medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Rosemary Hayes wrote:
> In England, abbots of exempt monasteries (I'm thinking of Bury St
> Edmunds in particular) certainly used bishops other than the diocesan
> for such acts as ordaining monks as priests so I would not be surprised
> to find them also using them for dedicating churches. As far as I
> remember, in the case of Bury St Edmunds it was the bishops 'in partis
> infidelibus', used as suffragans by diocesan bishops, who were used most
> often. If the abbot was not exempt from his local bishop, he should
> probably have used him. It may be that your story relates to a case
> where there was some dispute about this between abbot and bishop. I do
> not think that an abbot could dedicate churches himself - although am
> ready to be corrected by those more knowledgeable.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia (at
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04276a.htm ):
"The ordinary minister of consecration is the diocesan bishop. ... A
priest cannot perform this rite unless he be delegated in a special
manner by the Roman pontiff (Benedict XIV, Const. "Ex tuis precibus", 16
November 1748, xxx2)."
How clear this doctrine was in pre-modern times I can't say. But the
abbot of a monastery which was totally outside episcopal jurisdiction (a
so-called "abbot nullius", i.e. the abbot of a monastery "nullius
diocesis") exercised functions otherwise reserved to a bishop -- though
ordination remained reserved to a bishop, and the abbot had to negotiate
for a bishop when required (see under Section III in the article "Abbot"
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01015c.htm ).
Which doesn't exactly resolve the original question, I'm afraid. No
doubt actual practice in certain times and places was not as tidy as we
would like to think it.
Hal Cain
Joint Theological Library
Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "CARLOS" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 9:35 AM
> Subject: [M-R] Query: church dedication
>
>
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Dear listmembers:
>
> As I far I know, the church dedication is a rite which only a bishop
> could carry on (B. Repsher, The Rite of church dedication in the early
> medieval era; E. Palazzo, L'évêque et son image. L'illustration du
> Pontifical au Moyen Age).
>
> But I am studying a group of churches that are very close to a village
> where a monastery built some churches without the bishop's permission
> (there are medieval documents showing the litigation between the
> bishop -who wanted to demolish the churches- and the abbot).
>
> My question is: could an abbot make the rite? Or it is possible that
> he invited a bishop from a different diocese?
>
> Any information should be really appreciated!
>
> Carlos
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