Title — Liber Sextus

Title XXIII: On the Immunity of Churches, Cemeteries, and Other Religious Places

Chapter I

Secular powers shall not presume to exact tallages or exactions from churches or ecclesiastical persons for property or possessions acquired or to be acquired, nor compel them to sell or place those things outside their ownership. This states the point. John Andrew.

Alexander IV.

Because certain persons who possess temporal lordship or bear the office of secular power endeavor to harm and diminish ecclesiastical liberty and immunity, as though envious of the honor and privilege of churches, it is expedient that, through the diligence and authority of the Apostolic See, which has the care and protection of all churches, a suitable remedy be applied against the daring and endeavors of such persons, so that the churches themselves may rejoice in the fullness of their right and the integrity of their liberty, and the detestable audacity of the wicked and the impious temerity of the insolent may be driven back.

Indeed, we have understood that in the Kingdom of France the communes, aldermen or consuls, and other temporal lords, and those who exercise temporal jurisdiction in those communes, cities, towns, and villages, or to whom execution of secular justice is committed in them, are excessively troublesome and hostile to churches in many matters. Among other things, they endeavor and strive that those same churches render and pay to them assessments, tallages, and other things of this kind under pretext of goods that they have acquired, or that they place acquisitions of this kind outside their ownership.

Wishing, therefore, to provide carefully concerning all these things as is expedient, and to oppose so many rash attempts with suitable safeguards, by apostolic authority, after diligent deliberation previously held with our brothers, we decree that it is not lawful for the aforesaid communes, aldermen, and those who possess temporal jurisdiction or exercise temporal justice in them to impose tallages, assessments, or any exactions whatsoever upon churches or ecclesiastical persons, or exact them from those persons for houses, estates, or any possessions lawfully acquired hitherto or to be acquired in the future by those churches or ecclesiastical persons, even if those churches, persons, or things are situated within their district or territory. Nor shall it be lawful for them in any way to constrain those churches or persons to sell, alienate, or place outside their ownership things already acquired or those that they shall hereafter acquire.

DE IMMUNITATE ECCLESIARUM, COEMETERIORUM ET ALIORUM LOCORUM RELIGIOSORUM.

Saeculares potestates ab ecclesiis vel ecclesiasticis personis tallias vel exactiones pro rebus vel possessionibus acquisitis vel acquirendis exigere non praesumant, nec eas compellere ad ipsas distrahendum, vel extra manum suam ponendum. H. d. Ioann. Andr.

Alexander IV.

Quia nonnulli, habentes temporale dominium, vel potestatis gerentes officium saecularis, libertatem et immunitatem ecclesiasticam laedere ac minuere tanquam honoris et privilegii ecclesiarum invidi moliuntur: expedit, quod per diligentiam et auctoritatem sedis apostolicae, quae curam habet ecclesiarum omnium et tutelam, contra talium ausus et conamina opportunum remedium apponatur, ut ecclesiae ipsae in plenitudine iuris sui et libertatis integritate laetentur, ac detestabilis malignorum audacia et insolentium nefaria temeritas propulsetur. Sane intelleximus, quod in regno Franciae communiae, scabini seu consules et alii domini temporales, et ii, qui iurisdictionem in ipsis com-muniis, civitatibus , castris et villis temporalem exercent, vel quibus in illis commissa est exsecutio iustitiae saecularis, molesti sunt nimium ecclesiis super pluribus et infesti, et inter cetera nituntur et student, ut illis collectas et * tallias et alia huiusmodi eaedem ecclesiae praetextu bonorum, quae acquisiverunt, tribuant et persolvant, vel extra manum suam ponant huiusmodi aequisjtas. Volentes itaque super his omnibus, prout expedit, sollicite providere, totque temerariis ausibus congruis praesidiis obviare, auctoritate apostolica praehabita cum fratribus nostris diligenti deliberatione decernimus , non licere praefatis communiis, scabinis, et iis, qui in eis iurisdictionem temporalem obtinent vel iustitiam temporalem * exercent , tallias, vel collectas seu exactiones quascunque ecclesiis vel ' personis ecclesiasticis imponere, vel exigere ab eisdem pro domibus, praediis vel quibuscunque possessionibus, ab eisdem ecclesiis vel personis ecclesiasticis legitime hactenus acquisitis vel in posterum acquirendis, etiamsi ipsae ecclesiae vel personae vel res huiusmodi sint infra illorum districtum vel territorium constitutae. Nec etiam liceat illis, ipsas ecclesias vel personas ad distrahendum vel alienandum, aut extra manum suam ponendum acquisita iam, vel quae deinceps acquirent, aliquatenus coarctare .

