Folia Canonica 5. (2002)

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

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLERICAL ORDERS

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ations of priests was closely linked to the bishop and to his particular city23 The deacons, who had originally charitative and liturgical functions, became leaders of the provincial communities. A problem arose concerning the liturgy of the Holy Eucharist. The deacons were not able to consecrate the Blessed Sacrament. This led to the dissolving of the associations of priests and to the priests becoming heads of the provincial communities. The bishops of the Eastern Church tried to solve this problem24 by the ordination of “chorbishops” (provincial bishops).25 The “chorbishop” was named by the bishop of the city and he performed his functions under the guidance of the bishop, as we can find in the texts of the Council of Laodicea (c. 57).26 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 priest, he had to ask the consent of the bishop (cf. Council of Antioch, c. 10).27 An ordained person was in very close union with his particular community of the faithful because the priest was ordained for the service of a particular community. For this reason, in the 4th and 5th Centuries, the councils prohibited transference of priests from ones own diocese to other dioceses.28 The theological basis was the idea of a spiritual marriage between the ordained person and the diocese.29

23 Gaudemet, Église et cité (nt. 22), 96-102.

24 We can not find a similar institution in the western part of Europe until the 8th Century. The institution of chorbishop has disappeared from the ecclesiastical hierarchy since the 12th Century. See P. P. JOANNOU, „chorbishop” in New catholic enciclopedy, New York 1967. 3. 626.

25 KURTSCHEID, Historia (nt. 5), 60-63. F. Gillmann, Das Institut der Chorepiscopus im Orient, München 1903. DDC 3. 689-695.

26„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 (ed.), Les Canons (nt. 10), 155.

27 „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 (ed.), Les Canons (nt. 10), 115.

28 Cf. Concilium Chalcedonense (451) c. 5. „De his, qui transmigrant de ciuitate in ciuitatem episcopis aut clericis, placuit ut canones, qui de hac re a sanctis patribus statuti sunt, habeant propriam firmitatem.” COD 90.

29 Sz. A. Szuromi, A püspökökre vonatkozó egyházfegyelmi szabályok az Anselmi Collectio Canonumban (Bibliotheca Instituti Postgradualis Iuris Canonici Universitatis Catholicae de Petro Pázmány nominatae IV/1), Budapest 2000. 104-106. cf. Concilium Arelatense (314) c. 21. „De presbyteris aut diaconibus qui solent remittere loca sua in