On those ecclesiastical sacraments that are prohibited to presbyters  

 

In the seventh examination, it was related to us that the most venerable Agapius of holy memory, bishop of the see of Cordoba, had frequently been appointing presbyters to erect altars and consecrate basilicas in the absence of the bishop. It is not surprising because he was a man ignorant in the ecclesiastical discipline who was abruptly delegated from the secular service to the ministry of a priest. But so that we will no more accept such a licence, we consider it necessary to issue a general decree, because we know that the erecting of altars is as illicit for presbyters as consecrating them. In the Holy Scripture, by the precept of the Lord, Moses himself erected the altar; he alone anointed it and used it, because he was the highest priest of God, as was written about him: Moses and Aaron among his priests [Psalm 99: 6]. Therefore, what was ordered only to the chief priests who are symbolised by Moses, cannot be arrogantly seized by presbyters who are figuratively the sons of Aaron. Although there are a lot of things in their ministry that are in common with the bishops, they shall know that some are prohibited to them by the authority of the ancient law, and some by the new ecclesiastical rules, that is: the consecration of presbyters, deacons, and virgins, erection of altars, blessing or anointment. And if they are not allowed to consecrate a church or an altar, they are also not allowed to give the Spirit-Paraclete to the baptized faithful or to the converts from heresies, to make chrism, and to sign the forehead of the baptized with chrism, to reconcile publicly a penitent during the mass, nor to send the letters of recommendation. All those things are forbidden to presbyters because they have not obtained the summit of the pontificate. The authority of the canons conferred them on the bishops only to show the difference between the grades and the elevation of the dignity of the high pontiff. In the presence of a bishop, the presbyters shall not enter to the baptistry, nor sign or anoint children, nor reconcile penitents without the precept of their bishop, nor celebrate the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ when the bishop is present, nor teach, bless, greet or exhort people in his presence.

 

(trans. M. Szada)