Canon 98 of the collection known as Statuta Ecclesiae Antiqua (compiled in Gaul, ca AD 475) grants presbyters the right to pass upon someone the office of a cantor without the knowledge of the bishop.
Intended for scholary use. For credentials see Bibliography
98 (X). Psalmista cum ordinatur.
Psalmista, idest cantor, potest absque scientia episcopi, sola iussione presbyteri, officium suscipere cantandi, dicente sibi presbytero: Vide ut quod ore cantas, corde credas, et quod corde credis operibus probes.
(ed. Munier 1963: 183-184, 188)
98 (X). In what way should a psalmist be ordained.
A psalmist, that is a cantor, can begin to serve as a cantor (officium suscipere cantandi) without the knowledge of the bishop and only by the command of the presbyter, when the presbyter tells him: Mind that you believe with your heart what you sing with your mouth, and that what you believe with your heart is testified by your actions.
(trans. J. Szafranowski)
Discussion:
Despite the title of this canon in one of the codices, it seems that the office of cantor was not one someone was "ordained" to, as it was more of a function within the church than an ecclesiastical rank.
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 - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Ritual activity - Ordaining
Public law - Ecclesiastical
Equal prerogatives of presbyters and bishops
Please quote this record referring to
its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
J. Szafranowski, Presbyters
in the Late Antique West, ER1224, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1224
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