The Presbyters Project

Canon 6

De clericorum praemittenda conuertione id omnimodis obseruetur, ne ullus ex lahicis ante annualem conuersationem uel aetatem legitimam, id est uiginti quinque annorum diaconus et trigenta presbyter, ordinetur, ita ut de ipsis quoque, qui ordinandi sunt clerici, regulare costodiatur studium, ne aut duarum uxorum uir aut renupte maritus aut paenitentiam professus aut simus corpore uel qui publice aliquando adreptus est ad supra scriptus ordines promoueatur. Quod si sciens episcopus contra haec statuta agendum esse crediderit, his quidem, qui ordinatur, suscepto iuxta anteriores canones priuetur officio, sed et ille pro ordinationis timeritate sex mensibus a celebrandis officiis sequestretur. Quod si messas intra statutum tempus facere praesumpserit, anno integro ab omnium fratrum caritate priuetur. De quorum promutionibus si quis clericus aut ciuis testis extiterit, quorum testimonio, dum creditur, frequenter pontificis ignorantia praeuenitur, cum agnitum fuerit ordinationem inlicitam celebratam, anno integro a communione pellantur. Qu itamen si periculosam infirmitatem incorrerint, uiatica illis communio non negetur.

(ed. de Clercq 1963: 116-117)

Canon 6

Concerning the prior conversion (convertio) of clerics, this should be observed in all cases, that no layman should be ordained unless a year has passed since his conversion and he is of a proper age, that is twenty-five for a deacon and thirty for a presbyter. Concerning those willing to be ordained clerics, this rule should also be dutifully adhered to, that no man of two wives, or married to a widow, or one who has professed penance, or of maimed body, or someone who at any point was publicly possessed, should be promoted to the aforementioned offices. If a bishop is found to knowingly act against these decrees, the one who was ordained should be deprived of the office he received in accord with the former canons. Also [a bishop] for the audacity of this ordination should be suspended from performing his duties for six months. If he dares to say Masses during this period, he should be deprived of the love of his brothers [i.e. communion] for one year. If a cleric or a layman (civis) serves as witness to these ordinations – whose testimony is deemed reliable as long as it comes first before the ignorance of the bishop – and if it is revealed that the ordination was celebrated illicitly, [this false witness] should be deprived from communion for a whole year. However, if [the excommunicated] becomes dangerously ill, the viaticum (communio viatica) will not be refused to them.

(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

The meaning of the term conversio is obscure. Probably, it was required of candidates to live a pious life before taking the Holy Orders, which involved separation from marital bed for a period of time before ordination.

Other decrees which require "conversion" before ordination are canon 37 from the Council of Épaone (AD 517) [1162] and canons 1 and 2 of the Fourth Council of Arles (AD 524) [1164] and [1165].

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Orléans

About the source:

Title: The Third Council of Orléans, Concilium Aurelianense III anno 538
Origin: Orléans (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

This council convened on 7 May 538 in Orléans gathered five metropolitans, fourteen other bishops, and seven presbyters representing their bishops. They all came from the kingdoms of Childebert I or Theuderic I. No bishop from the kingdom of Clothar I participated. Apart from the Council of Agde (AD 506), this is the only one from this period that gathered a metropolitan bishop from every region represented in the synod by a bishop or a presbyter. The council was presided by metropolitan bishop of Lyon, all of whose suffragans were present. Similarly, all bishops from the metropolitan province of Rouen attended the synod.

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:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Described by a title - Clericus

Impediments or requisits for the office - Physical incapacity

Impediments or requisits for the office - Age

Impediments or requisits for the office - Improper/Immoral behaviour

Impediments or requisits for the office - Marriage

Impediments or requisits for the office - Social/Economic/Legal status

Act of ordination

Public law - Ecclesiastical

Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical

Administration of justice - Excommunication/Anathema

Administration of justice - Demotion

Public functions and offices after ordination - Public trustee/Mediator

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1308, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1308