Letter 23: concerning paee Anliochenee ecclesiw impertita.

Reading the letters of your love, we learned that certain presbyters and deacons are conducting themselves in a manner contrary to the laws of the Church and the decrees of the apostolic see. Since this matter pertains to the discipline which the blessed apostle Peter entrusted to this see for the governance of all the churches, we cannot pass it over in silence. You report that some presbyters presume to consecrate the chrism and to perform other sacred rites which belong to the office of the bishop alone. Let them know that such presumption is strictly forbidden by the ancient canons, and that if they persist in it they shall be deprived of the office they have usurped. For just as there is a distinction of orders in the Church, so there must be a distinction of functions, and no inferior may arrogate to himself what pertains to a superior. You also report that some deacons consider themselves equal to presbyters and claim precedence over them. Let this abuse be corrected immediately, for the deacon is the minister of the bishop and of the presbyters, not their equal. The canonical order must be observed in all things, so that the Church of God may be governed in decorum and order, as the apostle commands. Whatever the bishop has ordered for the good governance of his church must be obeyed by all his clergy, and whoever resists the legitimate authority of his bishop shall answer for it before the judgment seat of this apostolic see.

De paee Anliochenee ecclesiw impertita. Innocentics Bomfacio presbytkro. Ecclesia Anliocbena, quani prius quam ad ur- bein perveniret Rotnain, bcatus aposlolus Petrus stia praisentia illustravii, velut germana eccl.six Romanae, dm se ab B eadem alienam esse nmi passa esi. Nam inissis legatis ita paceni poslulavil, etme- ruit, iil ct Evagrianos suis ordinibus ac locis, inte- ntetaia ordinatinne quam acceperant a memorato h, susciperet : et Juaiinis sanctae inenioria: vel clericos vel laicos in unum colligeret anpie congregaret, atque completa, etiam ipsi se pro suo loco f.-ci-se vel cmplesse aliquando monstraverint, comniunio- neinque, ui isti, leyaiione solemniter destinata, sibi rogaverint redbiberi. Exspectanius crgo et profes- sionem memorati de complctis omnibus conditioni- bus, quas diversis lemportbiis prxdiximus, et peti- tioiicm commuui ,„is, ut recte et petenti , et pro- banti se eamdem niereri, redilamus, fraler cbaris- siinc. Nam de omnibus plenissimas ad sanctam fra- eosilem veneril, se sine controversia recepturum ac nomen episcopi memoraii (Joannis) inier quies cenles episcopos recitaliiriiin. Cui rei nos noveris tradidisse manus, fraler cbarissime, el cos in noslra visceia recepisse : ne diu membra, qu;c rcquisive- raiu sanitaiem , ab iinitate corporis liaberei.tur alicna. Oiniiia vero, qiwc per oidinem gesta sunl, filius meus diicomis Paulus, barum scilicet porlilor litieraruni, dilectioni tuie poterit enarrare, ut et Unde et hutc papas epistolx bujus scribendse ncca- G conlentus, etiam Iegationem solemnem exieere vi s.o data est. Quo leu.pore sc.p a stt, vel ex l.ac (|e:ll„,., I10„ id „„„,„ pos,u,abati u, (|lli *,? ™ „0 simpltci exposiiioi.e collignur. N.un neque s.mul mine legatos ipsi mitie.et:,sed ut liauet Mai imi".ni ci.m tribus -upcnor.l.us, neque im.lto posi couscri- exemplo, sati, l.abebal si quis ner U-eaiaaZ.TrtJl. ptdiu esse apparet : sed lanlu.n mter