Canon 29 of the First Council of Arles (Gaul, AD 314) forbids priests and deacons to couple with their wives because of daily clerical duties.
Intended for scholary use. For credentials see Bibliography
Canon 29
Praeterea, quod dignum, pudicum et honestum, suademus fratribus ut sacerdotes et leuitae cum uxoribus suis non coeant, quia ministerio quotidiano occupantur. Quicumque contra hanc constitutionem fecerit, a clericatus honore deponatur.
(ed. Munier 1963: 25)
Canon 29
Then, we suggest to [our] brothers, what [is] worthy, modest and upright, that priests and deacons (leuitae) should not couple with their wives, because they are occupied by the daily duty. Whoever would proceed against this constitution, should be deprived of the clerical office.
(trans. S. Adamiak and J. Szafranowski)
Discussion:
Canon 29 is one of the six canons (24-29) attributed to the First Council of Arles which are transmitted by only two codices (Parisiensis Lat. 12448 and Bodl. 893). Compare with canon 9 of the Council Thelense (North Africa, AD 418), see [273].
Since in the previous canons (26 and 27: [342] and [354]) the title fratres ("brothers") refers to the bishops, one can quite safely assume that the title sacerdotes ("priests") refers to presbyters only.
Place of event:
Region
Gaul
City
Arles
About the source:
Title: Council of Arles 314, Concilium Arelatense anno 314, Canones ad Silvestrum Papam Origin: Arles (Gaul) Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
The First Council of Arles gathered in 314 under the auspices of Constantine the Great to solve the controversy of bishop Caecilian of Carthage and Donatist Church. Donatists, dissatisfied with the ruling of council of Rome in 313, implored Constantine to call a new council. Council of Arles, however, was equally ready to condemn Donatists.
Edition:
Ch. Munier ed., Concilia Galliae a. 314-a. 506, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 148, Turnhoult 1963.
Categories:
Family life - Marriage
Family life - Permanent relationship continued after ordination
Sexual life - Sexual abstinence
Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς
Ritual activity - Eucharist
Relation with - Wife
Relation with - Woman
Sexual life - Marital
Administration of justice - Demotion
Please quote this record referring to
its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
J. Szafranowski, Presbyters
in the Late Antique West, ER355, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=355
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