The Presbyters Project

Canon 15

De missarum caelebritate in praecipuis dumtaxat solemnitatibus id obseruari deberi, ut ora tertia missarum caelebratio in Dei nomine inchoetur, quo facilius intra oras conpetentis ipso officio expedito sacerdotis possint ad uespertina officia, id est in uespertino tempore, conuenire; quia sacerdotem uespertinis officiis ab eclesia talibus praeterea diebus nec decit deesse nec conuenit.

(ed. de Clercq 1963: 120)

Canon 15

Concerning the celebration of Masses, particularly on the occasion of special festivities, it should be observed that the celebration of Masses starts in the name of God at the third hour [i.e. terce, ca 9 a.m. depending on the time of year]. In this way, it would be easier for priests to gather at the evening services, that is at the time of vespers, after having carried out their duty in the meantime. For it is both unbecoming and unfitting for a priest not to attend the evening services at the church, especially on such particular days.

(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

This enigmatic canon seems to refer to the clerical community, of which the priest is a member. The priest has to take part in the liturgy of the hours, by at least attending the vespers.

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 - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς

Monastic or common life - Clerical community

Ritual activity - Eucharist

Ritual activity - Celebrating feasts

Ritual activity - Divine office/Liturgy of the hours

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, ER1314, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1314