The word Pro Deo is a Latin phrase which literally means : «for God»
Administrative and legal meaning (late XIXᵉ - early XXᵉ century)
In the context of Belgian civil status, the word Pro Deo refers to a free procedure granted to people without sufficient resources.
In other words:
an act,
an approach,
or costs administrative
have been exempted from payment.
Practical application in a marriage case
When «Pro Deo» appears in a list of documents submitted in support of the marriage certificate, means that :
one (or both) of the spouses,
or the procedure itself,
benefited from the free rights (stamps, copies, formalities).
This was common for :
the workers,
the daily,
the indigent people,
or those recognised as such by the local authority.
