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In the Catholic Church, Can.374 §2 of the Code of Canon Law grants to bishops the possibility to join together several neighbouring parishes into special groups, such as vicariates forane, or deaneries.
Canon 555 also particularly mentions that a dean must visit the parishes of the district in accord with the regulations made by the diocesan bishop.
The title "dean" (Latin decanus) may derive from the custom of dividing a hundred into ten tithings.
In medieval times rural deans acted as officers of the diocesan bishop, but archdeacons gradually took over most of their duties.