Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 452
DRAFT: The acts of the Council of Arles (Gaul) in the case of Faustus, presbyter and abbot of the Lérins monastery, held ca 449/461.
EXEMPLAR EPISTVLAE GENERALIS QVAE AD EPISCOPOS INVITANDOS IN CAVSA INSVLAE LERINENSIS MISSA EST
 
Quotiens membrum aliquod quolibet infirmitatis genere laborat, fieri non potest quin etiam cetera membra corporis doleant, et ideo causam quae inter sanctum episcopum Theodorum et sanctum Valerianum uel sanctum Maximum item episcopos, atque abbatem Faustum necnon et reliquos fratres insulae Lerinensis acciderat, absque dubio omnes nos qui in Christo unum sumus, differre non possumus, nisi id agamus qualiter curetur et abstergatur. Ad hoc itaque remediandum scandalum, orationibus uestris tertio Kalendas Ianuarias audientiae dies est constitutus. Rogamus ergo ut sanctitas uestra se usque Arelate fatigare dignetur, quatenus tantum malum, quod dilatione plus crescit, beatitudinis uestrae praesentia terminetur. Talis enim causa, quae tam grande scandalum gignit, sicut atrocitate sua multos inuoluit, ita plures qui in Christo medeantur exposcit.
Ad eos qui in insula sunt: Beatitudinem uero uestram praecipue adesse conuenit, quos insula ipsa uelut sinu quodam genitricis fouens, ad eam gratiam quae nunc in uobis est Domino instigante produxit.
Ad sanctum Rusticum: Ac praecipue beatitudo uestra ut adsit primum deprecamur, quia grauior infirmitas necessarie medicos peritissimos inquirit.
 
(INCIPIT) INSTITVTIO SANCTORVM EPISCOPORVM REVENNII, RVSTICI, NECTARI, FLORI, CONSTANTI(I), ASCLEPI(I), MAXIMI, IVSTI, SALONI(I), INGENVI, ENANTI(I), ZOTICI, CHRYSANTII, IN CAVSA INSVLAE LERINENSIS.
 
Cum Arelate, in secretario basilicae conuenissemus, praemissa prece ad Dominum, nullo extrinsecus arbitrio interueniente, resedimus de remedio scandali quod in monasterio in insula Lerinensi obortum fuerat pertractantes; placuit ergo nobis Sancto, ut credimus, Spiritu gubernante, ut omnibus quae in querelam uenerant, sollicite uentilatis atque discussis, sanctus ac beatissimus frater Theodorus episcopus primum exoratur a nobis ut scandalum quod et ipse sicut et nos grauiter dolebat exortum, differendo in tempora manere diutius non pateretur, sed potius ad recipienda satisfactionum remedia festinaret et sanctum presbyterum Faustum, abbatem monasterii supradicti, indulta si qua illa esset culpae uenia, in pristina pace toto caritatis affectu reciperet et ad insulam ac congregationem ipsi Deo donante commissam cum sua gratia et caritate remitteret, nec quisquam deinceps ex his quae sibi fratrem Faustum arguebat fecisse aut uerbis repeteret aut animo retineret. Quin potius collationem, utpote antiquus abba et episcopus, ei ut piam ac necessariam perpetuo exhiberet et solacia secutura, quae uerbis dignabatur promittere, rebus ipsis in quo usus exigeret plenissime exhiberet, hoc tamen sibi tantummodo uindicaturus quod decessor suus sanctae memoriae Leontius episcopus uindicauerat, idest ut clerici atque altaris ministri a nullo nisi ab ipso uel cui ipse iniunxerit ordinentur, chrisma nonnisi ab ipso speretur, neophyti si fuerint ab ipso confirmentur, peregrini clerici absque ipsius praecepto in communionem uel ad ministerium non admittantur.
Monasterii uero omnis laica multitudo ad curam abbatis pertineat, neque ex ea sibi episcopus quidquam uindicet aut aliquem ex illa clericum nisi abbate petente praesumat.
Hoc enim et rationis et religionis plenum est ut clerici ad ordinationem episcopi debita subiectione respiciant, laica uero omnis congregatio ad solam ac liberam abbatis proprii quem sibi elegerit ordinationem dispositionemque pertineat, regula quae a fundatore ipsius monasterii dudum constituta est in omnibus custodita.
 
