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The
Florentine Rota, more formally known as the Patriarchal Tribunal of
the Florentine Rota, is the primary ecclesiastical court of the
Anglican Patriarchate. It is responsible for hearing cases of
marriage annulment, questions of heresy, and other doctrinal or
internal matters pertaining to the community of the church.
The
rota serves as a court of first instance as well as an appellate
court for tribunals of metropolitan and diocesan Sees within the
Patriarchate and the Imperial Roman Church, and also for organisations under the spiritual
protection of the Apostolic See.
The
judicial robes of the judges of the Florentine Rota, who are known as
Auditors, consist of the mantellum in red with a white ermine mozzetta
with red band at the bottom worn over it. If worn at liturgy, the
rochet is worn in the usual manner. All auditors are named Canons of
the Patriarchal Chapter (Pontifical Order of St. Stephen) if not a
bishop.
The
tribunal is called the rota because it hears cases according to a
rotating panel of three auditors known as a rota, meaning
"wheel." The Rota is the successor to the patriarchal
tribunal of Aquileia. The auditor who is appointed as chief judge is
known as the Prefect. The Prefect holds the grade of Dean ad Honorem of the Patriarchal Chapter (Pontifical Order of St. Stephen) if not a bishop. |
