4.0886 Responses: Praesul and Communion Frequency (2/45)
Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Mon, 14 Jan 91 18:26:30 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 0886. Monday, 14 Jan 1991.
(1) Date: Mon, 14 Jan 91 10:10:07 +0100 (28 lines)
From: Timothy.Reuter@MGH.BADW-MUENCHEN.DBP.DE
Subject: eucharist and praesul
(2) Date: 14 Jan 91 11:55:57 EST (17 lines)
From: "Dr. Ruth Mazo Karras" <RKARRAS@PENNSAS.UPENN.EDU>
Subject: communion; praesul
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 91 10:10:07 +0100
From: Timothy.Reuter@MGH.BADW-MUENCHEN.DBP.DE
Subject: eucharist and praesul
A good starting-point for the recent questions about "praesul" and
frequency of communion is to consult Timothy Reuter and Gabriel Silagi,
Wortkonkordanz zum Decretum Gratiani (5 vols., Munich: Monumenta
Germaniae Historica, 1990). The Decretum, for those unfamiliar with it,
was the twelfth-century synthesis of church law, drawing on standard
texts from the Bible to its own present day. Using it I found a huge
number of entries for communio which I haven't gone through, a small
number for eucharistia, which turned up e.g. statements by Augustine
that he does not condemn or approve daily communion but does think
that one should take communion every Sunday and by Pope Fabianus
and by the Council of Agde that to be considered Catholic one must
take communion at the very least at Easter, Whitsun and Christmas.
These texts are of course earlier than the period mentioned in the
query, but that doesn't mean they weren't applicable then.
For praesul there are some sixty entries and again I didn't go through
them except to note that the use in ecclesiastical Latin to mean
bishop is evidently very early.
I apologise for plugging my own production, but it was nice to have
confirmed once again that the thing could be used effectively to answer
real questions.
Timothy Reuter, Monumenta Germaniae Historica
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------21----
Date: 14 Jan 91 11:55:57 EST
From: "Dr. Ruth Mazo Karras" <RKARRAS@PENNSAS.UPENN.EDU>
Subject: communion; praesul
The Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 mandated annual communion for the
whole Roman church. If you check Powicke & Cheney, _Councils and Synods
with Other Documents Relating to the English Church_, vol. 2, you will
find this reiterated in English episcopal legislation.
_Praesul_ is used for "bishop" in twelfth-century Latin satirical
literature-- for all I know it's a continuous usage throughout the
Middle Ages.
** Ruth Mazo Karras RKarras@PennSAS.BITNET
** Department of History RKarras@PennSAS.UPenn.EDU
** University of Pennsylvania (215) 898-2746 (voice)
** Philadelphia, PA 19104-6379