Question — Decretum of Gratian
Question VII
GRATIAN. PART I. That a priest is prohibited from being condemned without a synodal hearing is stated thus in the Council of Seville, at which Isidore was present, [c. 6]:
GRATIANUS. I. Pars. Absque sinodali uero audientia sacerdotem dampnari, in Spalensi Concilio, cui Ysidorus interfuit, [cap. 6.] sic prohibetur:
Friedberg, col. 755/756
C. I. A priest or deacon is not to be cast down without the examination of a council.
In the sixth action we discovered that Fragitanus, a priest of the church of Córdoba, was once unjustly cast down by his pontiff and, though innocent, condemned to exile. Having decreed that he be restored again to his order, we further decree this against your presumption: that according to the synodal judgment of the holy Fathers, none of you shall think that any priest or deacon is to be cast down without the examination of a council. For there are many who condemn the unexamined by tyrannical power, not by canonical authority. And just as they exalt some by the favor of partiality, so they abase others by hatred and envy, and condemn by the light breeze of opinion those whose crime they do not prove. For a bishop alone can give honor to priests and ministers; he cannot alone take it away. For if those who in this age attained the honor of freedom from their lords are not returned to the bond of servitude unless they have been publicly accused before praetors in the tribunal of the forum, how much more those who are consecrated to the divine altars and adorned with ecclesiastical honor? They surely can neither be condemned by one nor be stripped of the privilege of their honor with one man judging; but, having been presented to a synodal judgment, it is fitting that whatever the canon has commanded concerning them be determined.
C. I. Sine concilii examine presbiter uel diaconus non deiciatur.
Sexta actione conperimus, Fragitanum Cordubensis ecclesiae presbiterum iniuste olim a pontifice suo deiectum, et innocentem exilio condempnatum. Quem rursus ordini suo restitutum esse, id denuo aduersus presumptionem uestram decreuimus, ut iuxta sanctorum Patrum sinodalem sententiam nullus uestrum sine concilii examine quemlibet presbiterum uel diaconum deiciendum putet. Nam multi sunt, qui indiscussos potestate tirannica, non auctoritate canonica dampnant. Et sicut nonnullos gratia fauoris sublimant ita quosdam odio inuidiaque humiliant, et leui opinionis aura condempnant quorum crimen non approbant. Episcopus enim sacerdotibus ac ministris solus honorem dare potest, solus auferre non potest. Si enim hi, qui in hoc seculo a dominis suis honorem adepti sunt libertatis, in seruitutis nexum non reuoluuntur, nisi publice apud pretores tribunali foro accusati fuerint, quanto magis hii, qui diuinis altaribus consecrati honore ecclesiastico decorantur? Qui profecto nec ab uno dampnari, nec uno iudicante poterunt honoris sui priuilegio exui, sed, presentati sinodali iudicio, quod omnino de illis canon preceperit oportet diffiniri.
Friedberg, col. 755/756
C. II. Let a bishop hear cases of clerics only with the elders of the church.
Likewise Gregory to John, Bishop of Palermo, [book XI, letter 49]. Therefore, if anything concerning any cleric has reached your ears which could justly offend you, do not readily believe it, nor let an unknown matter inflame you to vengeance; but in the presence of the elders of your church the truth is to be investigated diligently, and then, if the quality of the matter demands it, let canonical severity strike the guilt of the delinquent.
C. II. Causas clericorum episcopus non nisi cum senioribus ecclesiae audiat.
Item Gregorius Iohanni Episcopo Panormitano. [lib. XI. epist. 49.] Si quid igitur de quocumque clerico ad aures tuas peruenerit, quod te iuste possit offendere, facile non credas, nec te ad uindictam res accendat incognita, sed presentibus ecclesiae tuae senioribus diligenter est perscrutanda ueritas, et tunc, si qualitas rei poposcerit, canonica districtio culpam feriat delinquentis.
Friedberg, col. 757/758
C. III. By how many bishops priests or deacons are to be heard.
Likewise from the First Council of Carthage, [c. 11]. If anyone has appeared swollen with pride or contumelious toward one older than himself, or has any cause, let him be heard by three neighboring bishops if the one accused is a deacon, by six if he is a priest, and by twelve fellow bishops if he is a bishop. All the bishops said: Contumacy must be crushed and pride broken in all. But let cases be heard by these persons in the appointed number according to the persons involved.
