Chapter VI — On interdict, and on cessation from divine offices

I. QUESTION I. What is interdict, and of how many kinds is it? ANSWER. It is an ecclesiastical censure by which all divine offices, and the administration of certain sacraments, and ecclesiastical burial are forbidden. It is divided into local and personal. The former affects a place, the latter persons. It is called mixed when a place and persons are at once interdicted. Again each interdict is divided into general and special. The former is when a kingdom, or province, or diocese, or city, or town, or village is interdicted. A general personal interdict is when it is passed against a political body moderated by its own laws, and at once indirectly against all the persons constituting such a community. A special personal interdict is when it is passed against determinate persons, as against Peter, Francis, and so forth. When nevertheless it is passed by law, it is not required that the persons be named. This special personal interdict is divided into total, which contains all the effects of interdict; and into partial, which comprehends only some. A local interdict does not always include a personal one, nor conversely. Wherefore, the people being interdicted, the churches or parishes of that place are not interdicted: because in law these interdicts are of diverse species.

II. QUESTION II. Who are bound to observe a local interdict? ANSWER. All the inhabitants, both lay and ecclesiastical, even Regulars, because the interdict is upon celebrating the divine offices in such a place. Wherefore the Prelate himself (the Pope excepted) who passes a local interdict is obnoxious to the observance of the same. When a city is interdicted by a general local interdict, all the churches of the same city, even those of Regulars, are subject to the interdict, and all the persons who are members of the same city: although very many be innocent, yet not as innocent but as parts of the city they lie subject to the interdict. Bishops are excepted, who are not comprehended under a general interdict unless express mention of them be made. Infants also and the demented are judged exempt; their corpses nevertheless cannot be delivered to ecclesiastical burial, because they are interdicted. Similarly very many authors free strangers and foreigners from the interdict, because they are not parts of the people. The people being interdicted, the clergy is not interdicted; nor, the clergy being interdicted, is the people interdicted.

III. QUESTION III. Who, and for what cause, can pass an interdict? ANSWER. Those who have the faculty of passing censures can pass an interdict. Prelates of Religions nevertheless can pass a personal interdict, but not a local one, by which they might suspend their own churches from sacred rites, unless they had jurisdiction over the people. The cause of passing an interdict is a grave fault, as has been said above. A general interdict, local or personal, can be passed even for another's fault — of the community, or of its rectors — under which even the innocent are comprehended, as has been said elsewhere. A general personal interdict, or a local one whether general or special, cannot be passed for the fault of some particular person, but can be imposed only for the fault either of the community, or of the rector, or of the Prince, or of the Prelate. But a special personal interdict cannot be inflicted for another's fault, even of the head; but only for the delict of that person who is struck with the interdict. Authors dispute whether a special personal interdict can be inflicted for a venial fault. Of an interdict passed by law some affirm it, others more probably deny it. All nevertheless affirm that an interdict passed by man requires a mortal fault. An interdict, whether general local or general personal, cannot be imposed for a debt of moneys, nay nor even a special local interdict; but a special personal interdict can, as very many say; but scarcely has this been customary.

IV. QUESTION IV. What are the effects of an interdict? ANSWER. Three: 1. Prohibition of the celebration and hearing of the divine offices; 2. Privation of certain sacraments; 3. Privation of ecclesiastical burial. By the name of divine offices are understood Mass, the canonical hours, and other prayers solemnly celebrated, the blessings of nuptials, of water, of oil, of chrism, and every function ordained by the Church to the worship of God. All these things are forbidden in a common place deputed thereto; otherwise privately, and in a place not deputed to celebrating the divine offices. Similarly it is lawful to hold sermons. Nay by the new law of Boniface VIII in chapter Alma Mater on sentences of excommunication in the Sixth, all clerics and Regulars in the time of a general local interdict can daily celebrate Masses and perform the divine offices in any churches and monasteries whatsoever, four conditions being added: 1. That it be with lowered voice, that is, without chant; 2. With the doors closed, yet so that an exit lie open for those willing to go out: wherefore an officer will have to be set over it, who may forbid the interdicted to enter and permit the privileged to go out; 3. The bells not being rung; 4. The interdicted and excommunicated being excluded. On four solemnities nevertheless — of the Lord's Nativity, of Easter, of Pentecost, and of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin — the divine offices can be solemnly celebrated with open doors, with loud voice, and with the bells rung. The interdicted nevertheless ought not to approach the altar, who gave the cause of the same. Which privilege Martin V extended to the feast of the Body of Christ, and Eugenius IV to its octave. Regulars enjoy a privilege, as very many report (whether truly or falsely I know not), of admitting to the divine offices the servants, procurators, and workmen of the monastery.