Chapter II

Churches ought to be entered humbly and prayer pursued there, with shouting and seditions, councils of lay communities and their public parliaments, vain conversations, business dealings, fairs, and secular judgments—especially criminal ones—excluded. This states the point as far as § “The ordinaries.” Dominicus. — § 1. Ordinaries of places ought to execute what is contained here; judgments held in churches are null, and those acting contrary are to be punished. This states the point. Dominicus.

Gregory X, in the General Council of Lyons.

Holiness befits the house of the Lord; it is fitting that the worship of him whose place was made in peace be peaceful with due veneration. Therefore, let entry into churches be humble and devout, and conduct in them quiet, pleasing to God and agreeable to those observing it, so that, when they consider it, it may not only instruct but also refresh them. Those assembling there shall exalt, by the exhibition of special reverence, that name which is above every name, other than which no name under heaven has been given to men in which those believing must be saved—namely, the name of Jesus Christ, who will save his people from their sins. Individually fulfilling in themselves what is written generally, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, especially while the sacred ministries of Masses are being performed, whenever that glorious name is recalled they shall bend the knees of their hearts, which they shall attest at least by an inclination of the head.

Let sacred solemnities be attended to in the same places with intent hearts; let devout prayers be pursued. Let no one in those places, in which it is fitting that vows be celebrated with peace and quiet, stir up sedition, raise a clamor, or commit an assault. Let councils, assemblies, and public parliaments of any communities and associations cease in those places. Let vain conversations, and much more shameful and profane conversations, cease; let all idle talk cease. Finally, let all other things that can disturb divine worship or offend the eyes of the divine majesty be entirely foreign to those places, lest an occasion of sinning be given, or sins be found to be committed, where pardon for sins is to be sought. Let business dealings cease in churches and their cemeteries, and especially the tumult of fairs and of any market. Let all din of secular judgments be still in them. Let no cause, especially a criminal one, be conducted there by laymen; let the same places be foreign to the judicial cognizance of laymen.

§ 1. The ordinaries of places shall cause this to be observed, shall counsel the things to be counseled, and by authority of this canon shall restrain the things prohibited, appointing for this even others who are more regularly present in the churches themselves and suitable for the foregoing. Nevertheless, the proceedings of secular judges, and especially judgments pronounced in the same places, shall lack every strength of validity. Those who with a wanton spirit contemn the foregoing prohibitions will be able, in addition to the proceeding of the ordinaries and persons appointed by them, to fear the severity of divine vengeance and ours until, having confessed their guilt, they resolve with firm purpose to abstain from similar acts.

In ecclesiis dato humili ingressu debet orationibus insisti, exclusis clamoribus et seditionibus, conciliis universitatis laicorum, et eorum publicis parlamentis, vanis colloquiis, negotiationibus, et nundinis ac iudiciis saecularibus, et maxime criminalibus. H. d. usque ad §. Ordinarii. Dominicus. — §. 1. Locorum ordinarii exsequi debent hic contenta; et sententiae, in ecclesiis habitae, sunt nullae, et contra facientes puniri debent. H. d. Dominicus.

Gregorius X. in generali concilio Lugdunensi .

