Glossary of Terms
Northern California, Diocese of
The 1874 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of California. The new missionary district included of the following counties: Amador, Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, […]
Northern Indiana, Diocese of
The 1898 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of Indiana. The new diocese included the following counties: Adams, Allen, Benton, Blackford, Carroll, Cass, DeKalb, Elkhart, Fulton, Grant, Howard, Huntington, […]
Northern Luzon, Diocese of
The 1901 General Convention established the Missionary District of the Philippines. In 1973 the Missionary District of the Philippines was divided into three missionary districts. One of these was the […]
Northern Mexico, Diocese of
The General Convention of 1904 established the Missionary District of Mexico. The 1972 General Convention divided the Missionary District of Mexico into the Missionary District of Central and South Mexico, […]
Northern Michigan, Diocese of
The General Convention of 1892 voted to divide the Diocese of Michigan. The primary convocation of the Missionary District of Northern Michigan met at Grace Church, Ishpeming, on May 31, […]
Northern New Jersey, Diocese of
The Diocese of Newark was named the Diocese of Northern New Jersey from Nov. 12, 1874, until May 19, 1886. See Newark, Diocese of.
Northern Philippines, Diocese of
The 1901 General Convention established the Missionary District of the Philippines. In 1973 the Missionary District of the Philippines was divided into three missionary districts. One of these was the […]
Northwest Texas, Diocese of
The 1910 General Convention created the Missionary District of North Texas from territories ceded by the Diocese of Dallas and the Diocese of West Texas. The Missionary District of North […]
Northwest, Missionary District of the
The 1859 General Convention passed “That all those portions of our country, North of a line running along the Northern boundary of the Cherokee country and New Mexico, until it […]
Northwestern Pennsylvania, Diocese of
The 1910 General Convention voted to divide the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The primary convention of the new diocese met at St. Paul's Church, Erie, on Nov. 16, 1910. It chose […]
Norwich University
It opened on Sept. 4, 1820, as a military academy at Norwich, Vermont. In 1834 it became Norwich University, and in 1866 moved to Northfield, Vermont. It had an Episcopal […]
Notes of the Church
The Nicene Creed describes the church as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic (see BCP, pp. 358-359). These four characteristics are the notes, or marks, of the church. The church is […]
Notitia Parochialis
“Parish Reports” sent by clergy in colonial America of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) to the secretary of the society. These reports gave […]
Novice
A trainee in a religious community. After being a postulant, aspirant, or candidate (the vocabulary varies), the novice is prepared for the religious life according to the rules, constitutions, and […]
Novice Guardian or Novice Master or Novice Mistress
Director of the process of discernment and formation that leads to the incorporation of new members in a religious order or community. The title refers to the novice guardian's responsibility […]
Novitiate
The period of training of novices in a monastery or religious community. It may lead to temporary vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience that, in most communities, will be replaced […]
Nun
A woman who is a full member of a religious order. The term may be seen as the female equivalent of a monk. The term may be distinguished from a […]
Nunc dimittis
Canticle based on the words of Simeon, who recognized the infant Jesus to be the Messiah at the Presentation of Jesus in the temple by Mary and Joseph (Lk 2:29-32). […]
Nuptial
Concerning a marriage. The term is from Latin words for “wedding” and “to take a husband.” A nuptial blessing is the blessing of the husband and wife at the marriage […]
Nuptial Mass, or Nuptial Eucharist
Eucharist celebrated at a marriage. The service for the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage is the liturgy of the word. The eucharist begins with the offertory. Any authorized liturgy […]
Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.