Pontifex (2) is hence also the title in the Roman Catholic < Ihurch of the archbishop or bishop of a diocese. The pope himself is styled the sovereign poniifex. or pontiff (q.v.). i.l. II. W.i
Pontifex Maximus. Before the time of Constan- lergy were not recognised as holding any dis- tinct rank in the stale: bul when Christianity was adopted ,-is the religion of the Roman empire, its min- isters were considered as occupying the place of those heathen priests whose superstitions had fallen into dis- repute. According to Zosimus, Constantine himself, in the year 325, assumed the title of Poniifex Maximus, which the heathen emperors before him had appropri- ated, because it contributed to i sail at once the impe- rial ami episcopal dignity, and served to justify the in- < i tnpi tor in ecclesiastical councils and
in 'lie nominati f bishops. Constantine's successors
followed his example until the days of Gratian, win. was the last i raperor to whom the title was applied. Some scholars doubt Zosimus's assertion, notwithstanding the fact thai the medal- of < Jonstantine and hi- succt ssors, down to Gratian, and the inscriptions relating to them. give them the title ol Pontifex Maximus, on the ground that ii may have been one of those traditional titles which the power of habil preserved, without any mean- connected with them. As to the use of the Bacerdotal garment, Zosimus may nol he quite trust- worthy in that re-peel. Km even if the emperors had accepted tie- pontifical robes, brought to them by the pagan priests al th< ir accession to the throne, it doe- not follow thai they actually wore them, or even officiated as •• Pontifices M.-iximi." It has been supposed bj some authors that the tirst Christian emperors adopted this pagan title only a- a means of proclaiming themselves
the guardians and protectors of the Christian religion. At an earlj period ofhis reign Constantine issued edicts in favor of the Christian clergy, by which they were put on a footing, with respect to civil rights, with the heathen priests: these edicts were soon followed by others, which gave to the clergy -■ me special and pe- culiar privileges. See Bingham, Origines Eccles. (In- dex in voLii); Riddle, Christian A ntiquities, p. 337 ; El- liott, Romanism, p. 620; Alzog, Kirchengesch. i, -J44, 251.
Pontiff, or High-Priest, a person who has the superintendence and direction of divine worship, as the offering of sacrifices, and other religious solemnities. The Romans had a college ol pontiffs, called by them
" pontifici." See Ponth I \.
Pontiffs, Confraternities of, were in the Uth century guilds of associated masons for the building of churches. They appeared first al (hart res. in France, and spread thence throughout thai country and Eng- land, Switzerland, and Germany. When their Christian character died out they became lodges of freemasons.
Pontifical (i. e. belonging to a pontiff or bishop) is a hook of rite- and ceremonies appertaining to the office of a high-priest, pope, er prelate: therefore the name of a hook used by a bishop at consecration of churches, ete. Thus the Roman Pontifical [Ponti- fical* Romanum) is the I k giving directions as to
those acts of worship which Roman Catholic bishops exclusively perform, or at least a priest delegated by the bishop. Several mediaeval pontificalia are extant, but they have merely a historical value. The edition published Feb. 1<». 1596, by pope Clement VIII, has re- mained up to our day the rule of the Roman Catholic ceremonial. " Statue nfes," says the pope, "Pontificale prsedictum nullu unquam in toto vel in parte mutan- dum. vel ei aliquid addendum, ant omnino detrahendum esse, ac quoscunque qui pontificalia munia exercere, vel alia, qua? in dicto Pontificali continent ur. latere ant ex- eqni debent, ad ea peragenda et praestanda ex hujus Pontificalis praescripto et ratione teneri, neminemque ex eis . . . nisi formulis, quae hoc ipso Pontificali con- tineniiir, servatis satisfacere posse." It maj by this quotation how stringent the prescriptions of the Pontifical are. The Pontifical contains the services for ordinations, for religious professions and receptions of monks and nuns, consecrations, benedictions, etc., as well a- of the solemn administration by a bishop of those sacraments which arc ordinarily administered by priests. Besides the prayers to be recited, the Pontifi- cal also lays down the ceren ial to he observed. The
rule- of this ceremonial are of two kinds precej 'ir, . the literal observance of which is obligatory; ami directive, which admit of a certain interpretation. Th< nies must he performed a- described in the s< \ era] -er- \ ices without any omission, addition, or modification, whether in the administration of sacrament- or the p< r- formance of public worship, in which the bishop exclu- sively, or a prie-t delegated by the bishop, officiates.
Another of die service-books of bishops is called the Ceremoniale, bul it is chiefly confined to a description of the peculiar ceremonial with which bishops are r. - quired to celebrate solemnly those offices, as of the mass, vespers, the funeral office, etc., which are common to them with priests. The most prized editions of both
i In Be sen ice-1 ks are those published by authority of
the liar 1 pope Benedict XIV.
In England the Pontifical is not by authority pub- lished separately from the Liturgy, so that it is never called by that name: though the offices of confirmation and ordination, in fact, compose the English Pontifical.