ha.ic el ilias missos sc-.pta sua ipsi . Iler.et. Verun. ,|a ™ cogiiaiiduin est uitervallu.n, qu.nium opus f.nt, ut qiIoq at.inet, qui Joaot.is loco post Arsacinm «,7 Maxiinia.ius e Ron.ana synodo Lonslant.n„poli.n ft!Clus flierat, etiatn de probanda i s or,l„ li. 1" pcrvei.irei, atque n.de luierae ejus ... Ailici grai.am lllMC ageb.iuir. J.im vero ut sunra na° sS ,, 91 reddi Iunocentio poiuissent. Quo paclo id quod de- observaum„s, iuduci coeoerai ille mos ,,', ,1 1 ' sideral.at lm.oceni.us al. Ait.co, Alexander i,. re- urbis anii„iilum ordi.iaiioi.em non r.i.,s rata, , in gi.nii „rben. venieus ini|it*traril, Atticus ip-e apud N.ccpliorim. lib. xiv, c. i6, narral. berentRomaui pontifices, quam legatione solemni cert.o.es de illa facti fuissent. <■ Quas l.ic nien.oratliiieiae non exsiant. A Dtonysio sub lilulo xli decretori.m Innocentii ordinaia est, et m edit. Rom. non secus alque sti- r "," , ,. "■r—- "' "i" "" VV "° onuiiaia ,si, ei ... e.lit. Itom. .,,,„ secus al.nm sn C,.i.sla..tinop. populi ab ejus coiiimunione abhorre- periores, ut ex Cre.conio nutatur descriota RiJh rei,t,vixque ille, „i secum vel n.v.li c.,m...un.ca- Ci..s, ad quem scr.l„iur, ,.0n imnieriio is" V .„• ', re.it, Imperial, lescr.plo consequ, potuer.t. iNomt- |liesbyU:r Ron.ai.a3 ecclesiaj, ,,„i c „ pre , , , .atnn vero Occident.s ep.scopi, Tl.eodoreto teste altero et epi^co,,is quinqne a. Honorio ad S h.m 1.1. v, c. o pos. .....r.e... Lbrysosiom. consi.ue- destinatus es.e ,o Palladii dialogo ,.. 31 egi, „ .ill, iil nullun. cp.scoporu... One.il.s ad c, ,„- » que I„„o,e„ti,M,ost Z„si„„„„ successH. r Z' U, c on.til admitlcreiii. uiioad m.cii iiims n,,clo,,s ...„„,;„„„ ,.„.... -r, ... ; CM.. 'iimioilc „. i, ii, iii admiitereni, quoad nu.gni hujus Doctoris noineii sacris diptliycbis i..scnpsi>sci.t. El banc qu.dein s.ispei.ste co .uiiionis caiisam Intiocenliiis in pi imis vult amovcri, (|U0 cun. Attico coiun.uiii- ca.e \alcat. P Li.use mss. Colb., discusserinl : quod aliquando placuerat, quia videbaiur criiin esse quascomplenda cra.,1 discuiere, quoiuin erat com.deie quse exige- b.,„l..r. Al pos.ii.oduir, relcela epi -i. la 11», n. |, pa- t„i, liiiioceniiu.n sua in synodo disiussisse, u.riim i.s co.. diiionil.iis, qnas varus lempoiibus et sc, iplis pacs ob ...enda: gratia praiscr.pserat, fuissei satis- factiim. Deinde tn volgi.t.s ui quoj, ubi legei.dum ii/iiic, id esl , ei (mvniudo. Mu\ nro nioifitnuiiii ,„ STJ23S!T c"lal '"""""tr""' el '" al"'uut b™ s"bsc,"wu,r -&? $ -w cwi osienaertm. Ilirumque Hapot.si nielliai ut siurtn»»», .,i 9 i .,1,1,, magno iramtle : corriguniur ex scipiis. sia.n, ei coiligWet ad M^n* , , re? • , 'r ,»?? t"Merl..i.e«n.d<.»,,«an,pra!,(otomcorrupie.Quam- pro verbo promiuem ,,.,„d , • 0 eiHS1 i r '„ e V» Innocentius, pacem postulamium sciptis non cWtoeifafr.m.Uttffil^^S^^" legat.one ap.id TI.eodo.-i pro negoiiis ap«,stolic:u sed.s fui.gebatnr Ex pi.snvnii- veibis, quibus iubc- tnr ui co* mformet qui pro Aaici partibus imenenire sulent, cpi li.laiu banc proxiiua a.l ll;..\iiniatiiini scripia iioi. anienorem esse liq„ei. Ui.a,„,|„e -,„M,| nnssam jnrc op.nemu.-. Iluic si.)i,,iex apud D,o„v- siiiii. et istd( riiin praflg.ttir sumnia : Dc Aiitiocltena eccteua. Innoceiitiiis, quasi prius Etagrii clericos non lua- gnnnos dixissct. Tuiii in m-s. susciperent, lameisi in 847 S. imOGK gaudium cniiiiniine nobiscum habeas, et eos infor- mes, qui pro Auici partibns iniervenire consncve- runi.