The Presbyters Project

11 (XXVII). Vt episcopus de loco ignobili nec clerici ad nobiliorem transeant sed si id facere utilitas fuerit per decreto synodi clerici et populi fiat ita ut in eius loco alter fiat episcopus si aliqui clerici ex permissu sui episcopi ad alium locum migrauit.

Vt episcopus de loco ignobili ad nobilem per ambitionem non transeat, nec quisquam inferioris ordinis clericus. Sane si id utilitas ecclesiae faciendum poposcerit, decreto pro eo clericorum et laicorum episcopis porrecto, per sententiam synodi transferatur, nihilominus alio in loco eius episcopo subrogato; inferioris uero gradus sacerdotes uel alii clerici, concessione suorum episcoporum, possunt ad alias ecclesias transmigrari.

(ed. Munier 1963: 168, 186)

11 (XXVII). That bishops and clerics should not change their places of office from the humble to one which is more prestigious. However, if the well-being of the Church demands it, through the synodal decree, and with the assent of the clergy and people, let a different bishop [or another cleric be named] in the place of those clerics who moved to another see with the permission of their bishop [text heavily corrupted].

That bishop should not change his place of office from humble to more prestigious out of ambition; the same applies to a cleric of lower rank. However, if the well-being of the Church demands it, after the decree of assent has been handed to the bishops by clerics and laymen, he [a bishop] can be transferred by the decision of the synod but in such a way that he would not replace the local bishop of this place. Priests of lower rank and other clerics, granted the consent of their bishops, can be transferred to other churches.

(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Marseille

About the source:

Title: The Ancient Statutes of the Church, Statuta Ecclesiae Antiqua
Origin: Marseille (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

This corpus of canons was published by earlier editors (Labbe-Cossart, Hardouin, Mansi) as the acts of the supposed IV Council of Carthage (AD 398). It is, however, of a clearly Gallic, and not African, character; some scholars attributed it to Caesarius of Arles. It seems that these canons originated from multiple synods, above all Gallic ones. Since canons of the council of Vaison (AD 442) are quoted and the canons of the council of Agde (AD 506) are not, the original compilation known now as Statuta Ecclesiae Antiqua must have been prepared at some time in the period flanked by these two synods. Munier suggested that the text was compiled by Gennadius of Marseille, in ca 475 (Munier 1960). The version of the text from the Collectio Hispana was the one most widely used in the Middle Ages.

The titles of the canons are taken from the Codex Parisiensis Lat. 3846, fol. 136. Numbers in brackets in Latin numerals indicate the position of the canon in the Collectio Hispana.

Edition:

Ch. Munier ed., Concilia Galliae a. 314-a. 506, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 148, Turnhoult 1963.

Bibliography:

Ch. Munier, Les Statuta ecclesiae antiqua, Paris 1960.

Categories:

Travel and change of residence

Ecclesiastical transfer

Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς

Described by a title - Clericus

Public law - Ecclesiastical

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1178, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1178