Aeque principaliter


Aeque principaliter is a Latin term used by the Roman Catholic Church to indicate a merger of two or more dioceses in which – to avoid questions of predominance – the dioceses are all given equal importance. Such a merger often followed a merger in persona episcopi.
This type of union essentially consists into the fusion of two or more circumscriptions into only one. As a consequence, this new diocese will have two or more episcopal sees and cathedrals, which correspond to those of the previous dioceses.
To give an example, the Roman Catholic [Archdiocese of Pamplona and Tudela] is a single diocese established by the union aeque principaliter of the Archdiocese of Pamplona and the Diocese of Tudela. Through this fusion, the new circumscription has two episcopal sees: Pamplona and Tudela. As a consequence it has also two cathedrals, one for each episcopal see.
Parishes may also be merged aeque principaliter.

Examples