The Presbyters Project

87 (XXXVI). Vt chrisma ad parrochianis petatur.

Presbyteri, qui per dioceses ecclesias regunt, non a quibuslibet episcopis, sed a suis, nec per iuniorem clericum, sed aut per seipsum aut per illum qui sacrarium tenet, ante paschae sollemnitatem, chrisma petant.

(ed. Munier 1963: 180, 188)

87 (XXXVI). How chrism should be asked for in the parishes.

Presbyters who are in charge of the parish churches should ask for a chrism before Eastern festivities not from whatever bishop but only their own and not through some lower cleric but either themselves or by someone who administers the sacristy (sacrarium).

(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

This canon is evidently based on Canon 3 of the First Council of Vaison (Gaul, AD 442) [512].

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:

Functions within the Church - Parish presbyter

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Ritual activity - Blessing of oil

Ritual activity - Celebrating feasts

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Relation with - Lower cleric

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1219, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1219