Letter 15: Hilary, bishop of Rome, to our beloved brothers the bishops of the various provinces of Gaul, greetings.

Of Pope Hilary, to the bishops of the various provinces of Gaul. [Summary of contents:] I. He permits [the bishop] to preside over the church of Narbonne in such a way that he shall lack the power of ordaining bishops. II. That councils be held yearly from the provinces that are able, and that they be convened by Leontius. III. That without their metropolitan's letter bishops shall not set out into another province. But if they cannot obtain this, the bishop of Arles shall hear the case. IV. Concerning the parishes of the church of Arles, which Leontius was reclaiming, he refers the judgment back to the bishops. V. That ecclesiastical estates not be alienated, unless first, before a council, the reason for the alienation be shown. To his most beloved brethren, the bishops of the province of Vienne, of Lyon, of Narbonne the first and the second, and of the Alps [the Alpine province], Hilary the bishop. 1. Although it is not hidden from the knowledge of your love how great and of what sort were the things lately allowed in the church of Narbonne and of Beziers, and although the wickedness of the presumption, reaching even to us, is without doubt manifest to the Gallic regions, it nevertheless concerns the apostolic solicitude not to keep silent about the faults detected in our examination, lest through unfitting silence we should seem to share a portion of connivance with those acting unjustly. Long ago, then, the magistrates of the aforesaid cities brought to my predecessor of holy memory no less grief than they then also brought to us, by daring to pursue with unlawful petitions a thing which could scarcely be soothed before our patience save by the lamenting of necessities. 2. For by what precedents it is established that this was done -- as you yourselves also approve -- and with what reproach it is most worthy [of censure], a thing which is repugnant both to the decrees of the holy fathers and to the very institutions of the canons, when our brother and now also fellow-bishop Hermes believed that he was lawfully received by the church of Narbonne, because he said he had been unworthily excluded by the people of Beziers, by whom he had been ordained? If he truly grieved that this had been done against him, and had known how to remedy his own injury by a lawful means, he ought rather to have hoped for vindication for the wrongs suffered than for pardon for the deeds committed. Finally, if now at least he would use the common mind of all the Lord's priests, if he would imitate the example, if to these matters -- which by the contemplation of ecclesiastical peace have somehow been lulled to rest -- he would direct the eyes of his heart, and would consider for the peace or faith of the whole Church the things which are in manifold ways ratified: there is assuredly nothing which he himself would not also blame, and would blush that there be granted to himself what in another he had laudably condemned. For we know, and have long had nothing ambiguous concerning the conduct of the said brother, since, revolving in our mind the course of his former life and his whole purpose hitherto, we judge that he has incurred rather than committed these excesses for which we reprove him. [I.] 3. To him who is now permitted to preside over the church of Narbonne, because of these things which were wrongly done, we have taken away the power of ordaining bishops; which we have judged to pertain to our brother and fellow-bishop Constantius, prelate of the church of Uzes, because by age he is said to be first in honor, in such a way that, if while bishop Hermes survives [Constantius] should die, this care should look to him whom the episcopal order shall have found to be senior. But when bishop Hermes fails, let the custom of making prelates soon be restored to the church of Narbonne -- which [custom] the city did not lose, but the cause of presumption lost. Hence let