V. QUESTION V. What sacraments are forbidden to be ministered in the time of an interdict? ANSWER. There are forbidden the active administration and the passive reception of certain sacraments. Baptism nevertheless is excepted, which can be administered with the accustomed rite of the Church, interdicted persons nevertheless being excluded, who cannot baptize save in a case of necessity. The sacrament of Confirmation also can be administered, and chrism confected, even in an interdicted place. Likewise the sacrament of matrimony is excepted according to very many, who contend that it can be celebrated by a person even specially, and not merely generally, interdicted. The sacrament of Penance can be conferred upon all, even the healthy, excepting the excommunicated, and those who gave the cause of the interdict, and those who afforded help, counsel, and so forth for the perpetrating of the delict for which the interdict was passed, unless they first satisfy or give caution concerning satisfaction. Chapter Alma on sentences in the Sixth.

VI. In the time of an interdict neither the Eucharist, nor Order, nor extreme unction can be administered. In the article of death the Eucharist can be carried to the sick even to those personally interdicted. Very many affirm that extreme unction also can be administered to the sick who cannot receive the other sacraments.

VII. QUESTION VI. To whom is ecclesiastical burial forbidden in the time of an interdict? ANSWER. Every interdict, whether local or personal, deprives all of ecclesiastical burial. If nevertheless the interdict be local, persons who did not give cause to the interdict, and are not denounced by name, can be buried in a sacred place not interdicted. But in a sacred interdicted place neither infants nor the demented can lawfully be buried.

VIII. QUESTION VII. What sin do violators of an interdict perpetrate, and what penalties do they incur? ANSWER. They sin mortally, because they violate a precept of the Church in a grave matter. Interdicted clerics exercising an act of their own Order become irregular; and those compelling clerics to celebrate the divine offices publicly in an interdicted place, a just cause being taken away, would incur excommunication reserved to the Supreme Pontiff. And this censure would be contracted also by interdicted persons who, being admonished, should not go out of the church. Likewise Religious, even exempt, violating an interdict contract by that very deed the greater excommunication, when the interdict is observed in the mother church, or in the parochial place in which they themselves dwell, as is had in Clementine 1 on sentences of excommunication. Those who knowingly bury interdicted persons in a sacred place outside the excepted cases incur excommunication reserved to the bishop.

IX. QUESTION VIII. What is understood by an interdict from entrance into the Church? ANSWER. There is understood a privation of the exercise of sacred Order, and of burial in the church itself and in its cemetery, and a privation of hearing the divine offices in the church.

X. QUESTION IX. Who can absolve from an interdict? ANSWER. If the interdict passed be for a time, or under a condition, the time having elapsed or the condition being fulfilled, it ceases without absolution; otherwise an interdict passed absolutely. When an interdict has been passed by law, the Supreme Pontiff can suspend its effects without taking it away. He who passed an interdict for a time can take it away. When the interdict is local, even if the place — say a church — be dispensed, the interdict does not on that account cease, and therefore corpses cannot be buried in such a place. But an interdict passed against a community, if this be dissolved, ceases in respect of the innocent. But from a local interdict, or a general personal one, passed by law and not reserved, a bishop can absolve. If the interdict have been passed by man, he who passed it, and not an inferior, can absolve, as I have said. Very many teach that from a particular personal interdict not reserved any confessor whatsoever can absolve.

XI. QUESTION X. What is cessation from divine offices, and what are its effects? ANSWER. It is a prohibition imposed upon clerics that under penalty of mortal sin they cease from the celebration of the divine offices, and abstain from the administration of the sacraments, the case of necessity excepted. It is nevertheless not a censure, nor a penalty, but a mere prohibition made by the Church on account of a most grave sorrow conceived from some grave injury against divine worship, or against the Church itself. Wherefore this is not done save on account of a most grave public delict against the common good of the Church, or against her immunity, contumacy acceding. The following conditions ought to concur, that it may be justly done: 1. That in the one prohibiting there be lawful power; 2. That the cause be evident and grave; 3. That it evidently be established that cause has been given; 4. This cause ought to be expressed publicly; 5. It ought to be intimated to the party; 6. The party is to be asked whether it wishes to satisfy; 7. That the greater part of the chapter judge that the cessation is to be induced; 8. That, the cessation being posited, each party discuss the cause of the cessation before the Pontiff; 9. That when chapters are gathered for passing the cessation, all be called who have a vote. These conditions are gathered from chapter Si canonici 1 and chapter Quamvis 8 on the office of the ordinary in the Sixth. But if a Prelate indict a cessation, the six former conditions only are required. Only those who have episcopal jurisdiction, or one like it, can pass this cessation.