The Presbyters Project

Canon 6

Fortunatianus episcopus dixit: in praeteritis conciliis statuta meminimus ut chrisma uel reconciliatio paenitentium necnon et puellarum consecratio a presbyteris non fiat; si quis emerserit hoc facere, quid de eo statuendum sit?

Aurelius episcopus dixit: Audiuit dignatio uestra suggestionem fratris et coepiscopi nostri Fortunatiani; quid ad haec dicitis?

Ab uniuersis episcopus dictum est: Chrismae confectio et puellarum consecratio a presbyteris non fiat uel reconciliare quemquam in publica missa presbytero non licere, hoc omnibus placet.

(ed. Munier 1974: 102)

Canon 6

Bishop Fortunatianus said: in precedent councils we recorded canons saying that the [confection of the] chrism, the reconciliation of penitents and the consecration of virgins should not be done by presbyters. If it turns out that someone has done it, what do we decide about him?

Bishop Aurelius said: Your excellences have heard the suggestion of our brother and fellow bishop Fortunatianus; what do you say about it?

All the bishops said: The confection of chrism and the consecration of virgins must not be done by presbyters. Neither are they allowed to reconcile anyone during a public Mass. Everyone agrees with this.

(trans. S. Adamiak)

Discussion:

The canon refers to Canon 3 of the Council of Carthage 390 [135].

Place of event:

Region

Latin North Africa

City

Carthage

About the source:

Title: Canones in causa Apiarii
Origin: Carthage (Latin North Africa)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Apiarius, a presbyter of Sicca Veneria in North Africa, was excommunicated for some unspecified crimes by his bishop, Urbanus. In 418 he appealed directly to Pope Zosimus, who sent legates to Africa to assess the charges. The council of African bishops gathered in Carthage in May 419 to address the question. On the 25 May they approved several disciplinary canons, mainly repeated from previous councils, which are known collectively in scholarship as “Canones in causa Apiarii”. They were also sometimes transmitted as the part of “Codex Apiarii causae”, together with other acts of the council of 419.

We follow the edition of Munier, who followed Turner, who established the text according to three codices: Vindobonensis 2141, fol. 106, Monacensis (olim Frisingensis), fol. 64`, and Wirceburgensis Univ. mp. th. f. 146, fol. 66. We ignore the later textual traditions, namely Italian collections (which were the basis of the edition of brothers Ballerini in PL 56), and the redaction of Dionysius Exiguus; both of them have been included in the Corpus Christianorum edition, and they contain only minor changes, which we ignore, with the exception of two canons not transmitted in the first recension.

Edition:

C. Munier ed., Concilia Africae a. 345-a. 525, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 149, Turnhoult 1974, 79-165.

Bibliography:

C.H. Turner, Ecclesiae occidentalis monumenta iuris antiquissima, vol. 1-2, Oxford 1889-1939.

Categories:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Usurping episcopal power

Ritual activity - Eucharist

Ritual activity - Anointment with chrism

Ritual activity - Blessing of oil

Ritual activity - Reconciliation/Administering penance

Conflict

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Ritual activity - Blessing virgins/widows

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: S. Adamiak, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER229, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=229