your fraternity's sincere love in the Lord, having shared with us the solicitude of pastoral care in its own sees, watchfully exercise diligence over the churches committed to it, and so remember those things which arose in the province of Narbonne, that it may detest the deed rather than take it as an example. Which we will henceforth not to be so, just as we know it has not been. And so, dearest brethren, we must act with necessary zeal, lest the error which, with the help of Christ our Lord, we have lately abolished, be able to proceed into unjust excesses either of like or of new kind. And this assuredly cannot be guarded against otherwise, unless we carry out the statutes of the venerable canons in holding the assemblies which up to now a certain necessity has caused to be omitted: in which, according to the necessity of emerging cases, both the things that have been done otherwise can be corrected unto the observance of ecclesiastical discipline, and the things to be followed can be established. [II.] 4. Therefore through each single year let an episcopal council be held from the provinces from which it can be gathered: in such a way that, at suitable places and times, according to the disposition of our brother and fellow-bishop Leontius, to whom we have delegated the solicitude of gathering the brethren, it be celebrated, the metropolitans being admonished through his letters: so that if anywhere anything is found to have been allowed contrary to the apostolic precepts, whether in ordaining bishops, or presbyters, or in making clerics of any place, or if anything is reprobated in their conduct, it may be cut away by the common authority of all, especially in that solemn assembly of the gathering which, with Christ our Lord presiding, may be both venerable to the holy and to be dreaded by the perverse. Nor will it be lawful for anyone to wander from the rules which, according to the definitions of the canons, the united fraternity shall have prefixed for itself in common: since, with the examination impending yearly, let each one so direct his own acts that for these the discussion of judgment ought rather to be desired than feared. But in deciding the graver cases, and those which cannot be terminated there, let the sentence of the apostolic see be consulted. [III.] 5. This also we cannot pass over, which must be cared for with more diligent solicitude, namely that without the letters of their own metropolitans any persons should not dare to set out to any province whatsoever: which also in every kind of clerical office ought to be observed throughout the individual churches. For these, on the contrary, we provide by this reasoning, that if through some quarrel they have not deserved to obtain this, the bishop of Arles, examining all things with two metropolitans of the provinces which are suitable, shall establish what is to be observed according to the quality of the case: nor shall he order another's cleric to be received to the injury of another without the testimony of his own prelate, according to the statutes of the canons. And let the individual brethren and all together know that the present constitutions must be obeyed, by which also our admonition declares that the judgment of Christ our Lord will by no means be lacking against those who, by declining the assemblies through proud rebellion, are confuted by the testimony of their own conscience as not having the confidence of priestly innocence. [IV.] 6. Moreover, the petition of the same brother [Leontius] has been offered to us, in which he sets forth that the parishes of the church of Arles were, by his predecessor Hilary, transferred to others -- which was not permitted -- asking that they be restored to their former right by our authority. But, mindful of apostolic moderation, we have referred his complaint to your fraternity to be heard: so that in your assembly the things which have been hoped for from us may be alleged, and the things which accord with the ecclesiastical rules may be decreed. [V.] 7. At the same time also concerning this we will the whole fraternity to be admonished, that estates which are neither deserted nor harmful and which belong to the church, from which it has been customary to relieve the necessities of very many, be by no right transferred to another, unless first, before a council, the cause of the alienation itself be shown, so that what ought to be done may be treated by the common deliberation of all. May God keep you unharmed, dearest brethren! Given on the third [day] before the Nones of December, in the consulship of Severus Augustus.

