Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 339
Canon 1 of the Second Council of Saragossa (Iberian Peninsula, AD 592) permits former Arian presbyters to be ordained in the Catholic Church.
Canon 1
 
Quum in Dei nomine [in] urbem Cesaraugustanam provinciae Terraconensis ex permisso gloriosi atque sanctissimi prinicipis Reccaredi regis in anno septimo regni eius congregati fuissemus pro Dei timore tractantes id placuit sancto et venerabili synodo, ut presbyteri, qui ex haerese Arriana ad sanctam catholicam ecclesiam conversi sunt, qui sanctam et puram fidem atque castissimam tenuerint vitam, acceptam denuo benedictionem presbiteratu(s) sancte et pure ministrare debeant; ceteri vero, quo hanc suprascriptam vitam adimplere vel tenere neclexerint, ab officio depositi sunt in clero. Ita et de diaconibus sicut et de presbyteris consti[tu]tum est.
 
(eds. Vives 1963: 154)
Canon 1
 
When we had gathered in the name of God in the city of Saragossa in the province of Tarragona with the consent of the glorious and most saint monarch King Reccared in the seventh year of his reign to hold proceedings with the fear of God, it pleased the holy and venerable council that presbyters that had been converted to the saint Catholic Church from the Arian heresy and had kept pure faith and led a chaste life, should minister in the holy and pure way after having accepted for the second time the benediction of presbyterate. Those, however, who neglect to lead such a life should be demoted from their office in the clergy. This constitution concerns deacons and presbyters alike.
 
(trans. by M. Szada)

Discussion:

For the commentary on the Second Council of Saragossa in 592 see (Beltran Torreira 1990; Orlandis, Ramos-Lissón 1986: 235-241). Compare also the present canon with Canon 5 of the Third Council of Toledo [346].

Place of event:

Region
  • Iberian Peninsula
City
  • Saragossa

About the source:

Title: The Second Council of Saragossa 592, Concilium Cesaraugustanum secundum a. 592, Concilium Cesaraugustanum II
Origin: Saragossa (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
The provincial synod of the province of Tarraconensis was held in Saragossa in 592 (the seventh year of the reign of King Reccared mentioned in Canon 1). It was presided by the metropolitan bishop of the province Artemius (see subscriptions in the acts of the council).
Edition:
Editions:
J. Vives ed., Concilios visigóticos e hispano-romanos, Barcelona-Madrid 1963.
Bibliography:
F.-M. Beltrán Torreiro, "El II Concilio de Zaragoza (592) y las últimas repercusiones de la crisis arriana en la Hispania visigoda", Espacio, tiempo y forma. Serie III, Historia medieval 3 (1990), 41-48.
J. Orlandis, D. Ramos-Lissón, Historia de los concilios de la España romana y visigoda, Pamplona 1986.
 

Categories:

Sexual life - Sexual activity
    Sexual life - Sexual abstinence
      Religious grouping (other than Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian) - Arian
        Change of denomination
          Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
            Impediments or requisits for the office - Improper/Immoral behaviour
              Impediments or requisits for the office - Heresy/Schism
                Act of ordination
                  Public law - Ecclesiastical
                    Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical
                      Administration of justice - Demotion
                        Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER339, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=339