Decet domum Domini sanctitudo, decet, ut, cuius in pace factus est locus, eius cultus sit cum' debita veneratione pacificus. Sit itaque ad ecclesias humilis et devotus ingressus, sit in eis quieta conversatio, Deo grata, inspicientibus placita *, quae considerantes non solum instruat, sed et reficiat. Convenientes ibidem nomen illud, quod est super omne nomen, a quo aliud sub coelo non est datum hominibus, in quo salvos fieri credentes oporteat, nomen videlicet Iesu Christi, qui salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum, exhibitione reverentiae specialis attollant, et, quod generaliter scribitur, ut in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur, singuli singulariter in se ipsis implentes, praecipue dum aguntur missarum sacra ministeria *, gloriosum illud nomen quandocunque recolitur, flectant genua cordis sui, quod vel capitis inclinatione testentur *. Attendantur in locis eisdem intentis praecordiis sacra solennia, devotis * orationibus insistatur *. Nullus in locis eisdem, in quibus cum pace ac quiete vota convenit celebrari, seditionem excitet, conclamationem moveat impetumve committat. Cessent in locis * illis universitatum et societatum quarumlibet concilia, conciones et publica parlamenta. Cessent vana et multo fortius foeda et profana colloquia, cessent confabulationes quaelibet. Sint postremo quaecunque alia, quae divinum possunt turbare officium, aut oculos divinae maiestatis offendere , ab ipsis prorsus extranea, ne, ubi peccatorum est venia postulanda, ibi peccandi detur occasio, aut deprehendantur peccata committi. Cessent in ecclesiis earumque coemeteriis negotiationes , et praecipue nundinarum ac fori cuiuscunque tumultus. Omnis in eis saecularium iudiciorum strepitus conquiescat. Nulla inibi causa per laicos, criminalis maxime, agitetur; sint loca eadem a laicorum cognitionibus aliena. §. i. Ordinarii locorum hoc faciant observari, suadenda suadeant, interdicta huius canonis auctoritate compescant, ad hoc alios etiam in ecclesiis ipsis magis assiduos et ad praemissa idoneos deputando. Et nihilominus processus iudicum saecularium, ac specialiter prolatae sententiae in eisdem locis omni careant robore firmitatis. Qui vero praemissas inhibitiones animo petulanti contempserint, praeter processum ordinariorum et deputandorum ab ipsis, divinae ultionis et nostrae poterunt acrimoniam formidare, donec suum confessi reatum a similibus firmato proposito deliberaverint abstinere.

Cited by 1 passage

Bucceroni, Institutions of Moral Theology, Volume I (1914), On the First Precept of the Decalogue, VII. On Sacrilege, n. 497

Chapter III

It sets forth the excesses of laymen who imposed assessments, tallages, and burdens upon clerics, and the excesses of clerics who consented to such things. — § 1. It commands that ecclesiastical persons ought to pay nothing to laymen for their own property or that of churches without license of the Apostolic See, under any pretext of a loan, subvention, gift, or any other; likewise, that the laymen themselves neither exact nor receive tallages nor occupy in any manner things deposited by churches or ecclesiastical persons. It excommunicates individuals acting contrary and interdicts communities. These penalties apply to promises made even before this constitution if payment or receipt occurs afterward; the Pope alone absolves from these sentences, except at the point of death. This states the point. — § 2. It quashes and invalidates all privileges derogating from this constitution.

Boniface VIII.

Antiquity relates that laymen are exceedingly hostile to clerics, a fact that the experiences of the present times also manifestly declare. Not content with their own limits, they strive toward what is forbidden, loosen the reins toward unlawful things, and do not prudently consider how power over clerics or ecclesiastical persons and goods is forbidden to them. They impose grave burdens upon prelates of churches, churches, and ecclesiastical persons, regular and secular; impose tallages and assessments upon them; exact and extort from them a half, tenth, twentieth, or any other portion or quota of their revenues or goods; and endeavor in many ways to subject them to servitude and submit them to their dominion. And, what we report with sorrow, certain prelates of churches and ecclesiastical persons, trembling where there is no cause to tremble, seeking transitory peace, and fearing more to offend the temporal majesty than the eternal, acquiesce in such abuses not so much rashly as improvidently, without authority or license of the Apostolic See having been obtained.

