Bible Encyclopedias
Official

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

(Late Lat. officials, for class. Lat. apparitor, from ofccium, office, duty), in general any holder of office under the state or a public body. In ecclesiastical law the word "official" has a special technical sense as applied to the official exercising a diocesan bishop's jurisdiction as his representative and in his name (see Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction). The title of "official principal," together with that of "vicar-general," is in England now merged in that of "chancellor" of a diocese (see Chancellor).

Bibliography Information
Chisholm, Hugh, General Editor. Entry for 'Official'. 1911 Encyclopedia Britanica. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​bri/​o/official.html. 1910.