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ER 1817
Priests shall not administer baptism on feasts of the martyrs but only on Easter and Pentecost. Beyond this festivities, the baptism can be administered only in a life-threatening situation. Letter 168 of Pope Leo the Great to the bishops of Campania, Samnium and Picenum (Italy), written in Rome, AD 459.
Letter 168 [inc. "Magna indignatione"]
 
Leo chastises a practice of administering baptism on the feasts of martyrs without a proper preparation.
 
Admonemus igitur, et non sine periculo status eorum, qui hoc faciunt, protestamur, ut ab hac praesumtione cessetur; et summam hanc potentissimamque Dei gratiam, non nisi in paschali et Pentecostes die desiderantibus et credentibus conferatis: manente quolibet tempore gravioris necessitatis ac periculorum consideratione, secundum quam oporteat subvenire; ne conditione mortali coarctata infirmitas necessaria liberatione fraudetur: cum servata, sicut praelocuti sumus, duarum tantummodo festivitatum reverentia, propter multa pericula sit cavendum, ne cuiquam aut in desperata aegritudine, aut in hostilitatis incursu, aut in timore naufragii, per sacerdotem Domini regeneratio denegetur. Si quis vero post hoc interdictum, in eadem fuerit usurpatione detectus, dignam pertinaciae suae incidet ultionem: quoniam ostendit se turpe potius lucrum, quam religionis cultum esse sectatum.
 
(Patrologia Latina 54, 1210 = Ballerini 1753: 1430)
Letter 168 [inc. "Magna indignatione"]
 
Leo chastises a practice of administering baptism on the feasts of martyrs without a proper preparation.
 
I remind, therefore, and declare that the position of those who do that is hazardous so that this audacity is brought to an end. Do confer this highest and most important grace of God to those who desire it and believe only on the day of Pascha and Pentecost; at other times [administer baptism] only out of consideration for the more serious necessity and danger, in such cases, one should always come to aid so that infirmity enforced by mortal condition is not cheated out of necessary liberation. Although the respect to those two feasts [as the only appropriate days to administer baptism], as we have said, is to be observed, because of many dangers it should be taken care that no one desperately ill or facing a hostile incursion or in the fear of shipwreck is denied the Lord's regeneration through a priest. If anyone, after this prohibition, is found to carry out such abuse, he should incur a proper punishment for his obstinacy because he showed himself to follow rather sordid gains than the observance of religion.
 
(trans. M. Szada)

Place of event:

Region
  • Rome
  • Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia
City
  • Rome

About the source:

Author: Leo the Great
Title: Letter, Epistulae
Origin: Rome (Rome)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Leo the Great was the bishop of Rome from AD 440 to his death in AD 461. We have the collection of 173 letters of Leo.
 
The letter is dated to the day before the Nones of March in the consulship of Ricimer, that is 8 March 459.
Edition:
P. and G. Ballerini eds., Sancti Leoni Magni Romani pontificis opera, vol. 1, Venice 1753
Patrologia Latina, vol. 54
 
Translation:
Bibliography:
 

Categories:

Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς
    Ritual activity - Baptism and instructing catechumens
      Public law - Ecclesiastical
        Economic status and activity - Gift
          Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical
            Devotion - Donations and offerings
              Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1817, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1817
              Record by: Marta Szada
              last edited: 2020-08-26 18:24:41
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