The Presbyters Project

Canon 4

Illud etiam prouido consilio decernentes, ut, quia saepe sanctorum antestitum per absentiam conmendatoris episcopi exsequiae differuntur ita ut ueneranda pontificis membra dum tardius funerantur iniuriae omnino subiaceant, episcopus qui post mortem fratris ad sepeliendum eum solet inuitatus occurrere, infirmum magis et adhuc in corpore positum admonitus uisitare non differat, ut aut de releuatione consacerdotis amplius gaudeat, aut certe de ordinatione domus suae fratrem admoneat eiusque probabilem uoluntatem in effectu transmittat; ac recedentem a saeculo, oblatum in eius commendatione sacrificium Deo, mox sepulturae tradat diligentissime et superius constituta canonicae non differat adimplere. Si autem, ut fieri solet, antestis obitu repentino discesserit et conlimitanei sacerdotes de longinquo minime adesse potuerint, uno die tantum cum nocte exanimatum corpusculum sacerdotis non sine fratrum ac religiosorum frequentia uel psallentium excubatione seruatum a presbyteris cum omni diligentia in loculo conditum seorsum non statim humetur, sed honorifice commendetur, donec sine mora invitato undecumque pontifice, ab ipso ut condecet sollemniter tumuletur, ut et iniuriae tollatur occasio et mos anticus in sepeliendis sacerdotibus seruetur.

(eds. Martínez Díez, Rodríguez 1984: 318-319)

Canon 4

Because often the funeral of holy bishops is deferred because of the absence of a bishop to preside (episcopi commendatoris) and the venerable body of a pontiff is mistreated owing to the delayed burial, we prudently decree that a bishop who is usually invited to preside at the funeral after the death of his brother, shall be informed earlier and visit the sick bishop while he is still alive. The latter will rejoice at the relief [given by] his fellow priest (consacerdotis), and certainly will give his brother instructions concerning the administration of his house, and will give him an approved will to be executed. And after having offered God the sacrifice for the soul of the deceased (in eius commendatione sacrificium) [the visiting bishop] will bury him immediately with all diligence and he will not delay fulfilling these canonical constitutions. If, however, as often happens, a bishop dies suddenly, and the bishops of the province cannot come because of the distance, the brothers and monks shall hold vigil and sing psalms for one day and one night over the exanimated body of the bishop, and then the presbyters shall put the body in a fitting place, but shall not bury it at once, but only place it there with honours until a bishop, invited without delay from somewhere, will bury him solemnly, as it is proper, and so any occasion for any mistreatment will be taken away, and the ancient custom of burying the bishops will be observed.

(trans. M. Szada)

Place of event:

Region

Iberian Peninsula

City

Valencia

About the source:

Title: Council of Valencia 546, Concilium Valletanum a. 546
Origin: Valencia (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

The date of the council is given in two different ways - the first is a date in the Spanish era which began in 38 BC, the second is a date according to the years of the reign of Theoderic. In the case of the council of Valencia the dates do not agree - year 587 in the Spanish era is AD 549 and 15th year of the reign of Theoderic is AD 525. The other provincial council held in Lerida was also dated to the 15th year of Theoderic, but the date in the Spanish era there is 584 (so AD 546). The scholars assumed that the name of a ruler was corrupt in the manuscript tradition and they proposed that we should read Theudis. King Theudis began to reign in AD 531, so the 15th year of his reign would be in AD 546 (with references to the early modern commentators Hefele 1895: 132; Orlandis, Ramos-Lissón 1986: 124-131).

Edition:

Editions:

J. Vives ed., Concilios visigóticos e hispano-romanos, Barcelona-Madrid 1963.

G. Martínez Díez, F. Rodríguez eds., La colección canónica Hispana, Monumenta Hispaniae sacra. Serie canónica 4, Madrid 1984.

Bibliography:

C.J. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church from the Original Documents, v. 4, trans. by W.R. Clark, Edinburgh 1895.

J. Orlandis, D. Ramos-Lissón, Historia de los concilios de la España romana y visigoda, Pamplona 1986.

Categories:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Described by a title - Clericus

Ritual activity - Burying the dead

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Ritual activity - Praying for the dead

Devotion - Vigils

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER284, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=284