Title — Decretals of Gregory IX
Title XLVI: On the Observance of Fasts
Chapter I
Latin source headnote: A vigil falling on Sunday ought to be fasted on Saturday, and the vigil of Blessed Matthias is to be fasted.
Innocent III, to the Clerics of Saint Peter of Maguelonne.
It was asked on your part of us whether, if the Nativity of the Lord, the Assumption of Blessed Mary, or the feast of one of the Apostles happens to fall on the second day of the week, the vigil ought to be fasted on the preceding Saturday, and whether a fast is to be enjoined on the vigil of Blessed Matthias the Apostle. To this we respond briefly that [both] on Saturday the vigils of the aforesaid feasts preceding the second day of the week and the vigil of Blessed Matthias the Apostle ought to be fasted. [Moreover, etc. (cf. c. 5, On the Celebration of Masses III. 41.) Given at Rome, at Saint Peter’s, on the Nones of November. 1204.]
DE OBSERVATIONE IEIUNIORUM.
Vigilia, occurens in dominica, ieiunari debet in sabbato, et ieiunanda est vigilia B. Matthiae.
Innocentius III. Clericis S. Petri Magalonensis.
Ex parte vestra quaesitum fuit a nobis, utrum, si Nativitatem Domini, vel Assumptionem beatae Mariae, vel festivitatem alicuius Apostolorum in secunda feria contigerit evenire, die sabbati praecedentis vigilia debeat ieiunari, et utrum in vigilia B. Matthiae Apostoli sit ieiunium iniungendum. Ad quod breviter respondemus, quod [et] die sabbati festivitates praelibatas secundae feriae praecedentis et B. Matthiae Apostoli debet vigilia ieiunari. [Insuper etc. (cf. c. 5. de celebr. miss. III. 41.) *Dat. Rom. ap. S. Petr. Non. Nov. * 1204.]
Chapter II
Latin source headnote: It does not admit of a fitting summary, and the text is sufficiently clear in itself, and many things are stated which are clear through the §§.
The same, to the Archbishop of Braga.
You sought our counsel concerning certain articles: whether [namely] fasting is required on the vigils of all the Apostles, since many assert that fasting is not required on all, but only on six. Whether fasting is also required in Advent, since different persons think different things concerning this, some, but fewer, saying that fasting is required at that time, but more asserting that they are not held to this. Whether, moreover, if the feast of those whose vigils we fast happens to be celebrated on the second day of the week, the vigils are to be observed on the preceding Saturday. We, however, concerning this respond to your consultation in this manner: among us the vigils of all the Apostles are to be celebrated in the observance of fasting, except the vigils of the Apostles Philip and James and of Blessed John the Evangelist, because the solemnity of the former is celebrated within the Easter solemnity, but that of the latter within the Nativity of the Lord. A fast is also observed among us during the Advent of the Lord. The vigils of saints whose feasts must be celebrated on the second day of the week are also to be fasted on the preceding Saturday. But concerning the feast of Blessed Bartholomew the Apostle, concerning the celebration of which doubt arises among certain persons, we respond to you seeking counsel that in this you are to observe the custom of your region.
(And below: [cf. c. 4, On the Celebration of Masses III. 41.]) But since you asked what penance is to be enjoined upon those who during the days of Lent, at which time the privation of so great a famine pressed that a great part of the people perished on account of scarcity of grain, were compelled to eat meat, we respond to you briefly that we do not believe those persons are to be punished in such a case whom so pressing a necessity excused. Nevertheless, pour forth prayers to the Lord for them and with them, lest it be imputed to them in any way, because it belongs to good minds to fear guilt where guilt is not found at all.
Likewise, concerning those who, on account of the weakness which they feel in themselves, eat meat on Saturday according to the custom of other lands, which is by no means accustomed to be done in your parts, since this is borne with difficulty by others and from it arises for them an occasion of disparaging, we respond that concerning this you are to cause the custom of your region to be observed, yet in such a way that danger does not arise on this account for the weak and infirm.
Furthermore, you asked to have an apostolic response concerning those who become ill in Lent or on other solemn fasts and petition that the eating of meat be indulged to them, some of whom promise that on this account they will give alms, but others, on account of the necessity of pressing illness, require that this be conceded to them by you as though from a debt. Concerning this we respond to you that, since necessity is not subject to law, you can and ought to support the desire of the infirm when pressing necessity requires it, so that greater danger in them may be avoided. [Given at Rome, at Saint Peter’s, on the ninth day before the Kalends of March, in the eighth year of our pontificate. 1206.]
Non capit congruam summationem, et textus in se satis clarus est, et multa sunt dicta, quae patent per §§.
Idem Bracharensi Archiepiscopo.
