Folia Theologica et Canonica 7. 29/21 (2018)
Ius canonicum
308 SZABOLCS ANZELM SZUROMI, O.Praem. the colleagueship of presbyters was in close bond - as one unit - with the bishop and in his own city.'7 The deacons, who had originally charity work and liturgical functions, became leaders of the provincial communities. However it caused problem of leading of the liturgy of the Holy Eucharist. The deacons were not able to consecrate the Blessed Sacrament. The discipline of the 4"' century - based on the canonical sources - did not find possibility based on the tradition to entrust with such an essential presbyterial faculty the deacons. Therefore they had to dissolve the colleagueship of presbyters and disposing the presbyters to be heads of the provincial communities. The bishops of the Eastern Church tried to solve this problem18 by the ordination of chorbishops (_£0>penioKonog: provincial bishop) which testified already by St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (f270)”, but we can find this service in the Apostolic Canons (c. 16) and Didaschalia (II. 1.2) too. The chorbishop was nominated by the bishop of the city and administered his office under the guidance of the bishop, as we can find it in the text of the Council of Laodicea (c. 57)T The power of the chorbishop was limited because he could ordain only lectors, exorcists, and subdeacons. If he wished to ordain a deacon or a presbyter, he had to receive the consent of the bishop (i.e. Council of Antioch, c. 10).4' An ordained person was in very close bond with his particular faithful community because the priest had received his service through the ordination dedicated to certain community of faithful. Therefore, the councils prohibited any transference to other dioceses * 37 38 39 40 41 reunions entre évéques d’une mérne province avant cette date, on ne peut les tenir pour la preuve d’une «organisation» provinciale.” Gaudemet, J„ Église et cité. Histoire du droit canonique. Paris 1994. 126. 37 Gaudemet, J„ Église et cité, 96-102. 38 We can not find a similar institution in the western part of Europe until the 8'b Century. The institution of chorbishop has disappeared from the ecclesiastical hierarchy since the 12,h Century. See Joannou, P. P., Chorbishop, in New catholic enciclopedy, III. New York 1967. 626. 39 Kurtscheid, B., Historia, 60-63. Gillmann, F., Das Institut der Chorepiscopus int Orient. München 1903. DDC III. 689-695. 40 Quod non oporteat in villulis aut in agris episcopos constitui, sed visitatores. Verumtamen iampridem constituti nihil faciant praeter conscientiam episcopi covitatis; similiter et presbyteri, praeter consilium episcopi nihil agant. Joannou, P. P. (ed.), Les Canons des Synodes Partii uliers, 155. 41 Qui in vicis vel possessionibus chorepiscopi nominantur, quamvis manu impositionem episcoporum perceperint, et ut episcopi consecrati sint, tamen sanctae synodo placuit, ut modum proprium recognoscant, ut gubernent subiectas sibi Ecclesias, earumque moderamine curaque contenti sint. Ordinent etiam lectores et subdiaconos atque exorcistas; quibus promotiones istae sufficiant. Nec presbyterum vero, nec diaconum audeant ordinare, praeter civitatis episcopum, cui ipse cum possessione subiectus est. Si quis autem transgredit statuta tentaverit. depositus, quo utebatur honore privetur. Chorepiscopum vero civitatis episcopus ordinet, cui ille subiectus est. Joannou, P. P. (ed.), Les Canons des Synodes Particuliers, 115.
