The Presbyters Project

Canon 29

Vt nullus seruilibus colonariisque conditionibus obligatus iuxta statuta sedis apostolicae ad honores ecclesiastecus admittatur, nisi prius aut testamento aut per tabolas eum legeteme constetirit absolutum. Quod siquis episcoporum eius, qui ordenatur, conditionem sciens transgredi per ordenationem inhebitam fortasse uoluerit, anni spacio missas facere non praesumat.

(ed. de Clercq 1963: 124-125)

Canon 29

In accord with the decrees of the Apostolic See, let no slave or colon bound by his condition be admitted to ecclesiastical honours, if it was not previously established that he has been legally freed, either through a testament or through a deed. If a bishop, knowing of the condition of the one he is ordaining, wants by chance to transgress [this decree] through illicit ordination, he should not dare to celebrate Mass for the period of one year.

(trans. J. Szafranowski)

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:

Social origin or status - Slaves

Described by a title - Clericus

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

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, ER1326, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1326