Diocese
Administrative area headed by a bishop. In Belgium, there are eight dioceses: Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Mechelen-Brussels, Hasselt, Tournai, Liège and Namur.
Beguinage
Walled area, originally on the outskirts of a city, with a church and houses that served as residences for beguines.
Beguine
Member of a community of unmarried women who led a religious life and lived in a beguinage. Beguines took only two (temporary) vows: obedience (to the Grand Mistress of the beguinage) and purity. As they did not take a vow of poverty, they were allowed to own property. They also had to be self-supporting.
Beghard
Male counterpart of beguine. Just like beguines, they were unmarried, and beghards only took two (temporary) vows: obedience and purity. Beghards lived together in a house in town and devoted themselves to education and caring for the poor. Many beghards were also weavers. In Antwerp, Beggaardenstraat reminds of their presence.
Apostle
This is the name given to the principal twelve disciples of Jesus, who were sent by Him to preach the gospel. By extension, the term is also used for other preachers, such as the Apostle Paul and Father Damien (“The Apostle of the Lepers”).
Acolyte
An altar server of 16 years of age or older.
Abbot
The man who has been chosen by the abbey community of which he is a member to lead that community for a fixed period.
Abbess
The woman who has been chosen by the abbey community of which she is a member to lead that community for a fixed period.
Abbey
A set of buildings used by monks or nuns. Only Cistercians, Benedictines, Norbertines and Trappists have abbeys. An abbey strives to be self-sufficient.
Archbishop
The bishop in charge of the archdiocese. In actual practice, this also means that he is the head of the church province.
