The Presbyters Project

Canon 4

Vt laici secus altare, quo sancta misteria celebrantur, inter clericos tam ad uigiliis quam ad missas stare penitus non praesumant, sed pars illa, quae a cancellis uersus altare diuiditur, choris tantum psallentium pateat clericorum. Ad orandum et communicandum laicis et foeminis, sicut mos est, pateant sancta sanctorum.

(ed. de Clercq 1963: 178)

Canon 4

That laymen by all means should not dare to stand among the clerics beside the altar, at which the sacred mysteries are celebrated, either during the vigils or the Masses. For this part near the altar, which is separated [from the rest of the church] by chancel rails, should be accessible only by the choir of clerics [singing] psalms. The sanctuary [sancta sanctorum], as customary, is open to laymen and women for prayer and communion.

(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

The text of this canon is unclear. It seems that the synodal fathers wanted to reserve the sanctuary for the clergy, especially during vigils and Masses. However, it was natural for laymen, including women, to enter the presbytery to receive communion, or to pray between the Masses. The canon seems to acknowledge this custom and respect it.

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Tours

About the source:

Title: The Second Council of Tours, Concilium Turonense II anno 567
Origin: Tours (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

This council, the second one held in the city of Tours, gathered under the auspices of Charibert I on 18 November 567, in the last year of his reign. The list of subscribers for that synod is quite short as it holds only eight signatures. Suprisingly, it lacks even the bishop of Tours himself, Eufronius, or any bishop from his metropolitan province. Most probably, the original list was substantially longer.

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 - Clericus

Attributes of clerical 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, ER1460, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1460