Folia Theologica 15. (2004)

Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi: Rules concerning bishops in the Decretales Pseudo-Isidorianae, especially the regulation on the death of bishops

RULES CONCERNING BISHOPS

149

These themes show perfectly the reaction to the three most important contemporary questions, which were the duties and rights of bishops, especially regarding the competence of patriarchs, primates and metropolitans; accusations against bishops and the episcopal competence to judge; and the rights of the Apostolic Holy See. The contents of the canons unanimously indicate what was the basic motive for the compilation of this collection. There is a very significant system of words and arguments which is uniform in the papal letters before the time of Pope Damasus. It shows how the forging was uniform. A recurring idea in each of the above mentioned letters is the defense of the episcopal authority in ecclesiastical business, especially in those situations which belong to the immunity and the 'privilegium fori' of the Church. This goal is served by the weakening of the metropolitan power, and also by the stressing of the importance of papal primacy, and moreover, by the renovation - with new contents - of the office of the primate.19

The canons of this collection ascertain about the metropolitan, that he has to guard and observe the suffragan bishops with fraternal spirit.20 But according to one letter, attributed to Pope Clement I, the more important affairs of each diocese are submitted to the higher levels, namely to the competence of the primate or patriarch,21 or moreover, of the Apostolic See. The second letter, which

Sardicense 4-5; Marcus 2; Julius I. 6, 9, 12, 16; Felix II. 2, 4-5, 14; Damasus 9, 18, 21-22; Celestinus I. ad episc. Gall. 3, 11; Gelasius Deer. Gen. 11; Anastasius ad Anast. 6; Decreta Symmachi 1-3; Vigilius ad Prof. 7; Pelagius II. ad Benig. Arch.; Greg. I. ad Reccaredum 7.

19 Cf. CONGAR, Y., Les Fausses Décrétales, in Revue des Sciences philosophiques et théologiques 59 (1975) 279-288.

20 HINSCHIUS 618-620.

21 Clemens I, Ep. I c. 29. In illis autem civitatibus, in quibus dudum apud praedictos erant ethnicos eorum archiflamines, quos tamen minores tenebant quam memoratos primates, archiepiscopos institui praecaepit, qui non tamen primatum, sed archiepiscoporum fruerentur nomine. Episcoporum quoque iu- dicia, ut superius memoratum est, et maiora aecclesiarum negotia, si ipsi reclamaverint, aut aliquem timorem aut istos vel alios suspectos habuerint, ad iam dictos primates vel patriarchas, ne aliquis nocenter periret, transferri docuit, in singulis vero reliquis civitatibus singulos et non binos vel ternos aut plures episcopos constitui praecepit, qui non primatum aut archiepiscoporum aut metropolitanorum nomine, quia matres civitatum non tenent, sed episcoporum tantum vocabulo potirentur, quoniam nec inter ipsos apostolos par in-