Synisactae (anniaaKrai), aGreek term for priests' concubines. See SrmxTUODL'fT.K.
Synistameni (Tci'KTra/ifi'oi, standing togeihe?-), a name given in the Eastern Church to the fourth order of peiuteiits, called in the Latin Church consigtentes. They were so called from their having liberty (after the other penitents were dismissed) to stand with the faith- ful at the altar, and join in the common prayers and see the oblation offered. Still they could not yet make their own oblations, nor partake of the eucharist. See Bingham, C/irist. Antiq. bk. xviii, ch. ii.
Synnada, Council of {Concilium Si/nnadense), was hehl about 230, or, according to some, in 256, upon the subject of Cataphrygian baptism. Baptism received out of the Church was declared to be mill and void. See Mansi, Concil. i, 760.
Synod (from avvo^OQ, a gathering'), a meeting or assembly of ecclesiastical persons to consult on matters of religion. (See the monographs cited in A'olbeding, Index Progranimatum. p. 165.) Of these there are four kinds, viz. — 1. General, where bishops, etc., meet from all iiaticMis. These were first called by the emperors; af- terwards b\' Christian princes; till, in later ages, the pope usurped to himself the greatest share in this busi- ness, and by his legates presided in them when called. See (Ec'U.MKNiCAU 2. National, where those of one na- tion only come together to determine any point of doc- trine or discipline. The first of this sort which we read of in England was that of Herudford, or Hertford, in 673; and the last was held by cardinal Pole in 1555. See Council. 3. Provincial, where those only of one province meet, now called the convocation (q. v.). 4. Diocesan, where those of but one diocese meet to en- force canons made by general councils or national and provincial synods, and to consult and agree upon rules of discipline for themselves. These were not wdiollv laid aside till, by the act of submission (25 Hen. VIII, art. 19). it was made unlawful for anj' synod to meet but by royal authority. See Synods.
Synod is also used to signify a Presbyterian Church court, composed of ministers and elders from the differ- ent presbyteries within its bounds, and is only subordi- nate to the General Assembly ((j. v.).
SYNOD, Associate, the highest ecclesiastical court among the united Presbyterian Dissenters in Scotland, the powers of which are, in a great measure, analogous to those of the (ieneral Assembly in the established kirk. See Scotland, Ciiuuche.s in.
SYNOD, Holy, the highest court of the Eusso- Greek Church, established by the czar Peter in 1723, and meeting now at St. Petersburg. Each diocese sends in a half-yearly report of its churches and schools. The members composing it are two metropolitans and as many bishops, with procurators, attorneys, and other lay officials. See Russian Church.
SYNOD, Holy Govermno, is the highest court of the Greek Church, established in (Jreece after the re- covery of its independence. It met first at .Syra in 1833, and in 1844 was recognised by the constitution, which also enacted that the king should be a member of the established Church. The members of sj-nod
were at first appointed by the king, but are now chosen by the clergy, the bislio]) of Attica being perpetual presi- dent. In 1850 it was formally recognised by the patri- arch of Constantinople, through the mediation of llus- sia, but on the condition that it should always receive the holy oil from the mother Church. See Giieek Church.
SYNOD, Pefohmed. See Covp:nantehs; Presby- terian Churches.
SYNOD, Peliek. See Scotland, Churches in.
Synodales Testes were persons anciently sum- moned out of every parish in order to appear at the episcopal synods, and there attest or make jireferment of the disorders of the clergy and people. In after-times they were a kind of empanelled jury, consisting of two, three, or more persons in every [jarish, who were, upon oath, to present all heretics and other irregular persons. These, in process of time, became standing officers in .several places, especially in great cities, and hence were called Sydesjien (q. v.). They were also called Quest- men, from the nature of their office in making inipiirv concerning offences. But this latter duty devolved mostly upon the church-wardens. — Lee, Gloss. oJ'Liturg. Terms, s. v.
Synodals was a term applied to (1) provincial constitutions or canons read after the synods in parish churches; (2) to procurations, so called because the bishop held his synod and visitation together; (3) to the payments made a bishop by his clergy in virtue of his holding a synod. See Synodaticum.
Synodaticum, or CathedratTcum, is the annual tribute paid by incumbents of benefices in the Church of Pome to the bishop of the diocese, in token of sub- jection to the episcopal cathedra. It is generally paid at the time of the convening of the diocesan synod. The earliest direct mention of this impost occurs in the transactions of the second Synod of Braga, A.D. 572 (sess. ii, can. 2, in c. 1, cans, x, qu. iii), where various extortions on the part of Spanish bishops are forbid- den, and they are permitted only in connection with the visitations of their districts " honorem cathedra; suie id est duos solidos . . , per ecclesias toUere." The same .synod forbids the payment of an impost b\- candidates for ordination, which is also termed cuthedralicum, but must not be confounded with the sgnoda/icum. The seventh Council of Toledo, A.D. 646, confirmed the ac- tion of Braga; and Charles the Bald, in 844. directed the payment of two solidi, or an equivalent in kind (Pertz, Afowim.. Oe7-)nania>, n\,o78), and devolved this collec- tion for the bishops on the archpresbyters. Pope Al- exander III conceded to bi.shops who should obtain a church from the hands of the laity the right to impose on it the cathedraticnm (c. 9, X, De Censibus, iii, 39); antl both Innocent III (c. 20, X, De Censibus) and Honorius III (c. 16, X, Be Officio Judiris Ordinarii, I, 31) expressed themselves in favor of its being ren- dered. ()ther references may be found in Du Fresne, s. v. "Cathedraticnm" and "Synodus;" Benedict XIV, De Synod. Dioecesana,\\h.\,c.\\, 1 and 2; Kichi^er, Kirchen- recht (5th ed.), § 233, note 4. etc. ; Gudenus, Cor^. //;/)/«- mat. i. No. 93, p. 260. The Council of Trent discontin- ued the payment of many heavy impositions connected with visitations (sess. xxiv, can. 3, De BeJ'orm.) ; but various declarations of the Congregatio pro. Interpret. Cone. Trident, liave left the cathedraticnm in force (see Ferrari.s, Bibl. Canon, s. v. " Cathedraticnm ;" Thomassin, Vet. ac Nor. Keel. Disdpl. Ill, ii, 32, 34 ; Benedict XIV, lit sup. 6 and 7; Declarationes 18-26 in the edition of Trent by Pichter and Schulte, foe. cit.).