Commendam

Commendam, an ancient manner of holding ecclesiastical benefices. When a living fell vacant by the preferment of its holder, it was commended by the crown to the care of a clerk, usually a bishop in one of the poorer sees, to hold till a proper pastor was provided for it. Such a living was called an ecclesia commendata, and was said to be held in commendam. A commendam in ecclesiastical law may be defined as the power of receiving and retaining a benefice contrary to positive law, by supreme authority. Holdings in commendam were abolished in 1836.—COMMENDATORS, in Scotland, in Roman Catholic times, were stewards appointed to levy the fruits of a benefice during a vacancy. They were mere trustees; but gradually the pope assumed the power of appointing commendators for life, without any obligation to account. This abuse led in 1466 to a prohibition of all commendams except those granted by bishops for six months and under. See ABBOT.