errasse: anathema sit. them: let him be anathema. Canon V.--Si quis dixerit, propter hæresim, aut molestam cohabitationem, aut affectatam absentiam a conjuge, dissolvi posse matrimonii vinculum : anathema sit. Canon V.--If any one saith, that on account of heresy, or irksome cohabitation, or the affected absence of one of the parties, the bond of matrimony may be dissolved: let him be anathema. Canon VI.--Si quis dixerit, matrimonium ratum non consummatum per solemnem religionis professionem alterius conjugum non dirimi: anathema sit. Canon VI.--If any one saith, that matrimony contracted, but not consummated, is not dissolved by the solemn profession of religion by one of the parties: let him be anathema. Canon VII.--Si quis dixerit, Ecclesiam errare, cum docuit et docet juxta evangelicam et apostolicam doctrinam, propter adulterium alterius conjugum matrimonii vinculum non posse dissolvi, et utrumque, vel etiam innocentem, qui causam adulterio non dedit, non posse, altero conjuge vivente, aliud matrimonium contrahere, mæcharique eum, qui, dimissa adultera, aliam duxerit, et eam, quæ, dimisso adultero, alii nupserit: anathema sit. Canon VII.--If any one saith, that the Church has erred, in that she hath taught, and doth teach, in accordance with the evangelical and apostolical doctrine, that the bond of matrimony can not be dissolved on account of the adultery of one of the married parties; and that both, or even the innocent one who gave not occasion to the adultery, can not contract another marriage during the lifetime of the other; and, that he is guilty of adultery, who, having put away the adulteress, shall take another wife, as also she, who, having put away the adulterer, shall take another husband: let him be anathema. Canon VIII.--Si quis dixerit, Ecclesiam errare, cum ob multas causas separationem inter conjuges quoad thorum seu Canon VIII.--If any one saith, that the Church errs, in that she declares that, for many causes, a separation may take place between
quoad cohabitationem ad certum incertumve tempus fieri posse decernit: anathema sit. husband and wife, in regard of bed, or in regard of cohabitation, for a determinate or for an indeterminate period: let him be anathema. Canon IX.--Si quis dixerit, clericos in sacris ordinibus constitutos, vel regulares castitatem solemniter professos posse matrimonium contrahere, contractumque validum esse non obstante lege ecclesiastica vel voto; et oppositum nil aliud esse quam damnare matrimonium, posseque omnes contrahere matrimonium, qui non sentiunt se castitatis, etiam si eam voverint, habere donum: anathema sit; cum Deus id recte petentibus non deneget, nec patiatur nos supra id quod possumus, tentari. Canon IX.--If anyone saith, that clerics constituted in sacred orders, or regulars, who have solemnly professed chastity, are able to contract marriage, and that being contracted it is valid, notwithstanding the ecclesiastical law, or vow; and that the contrary is nothing else than to condemn marriage; and, that all who do not feel that they have the gift of chastity, even though they have made a vow thereof, may contract marriage: let him be anathema; seeing that God refuses not that gift to those who ask for it rightly, neither does he suffer us to be tempted above that which we are able. [262] Canon X.--Si quis dixerit, statum, conjugalem anteponendum esse statui virginitatis vel cælibatus, et non esse melius ac beatius manere in virginitate aut cælibatu, quam jungi matrimonio: anathema sit. Canon X.--If any one saith, that the marriage state is to be placed above the state of virginity, or of celibacy, and that it is not better and more blessed to remain in virginity, or in celibacy, than to be united in matrimony: let him be anathema. Canon XI.--Si quis dixerit, prohibitionem solemnitatis nuptiarum certis anni temporibus superstitionem esse tyrannicam ab ethnicorum superstitione profectam, Canon XI.--If any one saith, that the prohibition of the solemnization of marriages at certain times of the year is a tyrannical superstition, derived from the superstition of the
aut benedictiones et alias ceremonias, quibus Ecclesia in illis utitur, damnaverit: anathema sit. heathen; or condemn the benedictions and other ceremonies which the Church makes use of therein: let him be anathema. Canon XII.--Si quis dixerit, causas matrimoniales non spectare ad judices ecclesiasticos: anathema sit. Canon XII.--If any one saith, that matrimonial causes do not belong to ecclesiastical judges: let him be anathema.
[258] Gen. ii. 23, 24.
[259] Matt. xix. 6.
[260] Matt. xix. 6.
[261] Ephes. v. 25, 32.
[262] 1 Cor. x. 13.
