The Presbyters Project

Canon 13

Ut episcopus [eum] quem viderit de clericis suis ad bonum profectum tendere, honorandi et munificandi de rebus ecclesiae licentiam habeat.

In ecclesia Dei sancta congregatio clericorum fit [non] modica, et sunt aliqui quorum intentio non pauca est in sancto Dei officio, atque multi quos segnitudinis fastus minime perducit ad bonum profectum. Ob [hoc ergo] sancto huic placuit concilio, ut quemcumque episcopus ad bonum profectum viderit crescere, per bonam intentionem venerandi, amandi et honorandi et de rebus ecclesiae quod voluerit illi largiendi habeat potestatem: haec enim causa et maioribus maiorem praestat gratiam et minores excitat ut ad melius tendant. Quidquid ergo bonis largitur per gratiam ita in usu habeant, ut remedium ex hoc sentiant et rem Deo dicatam ad augmentum perducant. Quod si id quod acceperint pro sua tepiditate ad profectum minime perduxerint aut detrimenti patuerit, episcopus habeat licentiam sine ullo praeiudicio in iure ecclesiae revocate rem propriam.

(ed. Vives 1963: 334-335)

Canon 13

That a bishop is allowed to honour and endow a cleric whom he sees making progress in good with something from ecclesiastical property.

In the Church of God the congregation of clerics is not small – some of them make significant efforts in the holy service of God, and a lot of them are prideful and lazy, and because of that they do not make progress in good. Therefore, it pleased the holy council that if a bishop perceive that someone makes progress in good, he shall be allowed to revere him, love and honour with good intention, and to endow him with something from the property of the Church. For this would give great grace to the great, and provoke the lesser to strive for greater things. For whatever is graciously given to the good they have it in circulation so that they can live off the property donated to God, as well as augmenting it. If they did not multiply the property because of their lukewarmness, or even incurred losses, the bishop will have the right to bring this thing back to the property of the Church without prior notice.

(trans. M. Szada)

Place of event:

Region

Iberian Peninsula

City

Merida

About the source:

Title: Council of Merida in 666, Concilium Emeritense a. 666, Council of Mérida in 666
Origin: Merida (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

The provincial council of the Lusitania was held in Mérida in the church of Jerusalem in November 666. It was presided by Bishop Proficius of Mérida, and eleven other bishops were present.

Edition:

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

Categories:

Described by a title - Clericus

Economic status and activity - Gift

Reverenced by

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, ER832, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=832