Eastern Canon Law
The Pontifical Oriental Institute is home to the only Catholic Faculty of Oriental Canon Law in the world.
The main area of work of this Faculty is the CCEO, which is the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Teaching and research also include the historical sources of the canons, the philosophy and theology of law, and the study of the various particular laws of the Churches sui iuris.
After completing the Bachelor's degree in Theology (first cycle), students are admitted to the Licentiate (D.C.O.L.).
After completing the Licentiate (second cycle), students can enroll in the Doctoral program (D.C.O.D.).
Those who are interested in deepening a specific topic or having a general knowledge of Eastern Canon Law can enroll in the Diploma in Eastern Canon Law.
At the end of the second semester of the first year of the Doctorate, the Lectio coram is held. This is a 45-minutes public lecture in which the candidate presents the progress and initial results of his or her doctoral research to a commission of three faculty members appointed by the Dean.
The candidate’s presentation is followed by remarks and questions from the members of the commission, as well as interventions from the academic audience present in the hall.
After careful evaluation, the commission will express its opinion on the candidate’s final admission to the Doctorate at the Faculty. From this time, the topic is reserved for the doctoral student for five years.
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