[German Version]

Both Roman Catholic and Protestant church law know the deanery as a supra-congregational administrative unit within the diocese and as a mid-level association within the regional church respectively. The dean is a pastor with supervision and leadership responsibilities in the deanery, including pastoral care as the pastor pastorum, ordination (Protestant), visitation, supervision, and administration. The functions of Roman Catholic deans derive from the bishops. Protestant deans, on the one hand, have features of a “regional” …