The central administration of the Church, consisting of the Pope, the cardinals, and numerous bishops, clergymen, clerks, lawyers, and scribes. Each of the cardinals, who were concentrated in the Curia, rather than, as today, spread out all over the globe, had charge of particular aspects of the Church's concern. Some oversaw religious matters, others finance, still others diplomacy, and still others the administration of the Papal States: One cardinal even had charge of the whores of Rome, a particularly pious group of ladies.