1. Oiders that the Feast of the Annunciation shall in fntiire be kept on Dec. IS, because that, falliiii; in Lent, it interfered with the fast, and often with the celebration of Good-Friday.
3. Forbids bishops to present churches to their relations and friends for the sake of the revenue to be derived.
C. Directs that children devoted by their parents to the tonsure shall be compelled to lead the life of the relig- ions; does not allow parents so to devote their children after they have attained ten years of age without their own consent.
7. Forbids to sell Christians to Jews.
See IMansi, vi, 459.
XIV. Held Nov. 7, 675, under king Wamba ; seven- teen bishops (among whom was Qiiiritius of Toledo), the deputies of two others, and six abbots were present. In this council the division of the country into dioceses was made, and sixteen canons of discipline were published.
3. Orders all the bishops of the province to conform to the Older and ritual in use in the metropolitan Church.
4. Forbids to suffer priests who are at variance to ap- proach the altar or to receive their oflerings.
TOLEDO, COUNCILS OF 455 TOLEDO, COUNCILS OF
■ 6. t)epiives ecclesiiistics who take part in the jiulgmeut of c:ii)itMl Ciisef.
5. tliuicts penalties to l)e enfoi'ced apiiiist priests who (leinaiid a fee for cliristeiiiiig or for the cliristn ; orders bisliops to piuiisli such oft'eiiders under pain of suspension.
13. Forl)ids persons possessed wirli a devil to serve at tlie altar or to ai)proach it.
14. Orders that mass shall never he celebrated by one priest only, lest he should be cakeu ill and the mass left liufinished.
See INIansi, vi, 539.
XY. Held Jan. 9, 681, under king Ervigins. Julian of Toletio presided at the head of tliirty-fonr bishops, among whom were the metropolitans of Seville, 13raga, and Merida. Thirteen canons were published.
I. Approves of the resijrnation of king Wamba, who had assumed the religious hal)it.
4. Declares to be nidi and void the consecration of a bishop for a little town in the immediate vicinity of To- ledo made by the bishop of Merida against his own will and against the canons at the command of Wamba; and generally forbids to consecrate a bishop to a place which has not "hitherto had a bishop.
6. Enacts that, in order to prevent any further delay in filling up the vacant bi.-hoijrics, it shall be lawful for the bishop of Toledo to consecrate those persons whom the king shall choose, without prejudice, however, to the rights of the province.
10. Confirms, with the king's consent, the privilege of asylum to those who take refuge in a church, or anywhere within thirty paces of it.
II. Orders the abolition of every remnant of idolatry.
See Mansi, vi, V12\.
XVI. Held in November, 683, under king Ervigiiis, ■who was present; forty -eight bishops, four of whom were metropolitans, attended, Julian of Toledo presid- ing. Twelve canons were published, the Nicene Creed having been tirst read, which from this time was sung in all churches in Spain,
The fifth is the extraordinary canon which absolutely forbids the widows of kings to remarry, even with princes.
From tlie tenth it appears not to have been uncommon at this period for persons (even bishojjs), in time of dan- gerous illuess, to submit to be put to public penance with- out conlessing, or their conscience accusing them of, any particular sin, but for greater security.
See Mansi, vi, 1253.
XVH. This council was held at the request of pope Leo H, under king Ervigius, in G84, to receive and aj)- prove the Sixth tEcumenical Council held at Constanti- nople against the Monothelites; seventeen bisliops, ten deputies, and six abbots attended. In the answer of the bishops to Leo they make no mention of the fifth cpcumenical council, saying, in canon 7, that they de- cree that this council (the Seventh tEcumenical) shall rank after the Council of Chalcedon in honor, place, and order. See Mansi, vi, 1278.
XVIII, Held May 11,688, under king Egica, Julian of Toledo presiding over sixty bishops, in order to ex- plain certain expressions made use of in a confession of faith drawn up by the Spanish bishops some years before which had given offence to pope Hencdict II. These expressions related to the two wills in our Lord Jesus Christ; and it was decreed to be not contrar}' to Christian truth to maintain that in God the will pro- ceeds from the will — '•yoluntatem ex voluntate proce- dere." See IMansi, vi, 1294.
XIX. This council was held May 2, G93 ; composed of fifty-nine bishops, five abbots, and the deputies of three bishops absent; there were also present the king, Egica, and sixteen lords. In this council the decision of the previous council concerning the procession of the will from the will, and of the essence from the essence, in God was further explained. Twelve or thirteen can- ons were published.
6. Relates to the conduct of some priests, who, instead of using bread made for the purpose in the holy euchn- rist, contented themselves with ofl'ering on the holy table common bread cut into a round form. The canon orders that the bread used at the altar shall be mnde expressly for that purpose.
9. Excomminiicated for life and deposed Sishertus of Toledo, e<mvicted of conspiring against the persou of king Egica and his family.