Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 1265
Canon 13 of the Second Council of Orléans (Gaul, AD 533) forbids presbyters to give letters of recommendation.
Canon 13
 
Abbates, martyrarii, reclusi uel presbyteri apostolia dare non praesumant.
 
(ed. de Clercq 1963: 101)
Canon 13
 
Abbots, guardians of relics (martyrarii), recluses, or presbyters should not dare to give letters of recommendation (apostolia).
 
(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

A letter of recommendation from a bishop (apostolium) was required from clerics who wished to travel to another diocese (see [371] and [376]). Since they were forbidden to leave their posts without the bishop's permission confirmed by these letters, it is quite understandable that they had no right to write this particular document themselves. However, there is the possibility that before this decree presbyters issued letters of recommendation to lower clergy (see discussion in [839].
 
Martyrarius was a cleric responsible for safeguarding the relics kept in the church. He also supervised their cult, for example by distributing the contact relicts among the pilgrims. This position could be held by a presbyter.

Place of event:

Region
  • Gaul
City
  • Orléans

About the source:

Title: The Second Council of Orléans, Concilium Aurelianense II anno 533
Origin: Orléans (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
This council convened on the 23rd of June of 533 in Orléans under the auspices of three kings, sons of the late Clovis I: Theuderic I of Metz, Childebert I of Paris, and Clothar I of Soissons. The city of Orléans had probably been chosen due to its at least partial neutrality as it belonged originally to the fourth son of Clovis I, Chlodomer I, who died in 524, and whose kingdom was annexed by Clothar I. The council gathered five metropolitans, twenty-one other bishops, and five presbyters representing their bishops.
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:

Travel and change of residence
    Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
      Described by a title - Abba
        Monastic or common life - Monastic superior (abbot/prior)
          Usurping episcopal power
            Public law - Ecclesiastical
              Ecclesiastical administration
                Functions within the Church - Martyrarius Martyrarius
                  Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1265, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1265