Legal Definitions - trado tibi ecclesiam

The Latin phrase trado tibi ecclesiam translates directly to "I deliver this church (or living) to you."

Historically, this phrase was used in ecclesiastical law and Scots law to signify the formal act of transferring a church, or more specifically, the "living" associated with it, to a new cleric. The "living" refers to the income, property, and spiritual responsibilities attached to a particular church office or benefice. It represented the official handover of the spiritual charge and temporal assets of a church to its new incumbent.

• Example 1: A Bishop's Formal Appointment

  Imagine a medieval bishop formally installing a new priest into a parish church within their diocese. During the ceremony, the bishop might have uttered "trado tibi ecclesiam" to the newly appointed priest. This phrase would signify the bishop's official act of entrusting the church building, its congregation, and all the associated duties and revenues (the "living") to the priest's care and spiritual leadership.

• Example 2: A Lay Patron's Presentation of a Cleric

  Consider a wealthy noble family in historical Scotland who held the right of advowson – the privilege to nominate a priest to a particular church on their estate. When a vacancy occurred, and they had chosen a suitable cleric, they would formally present this individual to the ecclesiastical authorities. In this context, the patron might have used "trado tibi ecclesiam" when presenting their chosen candidate, indicating their formal act of delivering the church's spiritual charge and its associated benefice to the cleric they had selected, pending the bishop's approval and institution.