C. III. A quot episcopis presbiteri uel diaconi sunt audiendi.
Item ex Concilio Cartaginensi I. [c. 11.] Si quis tumidus uel contumeliosus extiterit in maiorem natu, uel aliquam causam habuerit, a tribus uicinis episcopis, si diaconus est, qui arguitur, si presbiter est, a sex, si episcopus, a duodecim consacerdotibus audiatur. Uniuersi episcopi dixerunt: Contundi debet contumacia et superbia in omnibus frangi. Causae uero pro personis ab his statuto numero audiantur.
Friedberg, col. 757/758
C. IV. Concerning the same.
Likewise from the Second Council of Carthage, [c. 10]. Felix, Bishop of Selemsela, said: I also add this according to the statutes of the ancient councils: if any bishop—which we do not wish—has happened to incur some charge, and if there should be so great a necessity for him that many bishops cannot assemble, lest he remain under accusation, let him be heard by twelve bishops, a priest by six, and a deacon by three, together with his own bishop.
C. IV. De eodem.
Item ex Concilio Cartaginensi II. [c. 10] Felix episcopus Selemselitanus dixit: Etiam hoc adicio secundum statuta ueterum conciliorum, ut, si quis episcopus (quod non optamus) fieri reatum aliquem incurrerit, et si fuerit ei nimia necessitas non posse plurimos congregare episcopos, ne in crimine maneat, a duodecim episcopis audiatur, et a sex presbiter, et a tribus diaconus, cum proprio suo episcopo.
Friedberg, col. 757/758
C. V. Concerning the same.
Likewise from the Third Council of Carthage, [c. 8]. But if priests or deacons have been accused, let their own bishop, having joined to himself from neighboring places the lawful number of colleagues whom the accused request from him—that is, together with himself six in the case of a priest and three in that of a deacon—examine their cases, with the same form preserved between the accusers and those who are accused concerning days and postponement, removal from communion, and examination of causes. But let even the bishop of the place alone take cognizance of and decide the cases of the other clerics. PART II. GRATIAN. “Alone” is said to the exclusion of other bishops, but not of his own clerics, without whose presence his sentence will be void. Hence it is read in the Fourth Council of Carthage, [c. 23]:
C. V. De eodem.
Item ex Concilio Cartaginensi III. [c. 8.] Si autem presbiteri uel diaconi fuerint accusati, adiuncto sibi ex uicinis locis proprius episcopus legitimo numero collegarum, quos ab eodem accusati petierint, id est una secum in presbiteri nomine sex, in diaconi tres qui ipsorum causas discutiant eadem dierum et dilatione, et a communione remotionum, et discussione causarum, inter accusatores et eos, qui accusantur, forma seruata. Reliquorum uero clericorum causas etiam solus episcopus loci agnoscat et finiat. II. Pars. Gratian. Solus autem ad exclusionem aliorum episcoporum, non suorum clericorum dicitur, sine quorum presentia eius sententia irrita erit. Unde in Cartaginensi Concilio IV. [c. 23.] legitur.
Friedberg, col. 757/758
C. VI. Let a bishop hear no one’s case without the presence of his clerics.
Let a bishop hear no one’s case without the presence of his clerics; otherwise the bishop’s sentence will be void unless it is confirmed by the presence of the clerics.
C. VI. Absque clericorum presentia episcopus nullius causam audiat.
Episcopus nullius causam audiat absque presentia suorum clericorum; alioquin irrita erit sententia episcopi, nisi presentia clericorum firmetur.
Friedberg, col. 757/758
C. VII. Priests canonically summoned cannot be condemned except in a synod.
Likewise from the Second Council of Seville, [c. 6]. A bishop alone can give honor to priests and ministers, but he cannot alone take it away. For if those who in the world attained the honor of freedom from their lords are not returned to the yoke of servitude unless they have been publicly accused before praetors and governors in the tribunal of the forum, how much more those who, consecrated to the divine altars, are adorned with ecclesiastical honor? They surely can neither be condemned by one nor, with one man judging, be stripped of the privileges of their honor; but, having been presented to a synodal judgment, what the canon has commanded concerning them is to be determined.
C. VII. Nisi in sinodo canonice uocati sacerdotes dampnari non possunt.
Item ex Concilio Spalensi II. [c. 6.] Episcopus sacerdotibus ac ministris solus honorem dare potest, sed solus auferre non potest. Si enim hii, qui in seculo a dominis suis honorem libertatis adepti sunt, in seruitutis iugum non reuoluuntur, nisi publice apud pretores ac presides tribunali foro fuerint accusati, quanto magis hii, qui diuinis altaribus consecrati, honore ecclesiastico decorantur? Qui profecto nec ab uno dampnari, nec uno iudicante poterunt honoris sui priuilegiis exui, sed, presentati sinodali iudicio, quid canon de illis preceperit diffiniri.
Friedberg, col. 757/758