Hilari papae ad episcopos diTersaruni proyineiarum Oalliae. Vp^c^ p. 3. L Iflrmra Htrboaensi eodeiiae praeiidere ita permittit, nt ordinandomm epifoopo- nim eaieat poteetate. n. Vt eondlia qvotaimiB fiant ex qnibai proyinciii potemnt, et a Leontio conTO- MBtar. nL Vt liBe metropoUtani Utterii epiieopi in aUam provinciam non profleiieantar. Qnod li eu impetrare non poteront, caoiam diicatiet epiieopai Arelateniii. 17. De paroehiii eceleiiae Arelateniii, qoai repetebat Leontiai, jadieiam ad epiico- poi remittit ▼. Vt praedia eeeleiiaitica non aUenentor, niii apad conciUam aUenationii caaia prini doeeatar. Dilectissimis fratribus episcopis provinciae Vien- nensis^ Lugdunensis, Narbonensis primae et secundae^ et Alpinae^) Hilarus episcopus. 1. Qoamquam notitiam dilectionis vestrae quanta yel qualia in Narboaensi ac Biterrensi ecclesia dudum sint admissa non lateant^ et praesumptionis improbitas ad nos usque perveniens procul dubio regionibus manifesta sit Gallicanis, apostolicae tamen soUicitudinis interest, culpas in nostro deprehensas examine non tacere, ne per incongmum silentium cum iniqua agentibus habere videamur con- niyentiae portionem. Olim igitur urbium praesides praedictarum ' sanctae memoriae decessori meo non^) minus quam nobis etiamtunc attulenmt doloris^ illicitis petitionibus audendo prosequi, quod vix apod patientiam nostram sola necessitatum potuit deploratione leniri. ^ Cossalifl nomen ex lequenti epistola eodcm data dic sapplendom est. ') Ita L* a* c^', cui consouat inscriptio sequ. epiatolae 11. a^ Alpium Penni- nentm^ «* L* Aipinm Penarum (er' Poenarum), unde L^ b Apenmnarum; c^ seqq. Al- pium Poeninarwn, male. NuUa siquidem eo tempore provinciae Alpium Poenina- nm in Ofdine ecdeaiastico ratio habita est, ciguB metropolis Tarantasia cx Leonifl decreto Yiennensi antiBtiti parebat. QucsnelluB dissert. V in s. Leon. cap. 7 n. 4 legendum putat Alpium mariHmarum: primo quia nuUa ait ratione probabile, UBlarumy dum ad omues fere GaUiarum provthoiai scriberet, Alpium maritimarum provinciam octo constantem civitatLbus omisisse; tum quia Hila- ms infra epistola 10 cnm ceteriB episcopis, quibus epiatolam suam inscribit, Ingenuum memorat Alpium maritimarum episcopum; postremo quia mrsus epi- itola II earumdem provindarum episcopis scribens generali dumtaxat Alpinae nomine ntitur, Ee ipaa HUarus epistola 11 n. 1 iisdem episcopis, quibus nunc, se 8cribere ac repeiiiit HUeris eadem^ quae jam praescripserat, oiuervanda decer' mere tetitatiir. In autiqao tractatu anooymo veteris cod. Coisl. ita citatur higus cap. 3: Hilarui jwyMi im deoreiie ad quinque provincias iliud quoque etc. a.i62. Quibus enim, sicut etiam vos probatis^ factum^) constat exemplis et qua non objurgatione dignissimum est^ quod sanctorum patmm decretis et ipsis repugnat canonum institutis, quum ideo se frater jam et coepiscopus noster Hermes a Narbonensi ecclesia credidit jure suscipi, quia indigne a Biterrensibus, quibus ordinatus est, di- cebat excludi? Qui si vere hoc in se factum doleret et legitimo remedio subvenire propriae sciisset injuriae, vindictam magis deboit sperare perpessis quam veniam perpetratis. Denique si uuuc saliem communi omnium Domini sacerdorum utatur animo, si imitetmr exemplum, si ad haec, quae ecclesiasticae* quietis contemplatione ut- cunque sopita sunt,. oculis cordis- intendat, et pro totius Ecclesiae pace vel fide quae sunt multipliciter rata^), consideret: nihil est profecto, quod non etiam ipse reprehendat et erubescat sibi annui, quod in altero laudabiliter improbarit. Scimus enim et jamdiu de memorati fratris conversatione nihil habemus ambiguum, quum ante- actae vitae ipsius cursum et retro omne propositum*) nostro revol- ventes animo, hos illum, quos in eo arguimus, incurrisse potius quam fecisse aestimamus excessus. 