Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 672
Signatures of the presbyters present at the Eighth Council of Toledo (Iberian Peninsula, AD 653).
First there are the signatures of the bishops present at the council, then of the abbots, most probably monastic superiors. Among them there is the signature of the archpresbyter and that of the primicerius of Toledo:
 
[63] Marcellinus archipresbyter Toletanus.
[64] Siliculus primicerius.
 
Item uicarii episcoporum
 
[65]
[66] Osdulgus abba Riccimiri episcopi ecclesiae Dumiensis.
[67] Seruandus archipresbyter Vincenti eipscopi ecclesiae Egarensis.
[68] Gudescalcus presbyter Egilanis episcopi ecclesiae Oxomensis.
[69] Mactericus presbyter Sonnani episcopi ecclesiae Brittaniensis.
[70] Victorinus, presbyter Beati episcopi ecclesiae Tudensis.
[...]
 
(eds. Martínez Díez, Rodríguez 1992: 444-446)
First there are the signatures of the bishops present at the council, then of the abbots, most probably monastic superiors. Among them there is the signature of the archpresbyter and that of the primicerius of Toledo:
 
[63] Marcellinus archpresbyter of Toledo.
[64] Siliculus primicerius.
 
Then the representatives of the bishops.
 
[65]
[66] Osdulgus abba of Riccimirus, bishop of the Church of Dumio.
[67] Servandus, archpresbyter of Vincentius, bishop of the Church in Egara.
[68] Gudescalcus, presbyter of Egila, bishop of the Church in Osma.
[69] Mactericus, presbyter of Sonna, bishop of the Church in Britonia.
[70] Victorinus, presbyter of Beatus, bishop of the Church in Tuy.
[...]
 
(trans. M. Szada)

Discussion:

In the lists of subscriptions of the Eighth Council of Toledo there appear for the first time abbots who are acting on their own behalf (and not as the vicars of absent bishops). The abbots sign the decrees after the bishops present at the council and before the vicars. In the same place there are signatures of the representatives of the Toledan clergy (such as the archpresbyter and/or primicerius of Toledo). See Bishko 1941 and Orlandis 1986. Another group of "abbots" are those who appear as the representatives of absent bishops. Here there is one - Osdalgus - and as he comes from Dumio, thus from "monastic" bishopric, he actually may be a monk. But in other cases these "abbates" seem to belong to the diocesan clergy. See discussion in [810], [1027], [1026].
 
 

Place of event:

Region
  • Iberian Peninsula
City
  • Toledo
  • Egara
  • Tuy
  • Osma

About the source:

Title: Eighth Council of Toledo, Concilium Toletanum octavum a. 653, Concilium VIII Toletanum, Concilium Toletanum VIII
Origin: Toledo (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
The Eighth Council of Toledo assembled in December AD 653 at the very beginning of the sole reign of king Reccesvinth (653-672), shortly after the suppression of the revolt of Froia. It was attended by four metropolitan bishops (Toledo, Merida, Seville, and Braga) and forty-eight other bishops, as well as abbots, representatives of absent bishops, and many lay palatine office-holders (comites and duces). The representation of the latter seemed to be "more overt than on any previous occasion" (Collins 2004: 86). At the Eighth Council of Toledo, they confirmed the ecclesiastical regulations with their signatures for the first time. Collins (2004: 86-89) interpreted that generally the legislation of the council reflected a reaction against the previous reign - that of King Chindasvinth, and the excesses of royal power (see especially canon 2, which revoked Chindasvinth`s laws against traitors). For more details see also (Orlandis, Ramos-Lisson 1981: 201-214).
Edition:
G. Martínez Díez, F. Rodríguez eds., La colección canónica Hispana, Monumenta Hispaniae sacra. Serie canónica 5, Madrid 1992.
Bibliography:
C.J. Bishko, "Spanish abbots and the Visigothic Councils of Toledo", [in :] Humanistic Studies in honor of John Calvin Metcalf, Charlottesville 1941, 139-150.
R. Collins, Visigothic Spain, 409-711, Oxford 2004.
J. Orlandis, D. Ramos-Lissón, Die Synoden auf der Iberischen Halbinsel bis zum Einbruch des Islam (711), Paderborn 1981.
J. Orlandis, "Abades y concilios en la Hispania Visigotica", Antigüedad y cristianismo: Monografías históricas sobre la Antigüedad tardía 3 (1986), 221-233.

Categories:

Travel and change of residence
Functions within the Church - Archpresbyter
Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Described by a title - Abba
Monastic or common life - Cenobitic monk
Ecclesiastical administration - Participation in councils and ecclesiastical courts
Ecclesiastical administration - Ecclesiastical envoy
Relation with - Another presbyter
Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER672, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=672