parish

A parish is a geographic unit within some Christian church polities, served by a pastor or priest, and is a subdivision of a diocese. Historically, the term referred to the entire body of Christians in a city under a bishop. As Christianity spread to rural areas in the 4th century, Christians in villages were organized into units with their own priests, forming parishes under a bishop's jurisdiction.1

In civil government, the parish is the lowest tier of local government in England. These civil subdivisions, often centered on a village or small town, are distinct from church bodies. Parish councils have the power to levy surcharges on local property taxes and are involved in regional planning and maintaining recreational facilities. In the United States, Louisiana is divided into parishes, which are equivalent to counties in other states.21