§ 1. We therefore, wishing to oppose such wicked acts, with the counsel of our brothers establish by apostolic authority that any prelates and ecclesiastical persons, religious or secular, of whatever orders, condition, or status, who, without authority of the same See, pay or promise to laymen assessments or tallages, a tenth, twentieth, or hundredth of their own or their churches' revenues or goods, or consent that they will pay them, or pay or promise any other quantity, portion, or quota of those revenues or goods or of their valuation or value under the name of assistance, loan, subvention, subsidy, or gift, or under any other title, manner, or devised pretext, shall by the fact itself incur a sentence of excommunication.

Likewise, emperors, kings or princes, dukes, counts or barons; magistrates, captains, officials, or rectors, by whatever name they are designated, of cities, towns, or any places whatsoever situated anywhere; and any others of whatever preeminence, condition, or status, who impose, exact, or receive such things, or presume anywhere to arrest, seize, or occupy things of churches or ecclesiastical persons deposited in sacred buildings, or command them to be arrested, seized, or occupied, or receive things occupied, seized, or arrested, as well as all who knowingly give aid, counsel, or favor in the foregoing, publicly or secretly, shall by the fact itself incur a sentence of excommunication. We also place communities that are culpable in these matters under ecclesiastical interdict.

We strictly command the aforesaid prelates and ecclesiastical persons, in virtue of obedience and under penalty of deposition, that without the express license of the said See they shall in no way acquiesce in such things, and that under pretext of any obligation, promise, or acknowledgment hitherto made or to be made hereafter—before a constitution, prohibition, or precept of this kind has come to their knowledge—they shall pay nothing, nor shall the aforesaid secular persons receive anything. If they pay or the aforesaid persons receive, they shall by the fact itself incur a sentence of excommunication. No one shall be able to be absolved from the aforesaid sentences of excommunication and interdict, except at the point of death, without authority and special license of the Apostolic See, since it is our intention in no way to pass over under dissimulation so horrible an abuse of secular powers.

§ 2. Notwithstanding any privileges granted to emperors, kings, and the other aforesaid persons under any tenors, forms, manners, or conceptions of words whatsoever, which we do not wish to assist any person or persons in anything contrary to the foregoing.

Ponit excessus laicorum, qui clericis collectas, tallia et onera imponebant, et excessus clericorum, qui talibus consentiebant. — §. 1. Praecipit, personas ecclesiasticas pro rebus suis vel ecclesiarum nil laicis solvere debere absque licentia apostolicae sedis, sub quocunque colore mutui, subventionis, doni vel alio quolibet, ut etiam ipsi laici tallias non exigant vel recipiant, nec occupent quocunque modo deposita ecclesiarum vel personarum ecclesiasticarum; singulares contra facientes excommunicat, universitates interdicit. Quae poenae locum habeant in promissionibus, factis etiam ante hanc constitutionem, si postmodum solvantur vel recipiantur, et ab his sententiis solus Papa absolvit, praeterquam in mortis articulo. Hoc dicit. — §. 2. Omnia privilegia derogantia huic constitutioni cassat et irritat.

Bonifacius VIII.

