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hood until he can assure him an ecclesiastical revenuej
that is, if the cleric cannot subsist on his patrimon^
alone. Canon vi regulates the formalities of ecclesi-
astical sentences. Canon vii forbids the exaction of a
sum of money for the burial of the dead, the marriage
benediction, and, in general, for the administration of
the sacrji^ments. Canon viii: The patrons of benefices
shall nominate to such benefices within six months
after the occurrence of a vacancy. Canon ix recalls
the military orders of the Templars and the Hospital-
lers to the observation of canonical regulations, from
which the churches dependent on them are in no wise
exempt. Canon xi foroids clerics to receive women in
their hoiises, or to frequent, without necessity, the
monasteries of nuns. Canon xiv forbids laymen to
transfer to other laymen the tithes which they possess,
under pain of being debarred from the communion of
the faitliful and deprived of Christian burial. Canon
xviii provides for the establishment in every cathedral
church of a school foi poor clerics. Canon xix: Ex-
communication aimed at those who levy contributions
on churches and churchmen without the consent of the
bishop and clergy. Canon xx forbids tournaments.
Canon xxi relates to the "Truce of God". Canon
xxiii relates to the organization of asylums for lepers.
Canon xxiv consists of a prohibition against fur-
nishing the Saracens with material for the construc-
tion of their galleys. Canon xxvii enjoins on princes
the repression of heresy.
Fourth Lateran Council (1215). — From the com- mencement of his reign Innocent III had purposed to assemble an cBcumemcal council, but only towards the end of his pontificate could he realize this project, by the Bull of 19 April, 1213. The assembly was to take place in November, 1215. The council did in fact meet on 11 November, and its sessions were prolonged until the end of the month. The long interval oe- tween the convocation and the opening of the council, as well as the prestige of the reigm'ng pontiff, were re- sponsible for the very large number of bishops who attended it; it is commonly cited in canon law as "the General Council of Lateran", without further qualifi- cation, or. ag^in, as "the Great Council". Innocent III found himself on this occasion surrounded by seventy-one patriarchs and metropolitans, including the Patriarchs of Constantinople and of Jerusalem, four hundred and twelve bishops, and nine hundred abbots and priors. The Patriarchs of Antioch and Alexandria were represented by delegates. Envoys appeared from Emperor Frederick II, from Henry, Latin Emperor of Constantinople, from the Kings of France, England, Aragon, Hunganr. Cyprus, and Jerusalem, and from other princes. The pope himself opened the council with an allocution the lofty views of which surpassed the orator's power of expression. He had desired, said the pope, to celebrate this Pasch before he died. He declared himself ready to drink the chalice of the Passion for the defence of the Catho- lic Faith, for the succour of the Holy Land, and to establish the liberty of the Church. After this dis- course, followed by moral exhortation, the pope pre- sented to the council seventy decrees or canons, al- ready formulated, on the most important points of donatio and moral theology. Dogmas were defined, points of discipline were decided, measures were drawn up against heretics, and, finally, the conditions of the next crusade were regulated.
The fathers of the council did little more than ap- prove the seventy decrees presented to them; tnis approbation, nevertheless, sufficed to impart to the acts thus formulated and promulgated the value of oecumenical decrees. Most of them are somewhat lengthy and are divided into chapters. The follow- ing are the most important: Canon i: Exposition of the Catholic Faith and of the dogma of Transub- stantiation. Canon ii : Condemnation of the doctrines of Joachim of Flora and of Amaury. Canon iii: Pro-
cedure and penalties against heretics and their pro-
tectors. Canon iv: iSdiortation to the Greeks to
reunite with the Roman Church and accept its max-
imjs, to the end that, according to the Gospel, there
may be only one fold and only one shephera. Canon
v: Proclapiav^ion of the papal primacy recognized by
all antiquity. After the pope, primacy is attributed
to the patriarchs in the following order: Constant!*
nople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem. (It is enough
to remind the reader how long an opposition preceded
at Rome this recognition of Constantinople as second
in rank among the patriarchal sees.) Canon vi: Pro-
vincial councils must be held annually for the reform
of morals, especially those of the clergy. Canon viii:
Procedure in regard to accusations against ecclesias-
tics. Until the French Revolution, this canon was
of considerable importance in criminal law, not only
ecclesiastical but even civil. Canon ix: Celebration
of public worship in places where the inhabitants be-
long to nations following different rites. Canon xi
renews the ordinance of the council of 1179 on free
schools for clerics in connexion with every cathedral.
Canon xii: Abbots and priors are to hold their general
chapter every three years. Canon xiii forbids the
establishment of new religious orders, lest too great
diversity bring confusion into the Church. Canons
xiv-xvu: Against the irregularities of the clergy —
incontinence, drunkennness, the chase, attendance
at farces and histrionic exhibitions. Canon xviii:
Priests, deacons, and subdeacons are forbidden to per-
form suigical operations. Canon xix forbids the
blessing of water and hot iron for judicial tests or
ordeals. Canon xxi, the famous "Omnis utriusnue
sexus", which commands every Christian who has
reached the years of discretion to confess all his, or
her, sins at least once a year to his, or her, otvn (i. e.
parish) priest. This canon did no more than confirm
earlier legislation and custom, and has been often,
but wrongly, quoted as commanding for the first time
the use of sacramental confession. Canon xxii: Be-
fore prescribing for the sick, physicians shall be bound,
under pain of exclusion from the Church, to exhort
their patients to call in a priest, and thus provide for
their spiritual welfare. Canons xxiii-xxx regulate
ecclesiastical elections and the collation of benefices.
Canons xxyi, xliv, and xlviii: Ecclesiastical procedure.
Canons 1-lii: On marriage, impediments of relation-
ship, publication of banns. Canons Ixxviii, Ixxix:
Jews and Mohammedans shall wear a special dress
to enable them to be distinguished from Christians.
Christian princes must take measures to prevent
blasphemies against Jesus Christ. The council, more-
over, made rules for the projected crusade, imposed a
four years' peace on all Christian peoples and princes,
published indulgences, and enjoineci the bisnops to
reconcile all enemies. The council confirmed the ele-
vation of Frederick II to the German throne and took
other important measures. Its decrees were widely
published in many provincial councils.
Fifth Lateran Council (1512-17). — When elected pope, Julius II promised under oath that he would soon convoke a general council. Time passed, how- ever, and this promise was not fulfilled. Conse- quently, certain dissatisfied cardinals, urged, also, by Emperor Maximilian and Louis XII, convoked a coun- cil at Pisa and fixed 1 September, 1511, for its open- ing. This event was delayed until 1 October. Four cardinals then met at Pisa provided with proxies from three absent cardinals. Several bishops and abbots were also there, as well as ambassadors from the King of France. Seven or eight sessions were held, in the last of which Pope Julius II was suspended, where- upon the prelates withdrew to Lyons. The pope hastened to oppose to this concUiabulum a more numerously attended council, which he convoked, by the Bull of 18 July, 1511, to assemble 19 April, 1512, in the church of St. John Lateran. The Bull was ai
