The Presbyters Project

Canon 13

Vt non liceat clericis faenerari.

Abundantius episcopus Adrumetinus dixit: In nostro concilio statutum est ut non liceat clericis fenerari. Quid etiam sanctitati tuae et huic concilio uidetur, praesenti placito designetur.

(ed. Munier 1974: 9)

Canon 13

Let no cleric lend money at interest.

Abundantius, bishop of Hadrumetum, said: It is constituted in our council that clerics should not lend money at interest. If this pleases your sanctity and this council, let it be confirmed.

(trans. S. Adamiak)

Discussion:

The canon forbids clerics to lend money for profit, showing incidentally that there were clerics who had enough money to conduct such activity. "Our council" here probably does not mean an actual gathering of bishops of Byzacena (where Hadrumetum lies) but is used to describe the whole body of the bishops of the province (see the dictionary of Du Cange, s.v.).

Place of event:

Region

Latin North Africa

City

Carthage
Hadrumetum

About the source:

Title: Council of Carthage 345/348, Concilium Carthaginense sub Grato a. 345/348, Concilium Carthaginis Africae primum
Origin: Carthage (Latin North Africa)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

The council of Catholic bishops gathered between 345 and 348 (most probably towards the latter date), mainly in order to resist the Donatists.

Edition:

Ch. Munier ed., Concilia Africae a. 345-a. 525, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 149, Turnhoult 1974.

Categories:

Described by a title - Clericus

Economic status and activity - Loans

Economic status and activity - Indication of wealth

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: S. Adamiak, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER130, https://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=130