The Presbyters Project

Canon 8

De adulteriis autem honoratorum clericorum id obseruandum est, ut, si quis adulterasse aut confessus fuerit uel conuictus, depositus ab officio communione concessa in monasterio toto uitae suae tempore retrudatur.

(ed. de Clercq 1963: 117)

Canon 8

Concerning adulterers coming from the higher clergy (honorati clerici), this should be observed, that if someone confesses adultery or is convicted for it, he should be demoted from the office, but allowed to receive communion, and forced to spend the rest of his life in a monastery.

(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

For the term honorati clerici see also canon 9 of the same council [1311] and canon 8 of the First Council of Mâcon [1534].

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Orléans

About the source:

Title: Third Council of Orléans, Concilium Aurelianense 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:

Sexual life - Extramarital

Described by a title - Clericus

Described by a title - Titles of respect

Monastic or common life - Cenobitic monk

Impediments or requisits for the office - Improper/Immoral behaviour

Public law - Ecclesiastical

Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical

Administration of justice - Demotion

Administration of justice - Imprisonment

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1310, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1310