- Regionarius
Regionarius, plural Regionarii, is the title given in later Antiquity and the early
Middle Ages to those clerics and officials of the Church ofRome who were attached neither to thePapal Palace or "patriarchium", nor to thetitular church es of Rome, but to whom one of the city regions, or wards, was assigned as their official district. For internal administration, the city of Rome was a divided by the EmperorAugustus into fourteen regions. From the fourth century developed (evidently in connection with the seven Romandeacon s) an ecclesiastical division into seven regions, which gradually replaced the earlier civil divisions. Many branches of the ecclesiastical administration were arranged in accordance with the seven regions —especially the care of the poor, provision for the maintenance of the churches, and whatever else pertained primarily to the office of the deacons, one of whom was appointed over each of the seven regions ("diaconus regionarius"). As the deacons were assisted by sevensubdeacon s, we also find the term "subdeaconus regionarius". The notaries anddefensor es employed in the administration of the regions were also known as "notarii regionarii" and "defensores regionarii". There is also occasional mention of "acolyti regionarii". Little is known about the functions exercised by these "regionarii", as in general concerning the ecclesiastical administration in ancient Rome, in as far as it affected the regions.ource
*CathEncy|title=Regionarii|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12719d.htm
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.