2. De quibus praesidente .fratrum numeroso concilio et ex di- versis provinciis ad diem natalis nostri in^) honorem beati Petri ') L' a* factis, quod retinens Baronius cum praecedenti verbo probatis copa- lat. Deinde ce* cunonum constitutis. Si quaeritur exemplum epiBCopi, qui uni ccclesiae ordinatus ab eaque rejectus postmodum praefectus alteri fuity non unum sane praecesserat. 'Nota sunt eademque insignia PerigeniB et Prodi exem- pla, ut alia omittam, plerorumque episcoporum, quorum tranalatioueB SocniteB VII, 36 recenset, quosque coi\jectat Tiilemontius ideo sedes mutasBe BuaSy quod episcopis sibi subrogatis cedere coacti sint. Id vero tum maxime accidiBae censet, quum commimionem suam Innocentius ea conditione Attico restitait, ot iu sacras tabulas Johannis nomen referretur. Tunc enim ut Buae episcopiB propter Johannem expulsis redditae ecclesiae, ita et iUis, qui in eaB irrepserant, quaerendae aliae fiienmt. Propterea sane Hermen Hilarus in Narbonenii ecde- sia reliquit, nec tamen sine idonea correptione ac poena, ne quis daretor locus perfringendi tot constituta et toties repetita dccreta, quibus avaritiae et liCien- tiae frena ii^jicere patres conati simt; cf. Nic. c. 15, Antioch. c. 21, Sardic c 1 et 2. Praeterea nec culpa vacare Hermen docet, qui hanc sibi illatam izgariam oxpostulare cum Biterrensibus neglexerat, quum liceret. Sic HilaruB Hermen arguit, ut ipsum simul excuset. Bcoporum ad hunc diem concursu in Xysti UI epistolam 6 CoustantiuB obaerva-* vit. Quocirca nuUum est dubium, quin numeroBiun concilium, de quo hic HiLurua loquitur, die XIX Novembris celebratum sit, licet haec epistola, qua iilinB de- creta in Gallias mittit, die III Decembris consignetur. Ibi quippe non diem, quo decreta sancita sunt scd ((uo legatis Galliarum redeuntibuB tradita» indi- EPISTOLA 8. 143 apoetoli per. Dei gratiam congregato, praesentibus ^) fratribus et co- a. 462, episcopis nostns Fausto et AuxaniO; atque agentibus plurimis, quae yigorem respiciunt auctoritatemque judicii, id a nobis pacis est amore constitutum: ut in sententia^ quam sub adversione^) utriusque legationis inde directae Christo Domino nostro • inspirante protuli- muS; neque caritas evangelicae indulgentiae neque apostolicae virga defuerit disciplinae. Namque in totum nec remittere nos fecit in- dulgentia, nec affectio coercere. I. 3. Ei, qui nimc ecclesiae Narbonensi praesidere permittitur, ordinandorum^) episcoporum ob haec^ quae prave facta sunt^ sustuli- mus potestatem; quam ita ad fratrem et coepiscopum nostrum Con- stantiom Uceticae ecclesiae antistitem^ quia aevo honoris primas esse dicitiir, pertinere censuimus, ut si superstite Herme episcopo de- fnnctos fuerit, illum haec cura respiciat, quem repererit episcopalis ordo primatem. Herme autem episcopo deficiente faciendorum mos antistitnm Narbonensi mox reddatur ecclesiae, quem^^^) non civitas cari haud temere censeamus. Gerte anno 465 anniversario Hilari ordinationis die concilium item est habitunl, in quo tractata sunt Hiflpanorum Tarraconensis pxoTinciaenegotia; celebratum vero notatur XIII Kal. Decembris, quamvis litterae ex eodem ad illos missae (epist. 