The Presbyters Project

X. Ut presbyter post cibum non teneat missam pro mortuis.

Placuit ut quia per stultitiam praesumpti nuper erroris aut certe ex veteris Priscillianae adhuc haeresis foetore corruptos cognovimus quosdam presbyteros in huius praesumptionis audacia detineri, ut in missa mortuorum etiam post acceptum merum oblationem ausi sint consecrare: ideoque hoc praefixae evidentis sententiae admonitione servetur, ut si quis presbyter post hoc edictum nostrum amplius in hac vesania fuerit reprehensus, id est ut nec ieiunus, sed quocumque iam cibo praesumpto, oblationem consecraverit in altare, continuo ab officio suo privatus a proprio deponatur episcopo.

(ed. Barlowe 1950: 122)

Canon 10

That a presbyter shall not celebrate Mass for the dead after having a meal.

We have learnt that some presbyters were so audacious that they dared to offer a sacrifice of the Mass for the dead even after having drunk wine, probably because of the stupidity of a new audacious error, or because they had been corrupted by the odour of the ancient Priscillianist heresy. Hence, this admonition of what has been here clearly decided should be observed, that if a presbyter after our edict is caught in such insanity, that is that he offers a sacrifice on the altar without fasting, but after having a meal, he shall be deprived of his office and demoted by his bishop.

(trans. by M. Szada)

Place of event:

Region

Iberian Peninsula

City

Braga

About the source:

Title: Second Council of Braga 572, Concilium Bracarense a. 572, II Concilium Bracarense, Concilium Bracarense secundum
Origin: Braga (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

The Second Council of Braga was held in AD 572, eight years after the first. Presiding over the council was the metropolitan bishop of Braga, Martin, but also another metropolitan bishop was present - Nitigisius of Lugo. The province of Galicia had been divided in two regions (six dioceses in the each new province) some time before the second council. The Second Council was held under the auspices of the Suevic king, Miro (Barlowe 1950: 82-83).

It has been suggested that Martin of Braga wrote the minutes of both councils. There are no conclusive arguments, but some linguistic evidence in favour of Martin`s authorship was presented by the editor, C. Barlowe (1950: 83).

Edition:

Edition:

Concilium Bracarense secundum, in C. Barlowe ed., Martini episcopi Bracarensis opera omnia, New Haven 1950

Bibliography:

C. Barlowe ed., Martini episcopi Bracarensis opera omnia, New Haven 1950

Categories:

Food/Clothes/Housing - Food and drink

Religious grouping (other than Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian) - Priscillianist

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Ritual activity - Eucharist

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Ritual activity - Praying for the dead

Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical

Administration of justice - Demotion

Devotion - Fasting

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER335, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=335