who presides over an entire Eastern Church sui iuris that is not distinguished with the patriarchal title. What is stated in common law concerning patriarchal Churches or patriarchs is understood to be applicable to major archiepiscopal churches or major archbishops, unless the common law expressly provides otherwise or it is evident from the nature of the matter" (CCEO.151, 152). Following are the Major Archiepiscopal Churches:

1. Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (1930): Thiruvananthapuram, India, United Arab Emirates, United States of America
2. Syro-Malabar Church (1923): Ernakulam, India, Middle East, Europe and America
3. Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic[9] (1697): Blaj, Romania, United States of America
4. Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (1595): Kyiv, Ukraine, Poland, United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Germany and Scandinavia, France, Brazil, Argentina

#### Metropolitan churches

[edit]

A sui iuris church which is governed by a Metropolitan (Bishop) is called a metropolitan church sui iuris. "A Metropolitan Church sui iuris is presided over by the Metropolitan of a determined see who has been appointed by the Roman Pontiff and is assisted by a council of hierarchs according to the norm of law" (CCEO. 155§1). The Catholic metropolitan churches are the following:

1. Ethiopian Catholic Church (1846): Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
2. Ruthenian Catholic Church (1646) - a sui juris metropolia, an eparchy, and an apostolic exarchate: United States (594,465), Canada, Ukraine, Czech Republic.
3. Slovak Greek Catholic Church (1646): Prešov, Slovakia.
4. Eritrean Catholic Church (2015): Asmara, Eritrea[10]
5. Hungarian Greek Catholic Church (2015) - Hajdúdorog, Hungary

#### Other sui iuris churches

[edit]

Other than the above-mentioned three forms of sui iuris churches there are some other sui iuris ecclesiastical communities. It is "a Church sui iuris which is neither patriarchal nor major archiepiscopal nor Metropolitan, and is entrusted to a hierarch who presides over it in accordance with the norm of common law and the particular law established by the Roman Pontiff" (CCEO. 174). The following churches are of this juridical status:

1. Albanian Greek Catholic Church (1628) - apostolic administration: Albania
2. Belarusian Greek Catholic Church (1596) - apostolic administration: Belarus
3. Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church (1861) - apostolic exarchate: Sofia, Bulgaria
4. Byzantine Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia (1611) - an eparchy and an apostolic exarchate: Eparchy of Križevci for Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Byzantine Catholic Apostolic Exarchate of Serbia
5. Greek Byzantine Catholic Church (1829) - two apostolic exarchates: Athens, Greece, Turkey
6. Italo-Albanian Catholic Church (never separated) - two eparchies and a territorial abbacy: Italy
7. Macedonian Greek Catholic Church (1918) - an eparchy: Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
8. Russian Greek Catholic Church (1905) - two apostolic exarchates, at present with no published hierarchs: Russia, China; currently about 34 parishes and communities scattered around the world, including 20 parishes and 5 missions in Russia itself, answering to bishops of other jurisdictions

#### Former Byzantine Rite Church

[edit]

The Catholic Church in Georgia used to be able to do the Byzantine Rite. However, after grueling Soviet oppression, their church was effectively forced underground and Georgian Greek Catholics are now a minority.

1. Georgian Byzantine-Rite Catholics (1900s, with first Uniate movement which joined the Roman Catholic Church appearing in the 1600s) - the Church of Colchin and Iberia

## Secular law

[edit]

In civil law, the phrase sui juris indicates legal competence, and refers to an adult who has the capacity to manage his or her own affairs. It is opposed to alieni juris, meaning one such as a minor or mentally disabled person who is legally incompetent and under the control of another. It also indicates a person capable of suing and/or being sued in a legal proceeding in his own name (suo nomine[11]) without the need of an ad litem, that is, a court appointed representative, acting on behalf of a defendant, who is deemed to be incapable of representing himself.

## See also

[edit]

* Autocephaly
* List of Latin legal terms
* List of Latin phrases

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Original italian: "Una Chiesa Orientale cattolica è una parte della Chiesa Universale che vive la fede in modo corrispondente ad una delle cinque grandi tradizioni orientali- Alessandrina, Antiochena, Costantinopolitina, Caldea, Armena- e che contiene o è almeno capace di contenere, come sue componenti minori, più comunità diocesane gerarchicamente riunite sotto la guida di un capo comune legittimamente eletto e in comunione con Roma, il quale con il proprio Sinodo costituisce la superiore istanza per tutti gli affari di carattere amministrativo, legislativo e giudiziario delle stesse Communità, nell'ambito del diritto comune a tutte le Chiese, determinato nei Canoni sanciti dai Concili Ecumenici o del Romano Pontefice, sempre preservando il diritto di quest'ultimo di intervenire nei singoli casi". pp. 103–104.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Collins English Dictionary". HarperCollins Publishers. 2003. Retrieved 5 November 2012. "sui juris [ˈsuːaɪ ˈdʒʊərɪs] adj (Law) (usually postpositive) Law of full age and not under disability; legally competent to manage one's own affairs; independent [from Latin, literally: of one's own right]"
2. ^ Faris, J.D. (2002). "The Latin Church Sui Iuris". Jurist. 62: 280.
3. ^ Garner, Bryan A. (1995). A dictionary of modern legal usage (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 851–852\. ISBN 0-19-507769-5.
4. ^ Sweet, Charles (1882). A Dictionary of English Law: Containing Definitions of the Technical Terms in Modern Use, and a Concise Statement of the Rules of Law Affecting the Principal Subjects, with Historical and Etymological Notes. H. Sweet.
5. ^ Österreichisches Archiv für Kirchenrecht, Volume 43, pg.156
6. ^ Žužek, Understanding The Eastern Code, pp. 103–104.
7. ^ Vere & Trueman, Surprised by Canon Law, Vol. 2, pg. 121.
8. ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Eastern Churches" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
9. ^ "Bisericii Române Unite cu Roma, Greco-Catolice" (in Romanian). Retrieved 13 October 2021.
10. ^ "Erezione della Chiesa Metropolitana sui iuris eritrea e nomina del primo Metropolita". Holy See Press Office. January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
11. ^ Black's Law Dictionary 1891 1st edition p. 1137

## Sources

[edit]

* Goudy, Henry (1911). "Roman Law" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 526–576.
* Vere, Pete, & Michael Trueman, Surprised by Canon Law, Volume 2: More Questions Catholics Ask About Canon Law (Cincinnati, Ohio: Servant Books/St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2007) ISBN 978-0-86716-749-8.
* Nedungatt, George, ed. (2002). A Guide to the Eastern Code: A Commentary on the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Rome: Oriental Institute Press. ISBN 9788872103364.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Article distinguishing between unity and uniformity, from Kottayam Catholic diocese

*[c.]: circa
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template