(ed. Munier 1963: 132-134)
A COPY OF THE GENERAL LETTER CONCERNING THE CASE OF THE ISLAND OF LÉRINS WHICH WAS SENT TO THE BISHOPS INVITED [TO THE COUNCIL]
 
Whenever one of the members is troubled by whatever kind of sickness, nothing should be done that could put also other members of the body in harm's way. And hence we, who are without doubt one in Christ, cannot ignore the disagreement which arose between holy Bishop Theodore and holy Valerianus and holy Maximus, also bishops, and abbot Faustus and other brothers from the island of Lérins, unless we urge that this [dispute] is dealt with and settled. And so, to remedy this scandal, after your prayers the day of third Kalends of the January was chosen for the hearings. We plead therefore that Your Sanctity would deign to trouble himself [with the travel] to Arles, since so great an evil, which multiplies when neglected, will be surely terminated by the presence of Your Holiness. For this great disagreement, which begot so great a scandal, affected many with its atrocity, just as it demanded that those who find hope in Christ would increase in number.
To those who live on the island [of Lérins]: truly, it is particularly proper for Your Holinesses to come, who, warmed by the island itself as if by the mother’s bosom, by the Lord’s inspiration were led to such grace as now can be found within you.
To holy Rusticus: and above all we especially beg Your Holiness to come, because the graver the sickness the more skilful the physicians who are required.
 
HERE BEGINS THE VERDICT OF THE HOLY BISHOPS REVENNIUS, RVSTICUS, NECTARIUS, FLORUS, CONSTANTIUS, ASCLEPIUS, MAXIMUS, IVSTUS, SALONIUS, INGENUUS, ENANTIUS, ZOTICUS, AND CHRYSANTIUS GIVEN IN THE CASE OF THE ISLAND OF LÉRINS.
 
When we were gathered in Arles, in the secretarium of the basilica, having offered prayers to the Lord, without the interference of any outside authority, we sat in council discussing a remedy to the scandal which broke on the island of Lérins. Guided by, as we believe, the Holy Ghost, and having investigated and discussed thoroughly everything which was related to this disagreement, we decided [as follows]: holy and most blessed brother Theodore, the bishop, was first persuaded by us, that, in order for this scandal, which pained both him and us, not to continue any longer, he should swiftly accept the remedies of satisfaction [for Faustus' offence] and absolve holy presbyter Faustus, abbot of the aforementioned monastery, if he was at fault. He should receive him in the former peace with the entirety of the loving affection, and send him back with his grace and love to the island and to the congregation entrusted to him by God. And let no one in the future repeat in words or keep in soul any of those things he [Theodore] argued brother Faustus had done against him. What is more, as a venerable father [abba] and a bishop, he should exhibit union [collatio], as it is pious and necessary, and, consequently, should exhibit a full support [solacia] and fulfill in acts what he had deigned to promise in words in all the things that the custom dictates.
He should retain the right only to what his predecessor, Bishop Leontius of the holy memory, reserved for himself, which is that the clerics and ministers of the altar were ordained by no one other than him or the person he had chosen. [Likewise], chrism can be consecrated by no one else but him, only he can confirm the neophytes (if there are any), and foreign clerics should not be admitted to communion or service [at the altar] without his permission.
The multitude of the lay people in the monastery should remain under the abbot's supervision, and the bishop should not punish them in any way or dare [to ordain] someone of them a cleric if not by the request of the abbot.
This, indeed, is full of reason and piety that clerics should respect their submission to the will [ordinatio] of the bishop; all belonging to the lay congregation, however, should remain in the sole and free ordination and disposition of their own abbot whom they elected for themselves, [just as] the rule which was instituted by the founder of this monastery should be observed in all cases.
 
(trans. J. Szafranowski)

Place of event:

Region
  • Gaul
City
  • Arles

About the source:

Title: Council of Arles in the case of Faustus, abbot of the island of Lérins 449-461, Concilium Arelatense in causa Fausti, abbatis insulae Lerinensis 449-461
Origin: Arles (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Edition:
Ch. Munier ed., Concilia Galliae a. 314-a. 506, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 148, Turnhoult 1963.

Categories:

Travel and change of residence
    Further ecclesiastical career - Bishop
    Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
    Described by a title - Clericus
      Monastic or common life - Cenobitic monk
      Monastic or common life - Monastic superior (abbot/prior)
      Act of ordination
        Usurping episcopal power
        Ecclesiastical administration - Participation in councils and ecclesiastical courts
        Public law - Ecclesiastical
        Conflict
        Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
        Described by a title - Minister/λειτουργός/ὑπηρέτης
          Reasons for ordination
            Equal prerogatives of presbyters and bishops
            Reasons for ordination - Monastic superior`s orders
            Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER452, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=452