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

151

came the inspector of the diocesan management, directed by the bishop.24 Canon 26 of the General Council of Chalcedon in 451 stipulated the necessity of the election of an economo for the case when the episcopal see is vacant, in order to guarantee the management of the ecclesiastical goods.25 Interestingly enough, we only mention here a secular source, which is not in the Pseudo-Isidorian Collection, but that also gave orders for this type of economo. Justinian was the ruler who dealt with this question in 528, and this text got into the Codex Iustinianus as C 1. 3. 41 §10.26 For the alienation of ecclesiastical immovables, the decision of the bishop alone was not sufficient, but he had to ask the opinion of the other bishops of the province and the metropolitan. Without their opinion the diocesan bishop's decision was not valid. If we remember the concept of the Statuta Ecclesiae Antiqua (a 5th century collection), there is the obligation for the competent bishops to sign the agreement of alienation for validity.27 This agreement of course could take place in a provincial council too.

2. The second basic question which has to be analyzed is the contemporary funeral discipline. The Church had her own right and competence to bury her deceased.28 In funeral law, we have to dis24 SZUROMI, “A püspökökre vonatkozó egyházfegyelmi szabályok a Dionysio-Hadriana gyűjteményben” 94.

25 COD 99.

26 KRUEGER, P., Corpus 1, 23. C 1. 3. 41. §. 10. Ipsos etiam oeconomos cum iudicio ac consideratione creari iubemus scientes omnimodo singulis annis rationes administrationis suae sanctissimo episcopo reddere et, si quo damno res ecclesiasticas affecisse uel in lucrum proprium quid uertisse uisi fuerint, hoc rebus ecclesiasticis restituere debere. Ac si ipsi quidem superstites eiusmodi rationes subierint, tunc quae dicta sunt fient: sin autem defuncti fuerint, antequam rationes reddiderint, tunc heredes eorum eiusmodi quaestioni subiciantur atque ad restitutionem eorum compellantur quaecumque eapropter debere eos consistent. KRUEGER, P., Corpus I., 26-27.

27 C. 50. Irrita erit episcopi uel donatio uel uenditio uel commutatio rei ecclesiasticae absque conuenientia et subscriptione clericorum. CCSL 148. 174.

28 Ius sepulturae est ius competens ecclesiae ad sepeliendos aliquos in coemeterio suo: prouenit autem ex Pontificis assignatione, arg. 13. q. 1. ecclesias, et competit ecclesiis parochialibus, et aliis, quibus iure, uel priuilegio est concessum, ut infra dicetur; capellis autem priuatis nullo modo competit. Lib. I. Tit. XVI. §. 1. Summa Sti Raymundi de Peniafort