distinction — Decretum of Gratian
Distinction LX
GRATIAN. Behold, it has been shown in part who can be promoted to the order of the priesthood and who cannot. Now it is to be considered from what orders persons are to be chosen as archpriest, provost, bishop, or archbishop. Concerning these it was established as follows in the Council of Pope Urban celebrated in Auvergne:
GRATIANUS. Ecce, ex parte ostensum est, qui possint ad sacerdotii ordinem promoueri, et qui non. Nunc autem considerandum et, ex quibus ordinibus in archipresbiterum, uel prepositum, uel episcopum, uel archiepiscopum sint eligendi. De his ita statutum est in Concilio Urbani Papae celebrato Aluerniae:
Friedberg, col. 225/226
C. I. An archpriest, dean, or archdeacon shall be ordained only if a priest or deacon.
Let no bishop presume to institute an archdeacon in his church unless he is a deacon, nor to ordain an archpriest or dean unless they are priests. That this may be held more strictly, we prohibit and forbid it by apostolic authority.
C. I. Archipresbiter, uel decanus, aut archidiaconus non nisi presbiter aut diaconus ordinetur.
Nullus episcopus in ecclesia sua, nisi diaconus sit, archidiaconum instituere, nec archipresbiterum aut decanum, nisi presbiteri sint, ordinare presumat. Quod, ut districtius teneatur, auctoritate apostolica prohibemus et interdicimus.
Friedberg, col. 225/226
C. II. No one shall be ordained as provost, archbishop, archpriest, or archdeacon unless a priest or deacon.
Likewise Pope Callistus [II]. Let no one be ordained as provost, no one as archbishop or archpriest, no one as dean, unless he is a priest or deacon; no one as archdeacon unless he is a deacon.
C. II. Nullus in prepositum, uel archiepiscopum, uel archipresbiterum, uel archidiaconum nisi presbiter, uel diaconus ordinetur.
Item Calixtus Papa. [II.] Nullus in prepositum, nullus in archiepiscopum uel archipresbiterum, nullus in decanum nisi presbiter uel diaconus, nullus in archidiaconum nisi diaconus ordinetur.
Friedberg, col. 225/226
C. III. Concerning the same.
Likewise Innocent II [in the Roman Council, c. 10]. We renew and command that no one be ordained archdeacon or dean unless he is a deacon or priest.
But archdeacons, deans, or provosts who are below the orders named above, if, being disobedient, they have despised being ordained, shall be deprived of the honor received. We prohibit, moreover, that the aforesaid honors be granted to young men or to those established below sacred orders, but they shall be granted to those who shine by prudence and merit of life. GRATIAN. One of these rules was established because of the forwardness of certain persons who, having obtained the name of a provostship, despise the office and are unwilling to become priests; otherwise, however, it would be empty, since even those established in the subdiaconate can be elected bishop according to that statement of Pope Urban:
C. III. De eodem.
Item Innocentius II. [in Concilio Romano, c. 10.] Innouamus autem et precipimus, ut nullus in archidiaconum uel decanum nisi diaconus uel presbiter ordinetur.
Archidiaconi uero, uel decani, uel prepositi, qui infra ordines prenominatos existunt, si inobedientes ordinari contempserint, honore suscepto priuentur. Prohibemus autem, ne adolescentibus, uel infra sacros ordines constitutis, sed qui prudentia et merito uitae clarescant, predicti concedantur honores. Gratian. Horum unum propter procacitatem quorumdam statutum est, qui nomen prepositurae adepti offitium contempnunt, nolentes fieri sacerdotes; alias autem inane esset, cum etiam in episcopum eligi possint in subdiaconatu constituti, iuxta illud Urbani Papae:
Friedberg, col. 225/226
C. IV. No one shall be elected bishop unless established in sacred orders.
Let no one be elected to the episcopate unless he has been found living religiously in sacred orders. By sacred orders, moreover, we mean the diaconate and priesthood, for the primitive Church is read to have had these alone; but because subdeacons also minister at altars, we grant them when necessity requires it, provided that they are of proven religion and knowledge. We do not permit this itself to be done without the knowledge of the Roman Pontiff or metropolitan. GRATIAN. The other rule—that no one be elected bishop or archbishop unless established in sacred orders—was established because of the dignity of the order.
C. IV. Non eligatur in episcopum nisi in sacris ordinibus constitutus.
Nullus in episcopatum eligatur, nisi in sacris ordinibus religiose uiuens inuentus fuerit. Sacros autem ordines dicimus diaconatum et presbiteratum. Hos siquidem solos primitiua legitur habuisse ecclesia, subdiacones uero, quia et ipsi altaribus ministrant, oportunitate exigente concedimus, si tamen spectatae sint religionis et scientiae. Quod ipsum non sine Romani Pontificis uel metropolitani scientia fieri permittimus. Gratian. Alterum uero, ut in episcopum uel archiepiscopum nisi in sacris ordinibus constitutus non eligatur, propter dignitatem ordinis statutum est.
Friedberg, col. 227/228