The Presbyters Project

Canon 23

Enimuero quoniam cognouimus nonnullus inueniri sequipedas erroris antiqui, qui kalendas Ianuarii colunt, cum Ianus homo gentilis merit, rex quidem, sed esse Deus non potuit: quisquis ergo unum Deum Patrem regnantem cum Filio et Spiritu sancto credit, non potest integer Christianus dici, qui super hoc aliqua de gentilitate custodit. Sunt etiam qui in festiuitate cathedrae domni Petri intrita mortuis offerunt et post missas redeuntes ad domus proprias ad gentilium reuertuntur errores et post corpus Domini sacratas daemoni escas accipiunt. Contestamur illam sollicitudinem tam pastores quam presbiteros gerere, ut, quoscumque in hac fatuitate persistere uiderint uel ad nescio quas petras aut arbores aut ad fontes, designata loca gentilium, perpetrare, quae ad ecclesiae rationem non pertinent, eos ab ecclesia sancta auctoritate reppellant nec participare sancto altario permittant, qui gentilium obseruationes custodiunt. Quid enim daemonibus cum Christo commune, cum magis sumenda iudicium delicta uideantur addere, non purgare.

(ed. de Clercq 1963: 191-192)

Canon 23

We have learned that is not so hard to find those who follow ancient errors by celebrating the kalends of January, even though Ianus was a pagan, a king, but certainly not a God. Anyone, therefore, who believes in one God the Father, ruling with the Son and the Holy Spirit, cannot call himself a true Christian, if he diverges from this and observes some other pagan [rites]. There are also those who during the feast of the chair (cathedra) of Lord Peter offer potage (intrita) to the dead. Having returned to their houses after the Mass, they turn back to pagan errors and receive food dedicated to the demons just after the body of the Lord.

We appeal to both shepherds and presbyters to address this concern and repel from the Church by holy authority those who persist in this foolishness or perform it at I know not what stones or trees or near springs, designated as pagan sites, [rites] which violate Church doctrine, and forbid participation at the holy altar to those who observe pagan rites. For what is the common ground between the demons and Christ, when the sins which deserve condemnation seem to multiply rather than be purged?

(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Tours

About the source:

Title: 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 - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Public law - Ecclesiastical

Administration of justice - Excommunication/Anathema

Pastoral activity - Teaching

Pastoral activity - Missionary work

Pastoral activity - Spiritual direction

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1472, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1472