16) non nisi /// Kal. Januar, datae legautur. Mox «1 agentibuM plurima. — Porro Faustus omnium consensu Regiensis episcopus ^ni Auxamum alii Aquensem, alii Aptensem, ignotae demum sedis alii episco- piun existimant. Conf. „Galt(a christiana*^ in ecclesia Aptensi sub metrop. Aqueusi NuboneiuiB secundae. MibQtain, ZosimuB episcopo Arelatensi in Viennensem et duas Narbonenses P^ere epistoHs 1, 6 et 6 definierat. Quae tamen coutrario Bouifacii decreto ^P^po Narbonensi in primam Narbonensem restituta, et s. Leonis epistola 10 n.5 8ingQlis metropolitanis in provincias suas asserta est his verbis: id statuen- *^i^ ti quisquam frairum nostrarum in quaeunque provincia decesserit, is sibi ordi- ^«onem vindicet sacerdotis, quem HHus provinciae metropolitanum esse constiterit. a. 462. sed caiisa praesumptionis aiuisit. Unde yestrae fratemitatis in Do- mino siucera dilectio^ sollicitudinem pastoralis curae in suis sedibus partita nobiscum^ commissarum sibi ecclesiarum diligentiam vigilan- ter exerceat, et eorum taliter, quae in Narbonensi provincia emer- sere, meminerit, ut detestetur factum potius, quam sumat exemplum. Quod ita deinceps esse nolumus, sicut novimus non fuisse. Itaque, fratres carissimi, necessariis studiis est agendum, ne error, quem juvante Cliristo Domino nostro nuper abolevimus, aut in siniiles aut in novos iniquam prodire possit excessus. Qu(xl utique non aliter poterit praecaveri, nisi statuta venerandoruni canonum in faciendis conventibus, quos liactenus oniitti fecit eerta neoessitas, exsequamur: in quibus possint pro emergentium necessitate causarum ad eccle- siasticae observantiam disciplinae et quae secus facta fuerint cor- rigi, et sequenda constitui. U. 4. Per annos itacjue singulos ex provinciis, quibus potuerii congregari*^), habeatur ej)isco])ale concilium: ita ut opportuuis locis atque temporibus secundum dis})osilionem fratris et coepiscopi nostri Leontii, cui*'^) sollicitudinem in congregandis fratribus delegavimns^ metropolitanis per litteras ejus admonitis celebretur: ut si quid us- quam vel in ordinandis episcopis, vel presbyteris aut cujuslibet loci tio ut Hcniori episcopo . demandavit (cf. Leon. epist. 10 n. 7 et 9). Hocque modo qiiuni metroi)olitanu8 exigent^ cuusa ab ordinatione (>])iseoporum provinciae suae prohibetur, ad disci])linam reditur Airis nsitatam, qua provindae senior nt pri- mas hoc munere fungebatur. Quod sane prudenti consilio cst constitutiim, ne metro])olitanus hanc esse singularem Buao sodiH praerogativam sibi fingat idqae 8U0 sibi jure vindicet. *') h. e., ut inter])retatur Petrus de Marca de concord. sacerd. et imp. VI, 17, epMroporum, qm a regihus sinerentur accedere ad synodas; nam eo iemjtore, nt deinde obBervatf reges Gothi possederunt utramque Aquitaniam et Novempopulonimmj utramque Narhonensem et promnciam Alpium. Burgundionibus parehani lAtgdtmen»e9 Viennenses et Vesuntionesy Franci vero reliquum Galliarum occupabant, — Sed veri aimilius hoc ideo dictum videtur, quod provinciae Gallicanae barbaromm incor- sionibus patebant. **) Zosimus ])apa epistola 1 id juris episcopo Arelatensi detulerat, ot cauaae iutra Galliiis emergentes ad ipsum deferrentur, haud dubie in condlio diaciH tiendae ac definiendae, quiun et ipsi pontifices Komani hoc modo causaa ad se delatan expedirent. Eo ductus argumento s. Hilarius conciliorum ex pluiiboB provinciis cogendorimi auctoritat^m sibi competere pro certo habuit. Quam ei I)er s. Leonem ablatam et seniori episcopo datam (cf. Leon. epist. 10 n. 7 et 9X Ravennio successori restitutam esse, duobus ex locis colligitur: primo quidem ex synodica episcoporum, quos Ravennius communicandae Leonis ad Flaviannm e])istolae causa coegerat (Leon. e^^ist. 99); deinde ex convocatione concilii Aie- UitengiB in causa Lirinensis inBul«ae celebrati (Hard. coU. conc. H, 779 sq.). Non ergo ])rimu8 omnium Hilarus id juris Arelatensi episcopo tribuit, ut opinatoB doctiBsimuB Petnw de Marca 1. c. VI, 17 n. 10. EPISTOLA 8. 145 faciendis dericis contra praecepta apostolica reperitur admissuin, a. 462. aut in eorum conversatione quidpiam reprobatur^ communi omnium auctoritate resecetur in ea praecipue celebritate couventus *^), quae praesidente Christo Domino nostro et veneranda sit sanctis et for- midanda perversis. Nec cuiquam licebit a regulis evagari, quas sibi juxta canonum definitiones unita fraternitas iii commune praefixerit : quum imminente quotannis examine ita siuguli actus suos dirigent, ut his discussio judicii optari magis debeat quam timeri. In diri- inendis sane gravioribus causis et quae illic non potuerint