Parson [fr. persona, Lat., because the parson omnium personam in ecclesi' sustinet; or from parochianus, the parish-priest.--Johnson; anciently written persone.--Todd], 'the rector of a church parochiall' (Co. Litt. 300 a); one that has a parochial charge or cure of souls. 'The most legal, most beneficial, and most honourable title that a parish priest can enjoy,' says Sir W. Blackstone.
A parson has the freehold for life of the parsonage-house, the glebe, the tithes, and other dues. But these are sometimes appropriated, that is to say, the benefice is perpetually annexed to some spiritual corporation, either sole or aggregate, being the patron of the living; which the law esteems equally capable of providing for the service of the church as any single private clergyman: see 1 Bl. Com. 384. Many appropriations, however, are now in the hands of lay persons, who are usually styled, by way of distinction, lay impropriators. In all appro-priations there is generally a spiritual person attached to the church, under the name of vicar, to whom the spiritual duty or cure of souls belongs, in the same manner as to the rector in parsonages not appropriate or rectories, and to whom a portion of the tithes, etc., is assigned.
The method of becoming a parson or vicar is much the same. There are four requisites: holy orders, presentation, institution, and induction. A parson or vicar may cease to be so by death; by cession, in taking another benefice, by consecration to a bishopric, by resignation, or by deprivation, 1 Bl. Com. 388, 392.