Folia Theologica et Canonica 7. 29/21 (2018)

Ius canonicum

IDONEITY FOR PRIESTHOOD IN THE EARLY CANONICAL DISCIPLINE... 311

without the imposition of hands by the bishop, but by reception of an empty paten and chalice, which are given to him by the bishop. The subdeacon receives a jug, a dishcloth and a handwashing bowl from the archdeacon’s hand in the rite of ordination.52 The priest’s ordination happened by the imposition of the bishop’s hands, then all other priests impose their hands on the newly ordained priest.53 The bishop had to call together the colleagueship of presbyters before the ordination.54 The Statuta Ecclesiae Antiqua contains (c. 90) a short summary of the rite of episcopal consecration too. There must be a minimum of bishops attending three. 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 arms toward the applicant.55 The Canones apostolid also speak about the three ordaining bishops. The bishop has to be ordained by three or more bishops by regulation of this rule (c. I).56 The Conciliar tradition of the d^ih centurjes applies similar rules to episcopal ordination (i.e. Council of Arles [a. 314]).57 58 59 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 Nicaea (a. 325) lets the ordination take place with a minimum of three bishops with the consent of the other bishops of the province.55 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).5’

52 Can. 93: Subdiaconus cum ordinatur, quia manus impositionem non accipit, patenam de manu episcopi accipiat uacuam et calicem uacuum, de manu uero archidiaconi accipiat urceolum cum aquamanile ac manutergium. Munier, C. (ed.), Concilia Galliae, 182.

53 Can. 91: Presbyter cum ordinatur, episcopo eum benedicente et manum super caput eius tenente, etiam omnes presbyteri, qui praesentes sunt, manus suas iuxta manum episcopi super caput illius teneant. Munier, C., (ed.), Concilia Galliae, 181.

54 Can. 10: Ut episcopus absque consilio compresbyterorum suorum clericos non ordinet, ita ut ciuium conniuentiam et testimonium quaerat. Munier, C. (ed.), Concilia Galliae, 168.

55 Can. 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, C., (ed.), Concilia Galliae, 181.

56 Can. 1: Episcopus a duobus aut tribus episcopis ordinetur. PL LXVII. 141; for the Greek text, cf. Metzger, M., Les constitutions, III. 274.

57 Can. 20: De his usurpant sibi solis debere episcopum ordinare, placuit út nullus hoc sibi praesumat, nisi assumptis secum aliis septem episcopis; si tamen non potuerit <septem>, infra tres non audeant ordinare. Gaudemet, J. (ed.), Concites gaulois, 56.

58 Can. 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. Szu- ROMI, Sz. A., A püspökökre vonatkozó egyházfegyelmi szabályok, 95-100. SzuROMl, Sz. A., Az egyházi intézményrendszer története, 69-71.

59 Can. 19: Episcopus praeter synodum et praesentiam metropolitani nullatenus ordinetur. Hoc autem modis omnibus coram posito melius quidem est, ut omnes simul adsint eiusdem provinciae