terminari, apofitolicae sedis sententia consulatur. m. 5. IUud etiam non possumus praeterire, quod sollicitudine dili- gentiore curandum sit, ne praeter metropolitanorum suorum litteras aliqui^^) ad quamlibet provinciam audeant proficisci: quod etiam in omni genere officii clericalis per singulas debet ecclesias custodiri. Quibus e contrario hac ratione prospicimus, ut si hoc impetrare per aliquam non meruerint simultatem, cum duobus metropolitanis pro- vinciaram^ quae congruae sunt, Arelatensis episcopus cuncta discu- tiens, pro causae qualitate observanda constituat: nec in injuriam alterius alienum clericum suscipi praeter testimonium proprii anti- **) Ita mBB. (a' etc.). At L* b c* c' c*® convematur, Obaervandum hic, nihil proraus ab Hilaro defimri de ci\jiiBque provindae coucLliis, ac niliil proinde de- eemi, quod adversetur aut certe minuB conveniat concilii Nicaeni canoui 5, Cal- ched. c. 19, Begiens. c. S, Arausicani I c. 29, Leonis epist. 14 n. 7 similibusque decretis, qoibns per singulos annas in singulis provinciis conciUum episcoporum his fieri praedpitiur. Suspicio tamen est, hoc Hilari decretum locum pofiterioribus dediase statutiB, quibuB provindae ciguslibet concilium singuliB annis semel ha- bendnm definitur: ex. gr. syn. Aurelian. U c. 2, lU c. 1, IV c. 37, V c. 23, Turon. II c. 1, Cabilon. I in praef., QuiniBezt. c. 8, Tolet. IV c. 3, Emeritens. c. 7, Greg. M. epiflt. IX, 106, ut HomuBdam, qui hoc epist. 25 n. 5 permittit, aliosque mis- 808 fiAdanL Agathensia quidem Bjnodus a. 506 habita hoc canone clauditur: SynadMm etiam secundum constituia patrum annis singulis placuit congregari, Sed haec synoduB ez diversia congregata provinciis de similibus synodis ibi loquitur. Unde ibidem gratias agit regi, cigus permissu conveniBse se in prooemio dixe-' rat, ^t orant episcopi, ut haec eadem facere (h. e. cum eodem permiBsu ex multis provinciiB convenixe) per muttos annos possint, **) Apad Hincmarum lib. 65 capit. c. 37 (Opp. U, 494) aliqui episcopi, Rujxxs- modi litteras quidem, quae formatae dici sole^t, non solos GaUicanos episcopos ab Arelateuai autLstite accipere voluit Zosimus epist. 1 c. 1, sed et quoslibet deriooB. HUanu vero tunc tantum illum ea de re adiri constituit, quum litterae ejusmodi a proprio episcopo denegarentur. — Porro idem illud privilegium etiam in HiqMUiienfleB Symmachus papa epist. 16 Caesario tribuit. Jam pridem autem epificopi, qaom ad urbem regiam vel ad comitatum imperatoris perge- bant) a con^irovincialibuB et praecipue a metropolitano, Afri vero, quum mare trsgiciebant^ a primate seu metropolitano suo ejusmodi formatas accipere tene- bantur (c£. qrn. Aatioch. c. 11, Garthag. III c. 28). SPISTOLAS SOMAV. POMTIV. I. 10 a. 462. stitis secundum canonum atatuta praecipiet. Singuli aatein fratres universique cognoscant, parendum esse praesentibus constitutis^ qui- bus etiam commonitio nostra denuntiat, in eos Christi Domini iiostri judicium minime defutunun, (pii declinando superba rebellione eon- ventus, conscientiae suae testimonio confutantur sacerdotalis iimo- centiae fiduciam non habere. IV. 6. Praeterea ejusdem fratris libelhis oblatus est nobis, quo perliibet })aroecias Arelatensis ecclesiae praedecessore ' ^) suo Hi- . lario in alios, quod non licuit, fuisse translatas, petens illas pristino juri nostra uuctc^ritate restitui. Sed moderaminis apostolici memo^ res, fratemitati vestrae querelam ipsius remisimus audiendam: ut , in vestro conventu ea, quae a nobis sperata^*) sunt, allegentnr, et quae ecclesiasticis regidis congruuut, decernantur. V. 7. Simul etiam super hoc universam fratemitatem ▼olumus esse commonitam, ne praedia ^'), quae neque deserta iieque damnoea sunt et ad ecclesiam pertinent, ex quibus phirimonun consueTit ne- cessitatibus subveniri, aKquo jure in alterum transferautur, nisi prius apud concihum ahenationis ipsius causa doceatur, ut quid fieri de- beat, connmmi omnium deliberaticme tractetur. Deus vos incolumes custodiat, fratres carissimi! Data IIP'*) Nonas Decembris, GL. P. Severo Augusto consule.