Epistolae, Canones / APPENDIX

APPENDIX TO THE FIRST PART OF THE VOLUME. LETTER LXXXVIII. Concerning the privilege of chorepiscopi or presbyters.Leo, bishop of the Roman Church and of the apostolic see, to all the bishops of the regions of the Germanies and Gauls, greeting. Since, in the name of God, we had held a synod of bishops, as well as of the other fellow priests of Christ and the faithful, gathered together in the Roman Church, and had diligently treated of illicit ordinations, concerning which the more frequent report of those traveling from those parts had reached us, and of other necessary ecclesiastical matters, and had read through the sacred canons, it was reported to us by many with tearful countenance that certain bishops of the cities of the Germanies and Gauls frequently sent chorepiscopi, who according to the Neocaesarean canons, or according to the decrees of other Fathers, are the same as presbyters, or presbyters, who in the absence of the pontiff would erect altars and consecrate basilicas. This indeed is not surprising, that men ignorant of ecclesiastical discipline, who had been transferred and promoted from secular military service into the priestly ministry, should have commanded this, which is contrary to the canonical rule. Therefore, lest such license be usurped by you in the future, it was necessary to decree by common sentence, knowing that just as the consecration of an altar is illicit for a chorepiscopus or presbyter, so also is its constitution.

In the divine scriptures, with the Lord commanding, only Moses in the tabernacle of God erected an altar, only he himself anointed, who was of course the high priest of God, as is written of him: "Moses and Aaron among his priests." And therefore that which it was commanded to be done only by the princes of the priests, whose type Moses and Aaron held, it has been altogether decreed that chorepiscopi or presbyters, who bear the figure of the sons of Aaron, should not presume to seize. For although with bishops they share in the dispensation of many ministries, yet they should know that certain things are forbidden to them by the authority of the old law, and certain things also by the new and by ecclesiastical rules, such as the consecration of presbyters and deacons, or of virgins, as well as the construction of an altar and its blessing and anointing. For indeed it is not permitted for them to erect altars, nor to consecrate churches or altars, nor by the imposition of hands to give the Paraclete Holy Spirit to those to be baptized or to converts from heresy, nor to make chrism, nor to sign the foreheads of the baptized with chrism.

CANON VII. Of the Second Council of Seville, celebrated in the time of King Sisebut in the year of Christ 619, From the edition of Garcias Loaysa. In the seventh examination it was reported to us that the most venerable Agapius, once bishop of the city of Corduba, frequently sent presbyters who, in the absence of the pontiff, would erect altars and consecrate basilicas. This is not surprising, since a man ignorant of ecclesiastical disciplines, and immediately transferred from secular military service to the priestly ministry, commanded it. Therefore, lest such license be usurped by us in the future, it was necessary to decree by common sentence: knowing that just as the consecration of an altar is illicit for a presbyter, so too is its construction. In the divine scriptures, with the Lord commanding, only Moses in the tabernacle of God erected an altar, only he himself anointed: indeed, because he was the high priest of God, as it is written: "Moses and Aaron among his priests." For this reason, what is commanded to be done only by the princes of priests, whose type Moses and Aaron held, presbyters, who bear the figure of the sons of Aaron, should not presume to seize. For although with bishops they share in the dispensation of many ministries, they know that certain things are prohibited to them by new and ecclesiastical rules, such as the consecration of presbyters, deacons, and virgins; likewise the construction, blessing, or anointing of an altar.

Indeed, it is not permitted for them to consecrate a church or altars, nor to confer the Paraclete Spirit through the imposition of hands upon the baptized faithful or upon converts from heresy, nor to prepare chrism, nor to sign the forehead of the baptized with chrism; nor indeed publicly in the Mass to reconcile any penitent, nor to send letters dimissory to anyone. For all these things are unlawful for presbyters, because they do not possess the summit of the pontificate, and are owed to bishops alone, as the authority of the canons prescribes: so that by this both the distinction of ranks and the preeminence of the dignity of the supreme pontiff may be demonstrated. But neither is it permitted for presbyters to enter the baptistery in the presence of a bishop, nor in the presence of the prelate to baptize an infant, nor indeed publicly in the Mass to reconcile any penitent, nor to send letters dimissory to anyone. For all these things are unlawful for chorepiscopi, who are known to be after the example and form of the seventy disciples, or for presbyters, who bear the same figure: since, although they have consecration, they do not possess the summit of the pontificate. All these things are prescribed by the authority of the canons as owed to the supreme pontiffs alone, so that by this both the distinction of ranks and the preeminence of the dignity of the supreme pontiff may be demonstrated.

But it is not permitted for presbyters to enter the baptistery in the presence of the bishop, nor to baptize or sign an infant in his presence, nor to reconcile a penitent without the command of his own bishop, nor, with the bishop present, to confect the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ unless he orders it, nor, with him standing before them, to teach the people, or to bless or greet them, nor indeed to exhort the congregation.