Clericis laicos infestos oppido tradit antiquitas, quod et praesentium experimenta temporum manifeste declarant, dum suis finibus non contenti nituntur in vetitum, ad illicita frena relaxant, nec prudenter attendunt, quam sit eis in clericos ecclesiasticasve personas et bona interdicta potestas, ecclesiarum praelatis, ecclesiis, ecclesiasticisque personis regularibus et saecularibus imponunt onera gravia, ipsosque talliant, et eis collectas imponunt, ab ipsis suorum proventuum vel bonorum dimidiam decimam, seu vicesimam, vel quamvis aliam portionem aut quotam exigunt et extorquent, eosque moliuntur multifarie subiicere servituti, sUaeque submittere ditioni, et, (quod dolenter referimus,) nonnulli ecclesiarum praelati ecclesiasticaeque personae, trepidantes ubi trepidandum non est, transitoriam pacem quaerentes, plus timentes maiestatem temporalem offendere quam aeternam, talium abusibus non tam temerarie quam improvide acquiescunt, sedis apostolicae auctoritate seu licentia non obtenta. §. i. Nos igitur, talibus iniquis actibus obviare volentes, de fratrum nostrorum consilio apostolica auctoritate statuimus, quod, quicunque praelati ecclesiasticaeque personae, religiosae vel saeculares quorumcunque ordinum, conditionis seu status , collectas vel tallias, decimam, vicesimam seu centesimam suorum et ecclesiarum proventuum vel bonorum laicis solverint vel promiserint, vel se soluturos consenserint, aut quamvis aliam quantitatem, portionem aut quotam ipsorum proventuum vel bonorum aestimationis vel valoris ipsorum, sub adiutorii, mutui, subventionis, subsidii vel doni nomine, seu quovis alio titulo, modo vel quaesito colore absque auctoritate sedis eiusdem, nec non imperatores, reges seu principes, duces, comites vel barones, potestates, capitanei, vel * officiales vel rectores, quocunque nomine censeantur, civitatum, castrorum seu quorumcunque locorum, constitutorum ubilibet, et quivis alii cuiuscunque prae eminentiae, conditionis et status, qui talia imposuerint, exegerint vel receperint, aut apud aedes sacras deposita ecclesiarum vel ecclesiasticarum personarum ubilibet arrestaverint, saisi-verint seu occupare praesumpserint, vel arrestari, saisiri aut occupari mandaverint, aut occupata, saisita seu arrestata receperint, nec non omnes, qui scienter dederint in praedictis auxilium, consilium vel favorem publice vel occulte, eo ipso sententiam excommunicationis incurrant. Universitates quoque, quae in his culpabiles fuerint, ecclesiastico supponimus interdicto, praelatis et personis ecclesiasticis supra dictis in virtute obedientiae, et sub depositionis poena districte mandantes, ut talibus absque expressa licentia dictae sedis nullatenus acquiescant, quodque praetextu cuiuscunque obligationis , promissionis et confessionis , factarum hactenus vel faciendarum in antea, priusquam huiusmodi constitutio, prohibitio seu praeceptum ad notitiam ipsorum pervenerint, nil solvant, nec supra dicti saeculares quoquo modo recipiant. Et si solverint, vel praedicti receperint, excommunicationis sententiam incidant ipso facto. A supra dictis autem excommunicationum et interdicti sententiis nullus absolvi valeat, praeterquam in mortis articulo, absque sedis apostolicae auctoritate et licentia speciali, quum nostrae intentionis exsistat, tam horrendum saecularium potestatum abusum nullatenus sub dissimulatione transire. §. 2. Non obstantibus quibuscunque privilegiis, sub quibuscunque tenoribus, formis seu modis aut verborum conceptione, concessis imperatoribus, regibus et aliis supra dictis, quae contra praemissa in nullo volumus alicui vel aliquibus suffragari.

Cited by 3 passages

Chapter IV

Those who impede letters from being obtained from the Apostolic See, or litigation from being conducted concerning them before ecclesiastical ordinaries or delegates, in causes that belong to the ecclesiastical forum by law or custom, are excommunicated. John Andrew.

The same.

Because, as we have understood, the presumptuous temerity of certain justiciars, bailiffs, secular judges, and temporal lords in certain regions has so increased that persons within their lands or districts who obtain apostolic letters, or have recourse to ordinary ecclesiastical judges concerning causes, business, or questions that, by reason of persons or things, belong by law or ancient custom to the ecclesiastical forum, cannot obtain the fullness of justice in those lands through the same ordinary judges or apostolic letters, but rather are compelled concerning them to have recourse to secular judgment or to desist from the lawsuit, cause, or question, we, who support others in their justice, are unwilling to neglect our own justice and that of the Church, our bride.

