Folia Canonica 5. (2002)

STUDIES - Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi: The Development of the Clerical Orders prior to the Discipline of Statuta Ecclesiae Antique (5th Century)

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SZABOLCS ANZELM SZUROMI

fore the ordination.39 The Council ofNeocaisarei (314-319) fixed the age limit for priestly ordination at 30 years. This is a reference to the baptism of Jesus Christ who started his public teaching activity at the age 30.40 The Statuta Ecclesiae Antiqua contains (c. 90) a short summary of the rite of episcopal ordination. There must be a minimum of three bishops attending. Two bishops hold the Book of the Gospels over the applicant’s neck (super ceruicem), while the third gives a blessing. The other bishops present stretch out their hands toward the applicant.41 The Canones apostolid also mention three ordaining bishops. The bishop has to be ordained by three or more bishops in accordance with this rule (c. I).42 The Conciliar tradition of the 4th and 5th Centuries applies similar rules to episcopal ordination (cf. Council of Arles [a. 314].43 It is necessary to call all the bishops of the territory, but in the event of grave circumstances (e. g. lengthy travel), the Council of Nicea (a. 325) allows the ordination to take place with a minimum of three bishops and the consent of the other bishops of the province.44 The presence of the metropolitan and convocation of the provincial council are necessary for the ordination as explained by the Council of Antioch (around 331).45

39 C. 10 „Ut episcopus absque consilio compresbyterorum suorum clericos non ordinet, ita ut ciuium conniuentiam et testimonium quaerat.” Munier (ed.), Concilia Galliae (nt 25), 168.

40 C. 11 „Presbyter ante tricesimum aetatis suae annum nullatenus ordinetur, licet valde sit dignus: sed hoc tempus observet. Nam Dominus noster tricesimo aetatis suae anno baptizatus est, et sic coepit docere.” Joannou (ed.), Les Canons (nt. 10), 80.

41 C. 90 „Episcopus cum ordinatur, duo episcopi ponant et teneant euangeliorum codicem super ceruicem eius, et uno super eum fundente benedictionem, reliqui omnes episcopi, qui adsunt, manibus suis caput eius tangant.” Munier (ed.), Concilia Galliae (nt. 25), 181.

42 C. 1 „Episcopus a duobus aut tribus episcopis ordinetur.” PL 67. col. 141. In old greek: Metzger, Les constitutions (nt. 35), III. 274.

43 C. 20 „De his usurpant sibi solis debere episcopum ordinare, placuit ut nullus hoc sibi praesumat, nisi assumptis secum aliis septem episcopis; si tamen non potuerit <septem>, infra tres non audeant ordinare.” Gaudemet (ed.), Conciles gaulois (nt. 21), 56.

44 C. 4 „Episcopum convenit maxime quidem ab omnibus qui sunt in provincia episcopis ordinari. Si autem hoc difficile fuerit, aut propter instantem neccessitatem aut propter itineris longitudinem: modis omnibus tamen tribus in id ipsum convenientibus et absentibus episcopis pariter decernentibus et per scripta consentientibus tunc ordinatio celebretur. Firmitas autem eorum, quae gerentur per unamquamque provinciam, metropolitano tribuatur episcopo.” COD 7. cf. Szuromi, A püspökökre vonatkozó egyházfegyelmi szabályok (nt. 29), 95—100.

45 C. 19 „Episcopus praeter synodum et praesentiam metropolitani nullatenus ordinetur. Hoc autem modis omnibus coram posito melius quidem est, ut omnes simul adsint eiusdem provinciae sacerdotes: quos metropolitanus episcopus advocare debebit. Et si quidem omnes occurrerint, optime; quod si hoc difficile fuerit, saltem plures adesse omnimodo convenit: certe scriptis eiusdem sententiae comprobari, et ita sub plurimorum