Folia Theologica et Canonica 6. 28/20 (2017)
IUS CANONICUM - José Miguel Viejo-Ximénez, Raymond of Penyafort decretalist
140 JOSÉ MIGUEL VIEJO-XIMÉNEZ laymen, by ordinary or delegated jurisdiction, he must proceed according to the canons, not according to the civil laws (SIC 1.11.7). Bernard of Pavia introduced his comment to the title De elections et electi potestate et iuramento (IComp. 1.4) with the following illatio: once the treaty on law is concluded (that is, I Comp. 1.1-3), «ad tractandum de eius ministris scil(icet) de clericis accedamus» (SB 1.4). Raymond also states that the clerics are «ministri canones», a concept inspired by Roman law (Dig. 1.2.2.13): little matter that the city had a law «nisi sint ministri per quos regantur» (SIC 2.1.1). Ecclesiastical ministers include twelve categories, from the «summum Pontifex» to the «redores ecclesiarum», although it is not a closed roster because there are other ministers «secundum varias consuetudines et diversas, iuxta diversitatem ecclesiarum, multipliciter variantur» (SIC 2.1.2). Raymond first reviews the territorial organization of the church, which parallels the ancient Roman divisions. The pope «debet collocari in urbe». Patriarchs or primates are placed in provincial capitals, i.e. in those cities where the gentiles «ante Christi adventom pone- bant suos primates sive primi flamines». Archbishops or metropolitans are placed in major cities «in quibus gentiles ponebant suos archiflamines». Bishops preside in other cities, one in each, except in exceptional instances. Finally, archdeacons, probosts, deans and other lower offices should be placed in front of each ecclesiastical dignity or administration -in the cathedral church, or in the villages or castles-preventing that «plura officia sunt uni committenda» (SIC 2.1.3). At the top of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, the pope, «summus inter omnes», possesses full power, «habet plenitudinem potestatis». Raymond counts thirty-four matters -all related to faith, bishops, dioceses, vows, oaths, crimes, customs councils, excommunications, appeals, ordinations and sources of canon law- that are the exclusive competence of the Apostolic See: only the pope, for instance, can «generale concilium celebrare», or «condere legem generalem» (SIC 2.1.4). This title of the SIC describes the competences of each ecclesiastical office and explains the principles governing their special relations: except in the cases provided by law, patriarchs and primates, archbishops and Metropolitans have no jurisdiction over their respective suffragans. 4. Internal and External Forum Raymond of Penyafort was an author of the internal forum83. Unlike the unfinished SIC, the SdC spread and enjoyed wide acceptance throughout Europe. Around 1245, William of Rennes ( Willelmus Redonensis) wrote an apparatus 83 Cf. von Schulte, J. F., Die Geshcichte der Quellen und Literatur des Canonischen Rechts von Gratian bis auf die Gegenwart, II: Die Geshcichte der Quellen und Literatur von Papst Gregor IX bis zum Conci! von Trient, Stuttgart 1877 (repr. New Jersey 2000) 408.
