CORPUS JURIS CANONICI Meaning and
Definition
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Corpus Juris Canonici is a Latin term that translates to "Body of Canon Law" in English. It refers to the collection of canonical laws and regulations that form the basis of ecclesiastical law for the Roman Catholic Church. The Corpus Juris Canonici encompasses a compilation of legal texts, decrees, and rulings that have been formulated and adopted by different ecclesiastical authorities over the centuries.
The corpus consists of several main components, including the Decretum Gratiani, compiled by Gratian in the 12th century, which is a collection of canon law writings from different sources; the Liber Extra, promulgated by Pope Gregory IX in the 13th century, compiling papal decrees and judgments; the Liber Sextus, also enacted by Pope Boniface VIII in the 13th century, containing additional papal legislation; the Clementines, promulgated by Pope Clement V in the 14th century, gathering papal decrees and relevant texts; and the Extravagantes, which are supplementary decrees issued by various popes subsequent to the earlier collections.
The Corpus Juris Canonici has served as a vital reference for canonists, ecclesiastical courts, and church authorities in interpreting and applying church law throughout history. It has undergone revisions and additions by subsequent popes and councils to keep up with evolving legal needs and developments within the Church. Today, much of the corpus's content has been superseded by the Codex Iuris Canonici, the current comprehensive code of canon law that was promulgated in 1983, although some parts of the Corpus Juris Canonici still retain historical and scholarly significance.
