Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 180
Bishop Montanus of Toledo (Iberian Peninsula) forbids the presbyters of Palencia to ask bishops not belonging to the province of Toledo to consecrate their churches. The letter added to the canons of the second council of Toledo of AD 527.
Pari ratione cognouimus quod ad consecrationem basilicarum alienae sortis a uobis episcopi inuitentur; et licet sint unius fidei copula nobiscum in Christo conexi, tamen nec prouinciae priuilegium nec rerum domini noscitur utilitatibus conuenire, quia iam ad ipsum huiuscemodi fama prelata est. Ideoque salubri ordinatione censuimus ut, si quando talis necessitas incubuerit, litteris nos informare debeatis, et aut per nos aut per eum qui nobis ex fratribus et coepiscopis nostris uisus fuerit, et consecratio ecclesiarum Deo auspice poterit celebrari.
 
(eds. Martínez Díez, Rodríguez 1984: 361)
In the same way we have learnt that you invite alien bishops (alienae sortis... episcopi) to consecrate your basilicas, and although they are connected with us by the same bond of the faith in Christ, it is nevertheless known that it is in accordance neither with the privilege of the province nor with the benefits of the matters of the Lord. As the news about these things has already reached us, we give you a salutary order to inform us by letter that you are pressed by that kind of necessity. Then the churches will be visited either by me or by one of our brothers and co-bishops and with God's help the consecration will be celebrated.
 
(trans. M. Szada)

Discussion:

Montanus of Toledo clearly reprimands the clergy of Palencia as a metropolitan bishop. Palencia was already a bishopric, but according to the text (donec et consuetus vobis a Domino praeparatur antistes) it was vacant when Montanus wrote his letter. The "alien bishops" mentioned by Montanus were most probably the bishops of the neighbouring province of Galicia in the kingdom of the Suevi (however, we have only the information about one episcopal see in this region, that is Astorga, see Martin 2006). According to the research of Torres Rodriguez (1949: 367-383) from the 4th c. on the territory of Palencia most certainly belonged to the ecclesiastical province of Galicia and was controlled by the Suevi. Only at the end of the 5th c. did the Visigoths take it over and clearly the authority of the bishop of Toledo was not widely recognized in Palencia.

Place of event:

Region
  • Iberian Peninsula
City
  • Toledo
  • Palencia

About the source:

Author: Montanus of Toledo
Title: Letters, Epistulae
Origin: Toledo (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
The two letters of Montanus of Toledo, one to the clergy of Palencia (or more specifically the presbyters, as their authority and responsibilities is mainly discussed), other to a certain Toribus, are annexed to the canons of the Second Council of Toledo in AD 527 (on the datation see discussion in record [177]) in the canonical collection Hispana compiled in the 7th c. They are not dated and their only connection to the canons is their author, because Montanus of Toledo presided at the council (Martin 2006: 9).
Edition:
Editions:
G. Martínez Díez, F. Rodríguez, eds., La colección canónica Hispana, v. 4 Concilios Galos. Concilios Hispanos: primera parte, Madrid 1984.
J. Vives, Concilios visigóticos e hispano-romanos, Barcelona-Madrid 1963.
Bibliography:
A. Isla Ferez, "Desde el reino visigodo y la ortodoxia toledana: la correspondencia de Montano," Studia Historica. Historia Medieval 18-19 (2000), 41-52.
C. Martin, "Las cartas de Montano y la autonomía episcopal de la Hispania septentrional en el siglo VI," Hispania Antiqua 22 (1998), 403-426.
C. Martin, "Montanus et les schismatiques : la reprise en main d’une périphérie hispanique au début du vie siècle," Médièvales 51 (2006), 9-20.
C. Torres Rodríguez, "Límites geográficos de Galicia en los siglos iv y v," Cuadernos de Estudios Gallegas 4 (1949), 367-383.

Categories:

Writing activity - Correspondence
    Functions within the Church - Parish presbyter
      Functions within the Church - Urban presbyter
        Ecclesiastical administration - Construction/Renovation
          Conflict
            Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
              Ritual activity - Dedication of churches and altars
                Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER180, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=180