Title XVI: On Sacraments Not to Be Repeated

Latin source headnote: In the case of one ordained subdeacon without imposition of hands, and one confirmed with an anointing not of chrism but of oil, there shall be no repetition, but what was omitted shall be supplied.

Innocent III.

The pastoral—(And below: [cf. c. 28, On the Office of a Delegated Judge, I.29.]) Furthermore, you wished to consult us whether one who was assumed to the order of subdiaconate without imposition of hands ought to be permitted to minister, and whether the sacrament of confirmation ought to be repeated in one who through error was smeared not with chrism but with oil. To this we have decided to respond briefly to your fraternity that in such matters nothing is to be repeated, but what had been incautiously omitted is cautiously to be supplied. [Given at Rome, at Saint Peter's, on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of January, 1204.]

Latin source headnote: It prohibits those buried by schismatics from being exhumed, the vestments in which they celebrated from being blessed again, and the altars upon which they celebrated from being consecrated again.

Honorius III, to the Archbishop of London and his suffragans.

You humbly asked us what ought to be done concerning the bodies of the dead who in the time of the schismatic and reprobate Waldemar were buried by schismatics, and concerning the priestly vestments in which, as well as the altars upon which, degraded priests celebrated. We respond briefly to your inquiry that we do not believe that those thus buried are to be exhumed solely on this account, or that such vestments ought to be blessed again, or the aforesaid altars reconsecrated.

Textual note: The source prints Archiepisco Londonensi, although the reference to Waldemar's schism indicates the Archbishop of Lund. The translation preserves the printed addressee rather than silently correcting it.

Latin source headnote: If imposition of hands was omitted in the ordination of a priest or deacon, it shall be supplied at the times established.

Gregory IX, to the Archbishop of London.

When a priest and deacon is ordained, he receives the imposition of hands by bodily touch according to the rite introduced by the Apostles. But if this was omitted, it is not in any way to be repeated; rather, at the time established for conferring orders of this kind, what was omitted through error is cautiously to be supplied. The suspension of hands, however, ought to be made when the prayer is poured forth over the head of the one to be ordained. [Given at Anagni, on the fifth day before the Ides of December, in the sixth year of our pontificate, 1232.]

Textual note: As in the preceding chapter, the source prints Londonensi (“of London”); the Scandinavian context may instead indicate Lund, but the printed form is retained.