Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Precedence (Lat. præcedere, to go
before another). Precedence signifies the right to enjoy a
prerogative of honour before other persons; e.g. to have the
most distinguished place in a procession, a ceremony, or an
assembly, to have the right to express an opinion, cast a vote,
or append a signature before others, to perform the most
honourable offices. Questions of precedence sometimes give rise
to controversies. In both civil and ecclesiastical legislation
they are regulated by laws and rules. In canon law the general
rule is that precedence is determined by rank in the hierarchy
both of jurisdiction and of order. Where rank is equal it is
determined by priority of foundation: Qui prior est tempore,
potior est jure (Regula juris 54, in VI). With regard to
colleges (collegia), precedence is determined by the quality of
the person to whom the college is attached. The order of
precedence is regulated as follows: the pope always takes first
rank, after him come cardinals, patriarchs,