The Presbyters Project

101 (XIII). Benedicendum sponsum uel sponsam.

Sponsus et sponsa, cum benedicendi sunt a sacerdote, a parentibus suis uel a paranymphis offerantur. Qui cum benedictionem acceperint, eadem nocte, pro reuerentia ipsius benedictionis, in uirginitate maneant.

(ed. Munier 1963: 184-185, 188)

101 (XIII). Blessing of a bridegroom and a bride.

When a bridegroom and a bride are blessed by a priest, they are presented by the parents or paranymphs [i.e. best men and bridemaids]. Having accepted the blessing, to express their respect for it, they should keep their virginity for the following night.

(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:

Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς

Ritual activity - Blessing marriages

Public law - Ecclesiastical

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1223, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1223