Chapter (religion)

A chapter (Latin: capitulum or capitellum) is one of several bodies of clergymen in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Nordic Lutheran churches or their gatherings.

The name derives from the habit of convening monks or canons for the reading of a chapter of the Bible or a heading of the order's rule. The 6th-century St Benedict directed that his monks begin their daily assemblies with such readings and over time expressions such as "coming together for the chapter" (convenire ad capitulum) found their meaning transferred from the text to the meeting itself and then to the body gathering for it. The place of such meetings similarly became known as the "chapter house" or "room".

A cathedral chapter is the body ("college") of advisors assisting the bishop of a diocese at his cathedral church. These were a development of the presbyteries (presbyteria) made up of the priests and other church officials of cathedral cities in the early church. In the Catholic Church, they are now only established by papal decree.

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