Sessio Vigesimaquinta, Twenty-fifth Session, coepta die III. absoluta die IV. Decembris 1563. begun on the third, and terminated on the fourth of December, 1563 DECRETUM DE PURGATORIO. DECREE CONCERNING PURGATORY. Cum Catholica Ecclesia, Spiritu Sancto edocta ex sacris litteris et antiqua patrum traditione, in sacris conciliis et novissime in hoc oecumenica synodo docuerit, purgatorium esse, animasque ibi detentas, fidelium suffragiis, potissimum vero acceptabili altaris sacrificio, juvari; præcipit sancta synodus episcopis, ut sanam de purgatorio doctrinam a sanctis patribus et sacris conciliis traditam, a Christi fidelibus credi, teneri, doceri et ubique prædicari diligenter studeant. Whereas the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Ghost, has, from the Sacred Writings and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, taught, in sacred Councils, and very recently in this oecumenical Synod, that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls there detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar,--the holy Synod enjoins on bishops that they diligently endeavor that the sound doctrine concerning Purgatory, transmitted by the holy Fathers and sacred Councils, be believed, maintained, taught, and every where proclaimed by the faithful of Christ. Apud rudem vero plebem difficiliores ac subtiliores quæstiones, quaæque ædificationem non faciunt, But let the more difficult and subtle questions, and which tend not to edification, and from which for the
et ex quibus plerumque nulla fit pietatis accessio, a popularibus concionibus secludantur. Incerta item, vel quæ specie falsi laborant, evulgari ac tractari non permittant. Ea vero, quæ ad curiositatem quamdam aut superstitionem spectant, vel turpe lucrum sapiunt, tamquam scandala et fidelium offendicula prohibeant. most part there is no increase of piety, be excluded from popular discourses before the uneducated multitude. In like manner, such things as are uncertain, or which labor under an appearance of error, let them not allow to be made public and treated of. While those things which tend to a certain kind of curiosity or superstition, or which savor of filthy lucre, let them prohibit as scandals and stumbling-blocks of the faithful. But let the bishops take care that the suffrages of the faithful who are living, to wit, the sacrifices of masses, prayers, alms, and other works of piety, which have been wont to be performed by the faithful for the other faithful departed, be piously and devoutly performed, in accordance with the institutes of the Church; and that whatsoever is due on their behalf, from the endowments of testators, or in other way, be discharged, not in a perfunctory manner, but diligently and accurately, by the priests and ministers of the Church, and others who are bound to render this [service]. Curent autem episcopi, ut fidelium vivorum suffragia, missarum scilicet sacrificia, orationes, eleemosynæ, aliaque pietatis opera, quæ a fidelibus pro aliis fidelibus defunctis fieri consueverunt, secundum Ecclesiæ instituta pie et devote fiant; et quæ pro illis ex testatorum fundationibus vel alia ratione debentur, non perfunctorie, sed a sacerdotibus et Ecclesia ministris et aliis, qui hoc præstare tenentur, diligenter et accurate persolvantur. DE INVOCATIONE, VENERATIONE, ET RELIQUIIS SANCTORUM, ET SACRIS IMAGINIBUS. ON THE INVOCATION, VENERATION, AND RELICS OF SAINTS, AND ON SACRED IMAGES. Mandat sancta synodus omnibus episcopis et ceteris docendi The holy Synod enjoins on all bishops, and others who sustain the
munus curamque sustinentibus, ut juxta Catholicæ et Apostolicæ Ecclesiæ usum a primævis Christianæ religionis temporibus receptum sanctorumque patrum consensionem et sacrorum conciliorum decreta in primis de sanctorum intercessione, invocatione, reliquiarum honore et legitimo imaginum usu, fideles diligenter instruant, docentes eos, sanctos una cum Christo regnantes orationes suas pro hominibus Deo offerre; bonum, atque utile esse, suppliciter eos invocare; et ob beneficia impenetranda a Deo per filium ejus Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum, qui solus noster redemptor et salvator est, ad eorum orationes, opem, auxiliumque confugere; illos vero, qui negant, sanctos æterna felicitate in coelo fruentes invocandos esse; aut qui asserunt, vel illos pro hominibus non orare, vel eorum, ut pro nobis etiam singulis orent, invocationem esse idololatriam, vel pugnare cum verbo Dei, adversarique honori unius mediatoris Dei et hominum Iesu Christi, vel stultum esse, in coelo regnantibus voce vel mente supplicare, impie sentire. office and charge of teaching, that, agreeably to the usage of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, received from the primitive times of the Christian religion, and agreeably to the consent of the holy Fathers, and to the decrees of sacred Councils, they especially instruct the faithful diligently concerning the intercession and invocation of saints; the honor [paid] to relics; and the legitimate use of images: teaching them, that the saints, who reign together with Christ, offer up their own prayers to God for men; that it is good and useful suppliantly to invoke them, and to have recourse to their prayers, aid, [and] help for obtaining benefits from God, through his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who is our alone Redeemer and Saviour; but that they think impiously who deny that the saints, who enjoy eternal happiness in heaven, are to be invocated; or who assert either that they do not pray for men; or that the invocation of them to pray for each of us even in particular is idolatry; or that it is repugnant to the Word of God, and is opposed to the honor of the one mediator of God and men, Christ Jesus; [263] or that it is foolish to supplicate, vocally or mentally, those who reign in heaven.
