Temporalities

Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities

Spiritualities

Spiritualities is a term, often used in the Middle Ages, that refers to the income sources of a diocese or other ecclesiastical establishment that came from tithes. It also referred to income that came from other religious sources, such as offerings from church services or ecclesiastical...

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In the Middle Ages

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages of European history is a period of European history covering roughly a millennium in the 5th century through 16th centuries. More specific starting and ending points are sometimes adopted by scholars to suit their respective specializations or current focus...

, the temporalities were usually those lands that were held by a bishop, that were used to support him. After the Investiture Crisis was resolved, the temporalities of a diocese were usually granted to the bishop by the secular ruler after the bishop was consecrated. Sometimes this granting of the temporalities could take some time. The temporalities were often confiscated by secular rulers to punish bishops.