Definition

1. Noun:
   • A territorial division in certain Christian churches: An ecclesiastical province is a geographical area comprising multiple dioceses, overseen by an archbishop or metropolitan bishop.
   • An administrative unit within a religious order: It can also refer to a major territorial division within a large religious order, such as the Jesuits, governed by a provincial superior.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The Archbishop of Canterbury presides over the ecclesiastical province of Canterbury.
  • The Jesuit order is organized into several ecclesiastical provinces around the world.

Advanced Usage

• "within the province of": Under the jurisdiction or authority of a specific ecclesiastical province.
  • That diocese falls within the province of the Metropolitan.
• "provincial council": A governing or advisory assembly of clergy from an ecclesiastical province.
  • The matter was debated at the latest provincial council.

Variants and Related Words

• Province (noun): In a secular context, a principal administrative division of a country. In a religious context, often used interchangeably with "ecclesiastical province."
• Metropolitan (noun): An archbishop who has authority over an ecclesiastical province.
• Archdiocese (noun): The diocese of an archbishop, which is typically the central diocese of an ecclesiastical province.
• Diocese (noun): A district under the pastoral care of a bishop, which is a constituent part of an ecclesiastical province.

Synonyms

• Church province: A less common but synonymous term.
• Metropolitan see: Refers specifically to the archbishop's seat or jurisdiction over a province.

Related Phrases

• Provincial boundaries: The geographical limits of an ecclesiastical province.
  • The dispute concerned the exact provincial boundaries.
• Head of a province: The archbishop or metropolitan who leads the province.
  • The head of the province called for a synod.

Related Idioms

• "Beyond one's province": Outside of one's proper area of authority or expertise (this idiom uses the general, non-ecclesiastical sense of "province").
  • Commenting on liturgical matters is beyond my province as a layperson.

Noun

1. the district within the jurisdiction of an archbishop or a metropolitan or one of the territorial divisions of an ecclesiastical order
   • the general of the Jesuits has several provinces under him