Sanctorum quoque martyrum et aliorum cum Christo viventium sancta corpora, quæ viva membra fuerunt Christi et templum Spiritus Sancti, ab ipso ad æternam vitam suscitanda et glorificanda, a fidelibus veneranda esse, per quæ multa beneficia a Deo hominibus præstantur; ita ut affirmantes, sanctorum reliquiis venerationem atque honorem non deberi; vel eas aliaque sacra monumenta a fidelibus inutiliter honorari, atque eorum opis impetrandæ causa sanctorum memorias frustra frequentari; omnino damnandos esse, prout jam pridem eos damnavit, et nunc etiam damnat Ecclesia. Also, that the holy bodies of holy martyrs, and of others now living with Christ,--which bodies were the living members of Christ, and the temple of the Holy Ghost, [264] and which are by him to be raised unto eternal life, and to be glorified,--are to be venerated by the faithful; through which [bodies] many benefits are bestowed by God on men; so that they who affirm that veneration and honor are not due to the relics of saints; or that these, and other sacred monuments, are uselessly honored by the faithful; and that the places dedicated to the memories of the saints are in vain visited with the view of obtaining their aid, are wholly to be condemned, as the Church has already long since condemned, and now also condemns them. Imagines porro Christi, Deiparæ Virginis et aliorum sanctorum in templis præsertim habendas et retinendas, eisque debitum honorem et venerationem impertiendam; non quod credatur in esse aliqua in iis divinitas vel virtus, propter quam sint colendæ, vel quod ab eis sit aliquid petendum, vel quod fiducia in imaginibus sit figenda veluti olim fiebat a gentibus, quæ in idolis spem suam Moreover, that the images of Christ, of the Virgin Mother of God, and of the other saints, are to be had and retained particularly in temples, and that due honor and veneration are to be given them; not that any divinity, or virtue, is believed to be in them, on account of which they are to be worshipped; or that any thing is to be asked of them; or that trust is to be reposed in images, as was of old done by the Gentiles, who placed their hope
collocabant; sed quoniam honos, qui eis exhibetur, refertur ad prototypa, quæ illæ repræsentant, ita ut per imagines, quas osculamur et coram quibus caput aperimus et procumbimus, Christum adoremus, et sanctos, quorum illæ similitudinem gerunt, veneremur: id quod conciliorum præsertim vero secundæ Nicænæ Synodi decretis contra imaginum oppugnatores est sancitum. in idols; but because the honor which is shown them is referred to the prototypes which those images represent; in such wise that by the images which we kiss, and before which we uncover the head, and prostrate ourselves, we adore Christ, and we venerate the saints, whose similitude they bear: as, by the decrees of Councils, and especially of the second Synod of Nicæa, has been defined against the opponents of images. Illud vero diligenter doceant episcopi, per historias mysteriorum nostræ redemptionis picturis vel aliis similitudinibus expressas erudiri et confirmari populum in articulis fidei commemorandis et assidue recolendis; tum vero ex omnibus sacris imaginibus magnum fructum percipi, non solum quia admonetur populus beneficiorum et munerum, quæ a Christo sibi collata sunt, sed etiam quia Dei per sanctos miracula et salutaria exempla oculis fidelium subjiciuntur, ut pro iis Deo gratias agant, ad sanctorumque imitationem vitam moresque suos componant, excitenturque ad adorandum ac diligendum Deum et ad pietatem colendam. Si quis autem his decretis contraria docuerit And the bishops shall carefully teach this,--that, by means of the histories of the mysteries of our Redemption, portrayed by paintings or other representations, the people is instructed, and confirmed in [the habit of] remembering, and continually revolving in mind the articles of faith; as also that great profit is derived from all sacred images, not only because the people are thereby admonished of the benefits and gifts bestowed upon them by Christ, but also because the miracles which God has performed by means of the saints, and their salutary examples, are set before the eyes of the faithful; that so they may give God thanks for those things; may order their own lives and manners in imitation of the saints; and may be excited to adore and love God, and to cultivate piety. But if any one