The Presbyters Project

Canon 38

In monasteria puellarum non nisi probatae uitae et aetatis prouectae ad quascumque eorum necessetates uel ministrationis permittantur intrare. Ad faciendas uero missas qui ingressi fuerint, statim exacto menisterio regredi festinabunt; alias autem nec clericus nec monachus iuuenis ullum ad puellarum congregatione habebit accessum, nisi hoc aut paterna aut germana necessitudo probetur admittere.

(ed. de Clercq 1963: 34)

Canon 38

Only men of proven life and advanced age are permitted to enter the monasteries of virgins to provide for their necessities or needs. Those who were let inside to say Masses should hasten to leave immediately after the ministry. Consequently, neither young cleric nor monk should have access to the congregation of virgins unless it will be proven that they need to be admitted as their fathers or brothers.

(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Épaone

About the source:

Title: Council of Épaone 517, Concilium Epaonense anno 517
Origin: Épaone (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Just as the Council of Agde was held in 506 in the Visigothic kingdom and the First Council of Orléans in 511 in the Frankish realm, the Council of Épaone gathered bishops from the lands ruled by the Burgundians. The direct impulse for the council was the ascension to the throne of Sigismund in 516. The new king, unlike his Arian predecessors, followed the Catholic creed. Avitus, metropolitan of Vienne, and Viventiolus, metropolitan of Lyons, asked the bishops to convene on the day of 6th September 517 in Épaone, the exact location of which is unknown. It was most probably situated in the province of Vienne, possibly near present-day Anneyron or Saint-Maurice-l`Exil. The council gathered 24 bishops and one presbyter. It seems that also some other clerics and laymen attended the sessions.

Edition:

C. de Clercq ed., Concilia Galliae a. 511-a. 695, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 148 A, Turnhout 1963.

Translation:

J. Gaudemet, B. Basdevant, Les canons des conciles mérovingiens VIe-VIIe siècles, Sources chrétiennes 353, Paris 1989.

Categories:

Functions within the Church - Monastic presbyter

Described by a title - Clericus

Ritual activity - Eucharist

Public law - Ecclesiastical

Relation with - Monk/Nun

Relation with - Woman

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1163, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1163