We therefore establish by strict prohibition that no one shall, personally or through another, by capture of the same ecclesiastical judges, applicants, litigants, persons wishing to litigate, their relatives, their property, or even their churches, or by any other means whatsoever, compel or cause or procure applicants for our letters, or others litigating or wishing to litigate in the delegated or ordinary ecclesiastical forum—whether both parties wish this or one alone—concerning ecclesiastical causes, or causes known to belong by law or ancient custom to the ecclesiastical forum by reason of persons, business, or things, to desist or to litigate questions of this kind in the secular forum. Nor shall anyone, personally or through others, impede complainants before delegated or ordinary ecclesiastical judges from being able freely to obtain justice concerning causes that, as was premised, belong to the cognizance of those judges; nor shall anyone give aid, counsel, or favor toward doing the aforesaid things.

If anyone presumes to act contrary, he shall know himself subject by the fact itself to excommunication, from which he shall in no way be absolved unless he has first made full satisfaction for the injury, damages, expenses, and interest both to the judge whose cognizance was impeded or jurisdiction usurped, and to the party who was disturbed in pursuit of his right.

Excommunicati sunt, qui impediunt super causis, quae ad forum ecclesiasticum de iure vel de consuetudine pertinent, literas a sede apostolica impetrari, vel super ipsis coram ordinariis vel delegatis ecclesiasticis litigari.

Ioann. Andr.

Idem.

Quoniam, ut intelleximus, quorundam iustitiariorum, ballivorum iudicumve saecularium ac temporalium dominorum in quibusdam partibus presumptuosa temeritas sic excrevit, ut in terris eorum sive districtibus literas apostolicas impetrantes, vel ad iudices ordinarios ecclesiasticos recurrentes super causis, negotiis seu quaestionibus, quae ratione personarum aut rerum de iure aut antiqua consuetudine ad forum ecclesiasticum pertinent, obtinere non possunt in eis per eosdem ordinarios iudices vel apostolicas literas iustitiae complementum, quin potius super illis recurrere ad iudicium saeculare, vel a lite , causa seu quaestione desistere compelluntur : nos, iustitiam nostram et ecclesiae sponsae nostrae nolentes negligere, qui alios in sua iustitia confovemus, statuimus districtius inhibendo *, ne quis impetratores literarum nostrarum, vel alios in foro * ecclesiastico delegato seu ordinario litigantes seu litigare volentes, sive ambae partes hoc voluerint sive una, super causis ecclesiasticis, sive quae ad forum ecclesiasticum ratione personarum, negotiorum vel rerum, de iure vel de antiqua consuetudine pertinere noscuntur, per se vel per alium ad desistendum, vel in foro saeculari de quaestionibus huiusmodi litigandum per eorundem iudicum ecclesiasticorum vel impetrantium aut litigantium, seu volentium litigare, aut propinquorum ipsorum seu rerum illorum, aut ecclesiarum suarum etiam captionem, modisve aliis quibuscunque compellat, seu compelli faciat vel procuret, nec per se aliosve impediat, quo minus coram iudicibus ecclesiasticis, delegatis seu ordinariis querelantes de causis, quae, ut praemissum est, ad cognitionem pertinent eorundem, possint libere iustitiam obtinere, nec ad praedicta facienda det auxilium, consilium vel favorem. Si quis vero contra praesumpserit : excommunicationi se ipso facto noverit subiacere, a qua, nisi tam iudici, cuius cognitio fuerit impedita vel iurisdictio usurpata, quam parti, quae turbata in prosecutione fuerit sui iuris, de iniuria, damnis, expensis et interesse prius per eundem integre fuerit satis factum, nullatenus absolvatur.

Chapter V

Temporal lords who prohibit their subjects from contracting with ecclesiastical persons or rendering customary services to them incur excommunication by the fact itself. This states the point. Dominicus.

The same.

We decree that those who possess temporal lordship and sometimes prohibit their subjects from selling anything to prelates, clerics, or ecclesiastical persons, buying anything from them, grinding their grain, baking their bread, or presuming to render other services to them are by that very fact subject to a sentence of excommunication, since such acts are presumed in derogation of ecclesiastical liberty.