**SUPERIORE ECCLESIASTICO** – This is the superior of autonomous missions or *sui iuris* missions, which represent the first stage in the ecclesiastical organization of missions.
Examples of these already existed toward the end of the last century, but they only developed and became established after the *Codex Iuris Canonici* (CIC), particularly through the van Rossum (v.), Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide from 1918 to 1932, with the aim of enabling new missionaries to begin their apostolate in a given place. Today, Propaganda prefers that new missionaries work in an area under the guidance of the local Ordinary within the limits of a diocese or quasi-diocese, and the territory may later be divided and erected into a diocese or quasi-diocese.
At the head of autonomous missions is the *superiore ecclesiastico* (ecclesiastical superior), who is appointed directly by Propaganda through a decree, like apostolic prefects, and enjoys the same rights, faculties, and ordinary jurisdiction as they do. Thus, he is a true local Ordinary, though he is not mentioned in can. 198 or in chapter VIII of part I of book II of the CIC. However, this chapter, up to its final revision in 1916, did refer to the *superiore ecclesiastico*. According to the instruction of Propaganda dated November 7, 1929 (*Sylloge P. F.*, no. 146, pp. 349–350), the canons referring to apostolic prefectures and apostolic prefects apply, *servatis servandis*, in general to autonomous missions and their ecclesiastical superiors. The *superiore ecclesiastico* may therefore appoint a delegate superior or, better, a delegate vicar, must apply the Mass *pro populo* “ex iustitia” (cf. can. 306) (*Sylloge P. F.*, no. 187, pp. 463–64), but does not enjoy the honorary privileges of apostolic prefects (cf. can. 308).
The *superiore ecclesiastico* may also summon the local Ordinary in relation to the religious or regular superior of a religious Order or Congregation. These two terms, thus contrasted, are particularly used in missionary law to determine the rights and duties of the local Ordinary in the missions and of the religious superior of the missionaries working there (v. *TERRITORI DI MISSIONE*). In the practice of missionary societies without vows, the superior of the missionaries is called the regional superior.