Depiction of a Typical Catholic Diocese

Idealtypische Darstellung einer katholischen Diözese, Graphik, 1992, Urheber: © Heinrich Richard Schmidt; Bildquelle: Privatbesitz.

The Catholic Church in Europe followed a uniform structural plan, which was characterised by a vertical hierarchy, with the congregation as the "object". In the diocesan leadership, there was competition between the bishop and the cathedral chapter. The Council of Trent removed this competition by establishing the supremacy of the bishops.

Depiction of a typical Catholic diocese, diagram, 1992, copyright owner: © Heinrich Richard Schmidt; source: private ownership.