Consilium nostrum +super quibusdam articulis requisisti, utrum [videlicet] sit in omnibus Apostolorum vigiliis ieiunandum, quum plures asserant, non esse ieiunandum in omnibus, sed sex tantum. Utrum etiam ieiunandum sit in Adventu, quum inde sentiant diversi diversa, quibusdam dicentibus, sed paucioribus, ieiunandum esse tunc temporis, pluribus vero se ad hoc asserentibus non teneri. Utrum insuper, si festum illorum, quorum vigilias ieiunamus, secunda feria celebrari contingat, in praecedenti sabbato sint vigiliae faciendae. Nos autem super hoc Consultationi tuae taliter respondemus, quod apud nos omnium Apostolorum vigiliae sunt in observatione ieiunii celebrandae, praeter vigilias Apostolorum Philippi et Iacobi, et B. Ioannis Evangelistae, quoniam ipsorum solennitas infra solennitatem paschalem, istius autem infra natalem Domini celebratur. Ieiunium etiam apud nos in adventu Domini agitur. Sanctorum quoque vigiliae, quorum festivitates oportet secunda feria celebrari, in praecedenti sunt sabbato ieiunandae. De festivitate vero beati Bartholomaei Apostoli, de cuius celebratione dubietas oritur apud quosdam, tibi petenti consilium respondemus, quod in hoc consuetudinem tuae regionis observes. (Et infra: [cf. c. 4. de cel. miss. III. 41.]) Quum autem quaesieris, quae sit illis poenitentia iniungenda, qui diebus quadragesimalibus, quo tempore tantae famis inedia ingruebat, quod magna pars populi propter inopiam annonae periret, carnes comedere sunt coacti, tibi breviter respondemus, quod in tali articulo illos non credimus puniendos, quos tam urgens necessitas excusavit, preces tamen Domino pro illis et cum illis effundas, ne ipsis aliquatenus imputetur, quia bonarum mentium est, ibi timere culpam, ubi culpa minime reperitur. Item de illis, qui propter debilitatem, quam in se sentiunt, in sabbato iuxta terrarum consuetudinem aliarum carnes sumunt, quod in partibus tuis nullatenus fieri consuevit, quum hoc ab aliis moleste feratur, et oriatur inde illis occasio detrahendi, respondemus, quod super hoc consuetudinem tuae regionis facias observari, sic tamen, quod debilibus et infirmis propter hoc periculum non emergat. Praeterea postulasti apostolicum responsum habere de illis, qui in quadragesima vel in aliis ieiuniis solennibus infirmantur, et petunt sibi esum carnium indulgeri, quorum quidam promittunt propter hoc eleemosynam se facturos, quidam vero propter necessitatem infirmitatis urgentis hoc a te sibi, quasi ex debito, concedi requirunt. Super quo tibi respondemus, quod, quum non subiaceat legi necessitas, desiderium infirmorum, quum urgens necessitas exigit, supportare potes et debes, ut maius in eis periculum evitetur. [Dat. Rom. ap. S. Petr. IX. Kal. Mart. Pont. nostr. Ao. VIII. 1206.]
Chapter III
Latin source headnote: If the feast of the Nativity falls on the sixth day of the week, it is lawful for all to eat meat, except those professed and those making a vow.
Honorius III, to the Bishop of Prague.
You asked it to be explained through the Apostolic See whether it is lawful for those who are bound neither by vow nor by regular observance to eat meat when the day of the Lord’s Nativity falls on the sixth day of the week. To this we respond that those who are bound neither by vow nor by regular observance, if the feast of the Lord’s Nativity happens to come on that day, can eat meat on the sixth day of the week on account of the excellence of the feast, according to the custom of the universal Church. Nor nevertheless are those to be reproved who out of devotion wish to abstain. [Given at the Lateran, on the fourth day before the Kalends of November, in the first year of our pontificate. 1216.]
Si festum Nativitatis occurrit sexta feria, licitum est omnibus carnes comedere, exceptis professis et voventibus.
Honorius III. Pragensi Episcopo.
Explicari per sedem apostolicam postulasti, +utrum sit licitum illis, qui nec voto, nec regulari observantia sunt adstricti, carnes comedere, quando in sexta feria dies dominicae Nativitatis occurrit. Ad hoc Respondemus, quod illi, qui nec voto, nec regulari observantia sunt adstricti, in sexta feria, si festum nativitatis dominicae die ipso venire contigerit, carnibus propter festi excellentiam vesci possunt secundum consuetudinem ecclesiae generalis. Nec tamen hi reprehendendi sunt, qui ob devotionem voluerint abstinere. [Dat. Lat. IV. Kal. Nov. Pont. nostr. Ao. I. 1216.]